President Lee and First Lady Visit New York Koreatown, Engage with Korean Americans and Locals on the Street

Holiday Greetings Extended to Korean Compatriots Ahead of Chuseok
Commemorative Photos Taken with Tourists
Dinner at a Korean Restaurant Features Stone Pot Rice and Braised Pomfret
Firsthand Look at the Spread of K-Food

President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung, currently visiting New York, USA for the United Nations General Assembly, visited Manhattan's Koreatown on the 21st (local time) to meet with Korean compatriots and local citizens. Ahead of the Chuseok holiday, they conveyed holiday greetings to the Korean community and directly observed the spread of Korean culture in New York daily life, including the growing popularity of Korean cuisine and K-beauty.

President Jae-myung Lee and his wife, visiting New York, USA, to attend the United Nations General Assembly, visited Koreatown on the 21st (local time) and took commemorative photos with citizens. 2026.9.22 Yonhap News Agency

An Gui-ryeong, deputy spokesperson for the Office of the President, announced in a written briefing that the President and First Lady visited New York's Koreatown in the afternoon to greet compatriots and communicate with local citizens.

Situated in the heart of Manhattan, Koreatown is a prominent Korean business district in New York, densely lined with Korean restaurants, shops, and cafes. Formed through the migration and settlement of Korean people, it has long served as a hub of daily life for the Korean community. In recent years, locals and tourists interested in Korean cuisine, K-beauty, and K-pop have increasingly visited the area.

The President and First Lady walked through the streets while receiving a briefing on the formation and development of Koreatown from Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Jihoon Cha. They also looked around Korean shops featuring signs in Korean and stores displaying Korean cosmetics and other products.

Along the street, they exchanged greetings naturally with fellow Koreans. When some compatriots expressed words of encouragement such as "Thank you for your hard work," the President and First Lady responded with handshakes or greetings. They also extended holiday wishes to Koreans living abroad ahead of Chuseok.

Local citizens and tourists also showed considerable interest. Recognizing the President, some called out "South Korea's President" and "Mr. President," while others greeted him with a thumbs-up gesture. The President and First Lady returned waves and accepted requests for commemorative photos.

A Korean student, currently studying at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in the United States, recognized the President and said, "I must send this photo to my parents in Korea," taking a picture together. This student explained that a new course on Korean cuisine was introduced at the school this year, highlighting the growing popularity of K-food in the United States.

Afterward, the President and First Lady had dinner at "The Kunzip," a Korean restaurant in Koreatown. The menu included Korean dishes such as hot stone pot rice, napa cabbage soup, taro soup, braised butterfish, and assorted Korean pancakes (jeon).

President Lee Jae-myung and his wife, visiting New York, USA to attend the United Nations General Assembly, are taking commemorative photos with local children in Koreatown on the 21st (local time). 2026.9.22 Yonhap News
Photo by Yonhap News

The Office of the President explained that this visit was an opportunity to greet members of the Korean community ahead of Chuseok, while also witnessing firsthand how Korean culture—including dining and consumer trends—has become a routine part of daily life in New York.

During his stay in New York, the President plans to continue a multilateral diplomatic agenda, including a keynote address at the United Nations General Assembly, a meeting with the UN Secretary-General, and engagements with leaders of major countries.

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