Lee Jae-myung, the President of South Korea, has become a topic of discussion online after taking a selfie with Chinese tourists visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul.
According to a report on August 10 by China's state-run Xinhua News Agency's social media account, the tourists encountered President Lee during their recent visit to the historic site.
Xinhua noted, "Despite the heat, President Lee, dressed in long-sleeved work attire, took the initiative to hold a mobile phone and snap selfies with the Chinese tourists," adding that the atmosphere was cheerful.
A Chinese netizen who met President Lee at the time shared on social media, "When taking the selfie, the president asked in English, 'China?' to which I replied, 'Yes.' He also remarked, 'People are really nice.'
The released video shows President Lee taking photos with the tourists, including moments where he personally handles their mobile phones to capture the images, as well as scenes of his Chief of Staff, Kang Hoon-sik, receiving a phone to photograph the president with the tourists.
The sight of a national leader spontaneously taking selfies with ordinary citizens is unusual in China, leading to significant attention on Chinese online media and social media platform Weibo. One user commented, "This is something that could not happen in China."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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