At the site of the summit meeting between President Yoon Suk-yeol and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, which was held at the presidential office in Yongsan on the 21st, the work of the late Roh Eun, who is famous as a "painter who was a nurse from Padok," attracted attention.
According to the president's office, Yoon introduced a painting hanging in the background when Scholz signed the guest book as Roh's 1984 painting "Under a Corner of the Earth."
The work mainly deals with ordinary natural objects such as fish, deer, rabbits, and birds, while showing an innocent eye and unpretentious skill that is not adorned like a child's painting.
After receiving the explanation, Scholz said, "The picture is really beautiful" and expressed his gratitude for President Yoon's consideration considering the ties between the two countries, according to the president's office.
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Meanwhile, Mrs. Kim Keon-hee, wife of President Yoon, and Mrs. Britta Ernst, wife of Chancellor Scholz, welcomed each other on the day and discussed ways to promote cultural exchanges, including the return of Korean cultural assets.
Commenting on Mrs. Ernst's visit to the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on the same day, Mrs. Kim said, "It is a place that vividly shows the reality of the division of the Korean peninsula," and praised Germany for achieving reunification after the pain of division, according to Lee Do-un, a spokesman for the presidential office.
Regarding the return of cultural properties under discussion with Germany, Mrs. Kim said, "We hope that concrete cooperation will be carried out, such as joint source investigation between specialized institutions of the two countries, regarding Korean cultural properties held in German museums."
In response, Mrs. Ernst said, "The German government is paying attention and efforts to the return of cultural property," and expressed her intention to continue consultations.
Mrs. Kim and Mrs. Ernst then agreed that they hoped to further deepen the friendship between Korea and Germany through various cultural exchanges.
In particular, Mrs. Kim urged Mrs. Ernst to pay attention to the various events that will be held this year to mark the 140th anniversary of exchanges between the two countries.
(Photo = Courtesy of the President's Office, Yonhap News)