South Korean first lady Kim Keon Hee recently hosted a luncheon for a group of first ladies from 16 African nations who were visiting to attend the first-ever Korea-Africa Summit. This marked her return to public engagement after a nearly six-month absence from the public eye. The luncheon took place at Sangchunjae, a traditional Korean-style house situated within the former presidential residence of Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul. Kim orchestrated the event with a theme of unity between Korea and Africa, carefully selecting the performance and menu details to showcase traditional Korean culture to the visiting first ladies. The venue was adorned with a mix of flowers from both Korea and Africa to symbolize the harmony between the two regions. The event featured a 10-minute musical performance combining the gayageum, a traditional Korean string instrument, and the cello, followed by a pansori opera sung in both Korean and French. The luncheon also included a demonstrative art performance and a four-course meal, with options catering to halal, vegan, and lactose-free dietary requirements. To accommodate Muslim guests, a prayer room was set up with a carpet, clock, and compass. Kim's return to public duties follows allegations that she violated the country's antigraft law by accepting a luxury Christian Dior handbag from a Korean American pastor in 2022. The pastor filmed the exchange with a hidden camera and shared it via YouTube media outlet Voice of Seoul last year. Kim had been absent from the public eye since December last year, when she returned from a state visit to the Netherlands with her husband, President Yoon.