Kim Hye-kyung Visits Convent with Brigitte Macron, Meets with Korean Nuns

Kim Hye-kyung and Brigitte Macron Meet for the Fourth Time This Year
Encouraging Korean Nuns Who Have Dedicated Over 40 Years to the Local Community
Highlighting “Personal Ties” Between Korea and France on the 140th Anniversary of Diplomatic Rel

Kim Hye-kyung, who is accompanying President Lee Jae-myung on a state visit to France, visited a convent in Saint-Paul-de-Vence in southern France on the 7th (local time) with Brigitte Macron, wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, where Korean nuns reside. This marked the fourth meeting between the two women this year. They encouraged the Korean nuns, who have been deeply rooted in the local community for over 40 years, and reflected together on the significance of human connections between Korea and France.

Kim Hye-kyung, wife of President Lee Jae-myung, currently on a state visit to France, visited the Holy Family Dominican Sisters Convent in Saint-Paul-de-Vence on the 7th (local time) and spoke with Korean nuns. Among the eight nuns at the Holy Family Dominican Sisters Convent, six are Korean, and Sister Kim Kyung-hee has been serving as the Superior General since 2024. 2026.9.8 Yonhap News Agency

According to a written briefing by Ahn Gui-ryeong, Deputy Spokesperson for the Office of the President, Kim and Macron visited the Holy Family Dominican Sisters Convent in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, meeting with the Korean nuns and other members of the community.

This was the fourth meeting between Kim and Macron this year. After their first encounter in Seoul last April during President Macron’s state visit to Korea, they met again in June on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian, France, and in July during the NATO Summit in Ankara, Türkiye.

The Holy Family Dominican Sisters has been a community dedicated to caring for and educating children in need since the 19th century. In 1982, thanks to the introduction by Father Kim In-jung, a Korean-born painter and priest, Korean nuns joined the convent. Currently, out of eight nuns, six are Korean. Sister Kim Kyung-hee, one of the first Korean nuns to join in 1982, has served as Superior General since 2024.

Sister Kim Kyung-hee and the other nuns welcomed the two first ladies, expressing their support by saying, “We regularly follow the activities of President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung through videos and other media.” They also greeted Kim warmly, saying, “We are truly glad you came,” and “We are so pleased about your visit.”

After listening to the stories of the nuns who have lived for decades away from their homeland and dedicated themselves to the local communities in France, Kim Hye-kyung remarked, “In the early 1980s, when Korea and France must have felt much farther apart than today, it could not have been easy to leave behind family and home and start a new life in a place with a different language and culture.” She added, “This is a beautiful example of how human connections can become deep and lasting bonds.”

Brigitte Macron also showed interest in how the Korean nuns have settled as part of the French local community and lived alongside their neighbors. The Office of the President noted that both first ladies agreed that the trust and friendship built by people from different countries in their daily lives serve as a foundation for strengthening the relationship between the two nations.

First Lady Kim Hye-kyung, who is on a state visit to France with President Lee Jae-myung, visited the Holy Family Dominican Sisters Convent in Saint-Paul-de-Vence on the 7th (local time) and spoke with Korean nuns. Among the eight nuns at the Holy Family Dominican Sisters Convent, six are Korean, and Sister Kim Kyung-hee has been serving as the Mother General since 2024. September 8, 2026 Yonhap News Agency

The two first ladies, guided by the nuns, toured the convent’s chapel and garden and discussed the life and work of the convent. As she finished her visit, Kim said, “I have deep respect for the nuns who, for more than 40 years, have cared for neighbors and served alongside the local community in a foreign land. Meeting them in person today and hearing their stories made this occasion even more meaningful as I was able to express my gratitude directly.”

Brigitte Macron replied, “The story of the nuns from Korea, who have put down their roots here and shared so many years with the local French community, was very impressive. I am happy to visit this special place and share these stories with First Lady Kim Hye-kyung.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.