First Lady Kim Geon-hee Revisits Hospital to Discuss Treatment for Cambodian Children with Heart Disease

After Story of Child with Heart Disease Rota Shared, Flood of Sponsorship Inquiries
Returned to Hebron Medical Center on the 13th After Visiting on the 11th... "Want to Actively Play a Role in Giving Hope"

First Lady Kim Keon-hee, wife of President Yoon Suk-yeol, visited the home of Rota, a 14-year-old patient with a congenital heart disease, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on the 12th (local time) to check on her health condition. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Bali (Indonesia) = Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] First Lady Kim Keon-hee, who accompanied President Yoon Suk-yeol on his Southeast Asia tour, revisited Hebron Medical Center located in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on the 13th. The visit was to discuss the treatment of a Cambodian child, Rota (14 years old), who underwent surgery for a congenital heart disease but is in poor condition and requires reoperation.

During her visit to Hebron Medical Center in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, First Lady Kim and others expressed relief, saying "a path to life has finally opened," as inquiries for sponsorship poured in from Korea after Rota's story became known, according to a written briefing by Deputy Spokesperson Lee Jae-myung of the Presidential Office on the 14th.

Deputy Spokesperson Lee said, "According to Director Lee Young-don of Hebron Hospital, a welfare donor who has been steadily supporting the hospital since its establishment saw the article about First Lady Kim meeting Rota and pledged to support Rota’s transfer to Korea for treatment. Additionally, Hebron Hospital has been receiving numerous contacts offering to cover the costs of air ambulance transfer to Korea and Rota’s stay during treatment."

Director Lee, who met with First Lady Kim, said, "Thanks to the help of many welfare donors, Rota’s medical records have already been sent to Seoul. Although Rota’s current health condition makes immediate transfer to Korea difficult, with the support of many people, it is expected that Rota will soon receive treatment in Korea and regain health. I am grateful to First Lady Kim and the welfare donors who have worked hard for Rota."

First Lady Kim stated, "If Hebron Medical Center becomes better known domestically and internationally and can save even one more life, that family will be happy and our entire society will brighten with hope. If I can contribute to giving such hope, I want to actively play a role."

On this day, Director Lee presented First Lady Kim with a cross that had been hanging on the hospital wall. He said, "The cross had been hanging on the hospital wall for a long time but no one paid much attention to it. I am grateful that the First Lady showed interest and asked questions about this cross on the 11th, so I am giving it to her as a gift. I think this cross, like Hebron Medical Center and Rota, had no one’s attention but gained special meaning through someone’s interest."

First Lady Kim also repeatedly urged Director Lee, who is currently battling illness, to take special care of his health.

First Lady Kim Keon-hee is visiting Hebron Hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on the 11th (local time), engaging in conversations with medical staff and others. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Deputy Spokesperson Lee said, "First Lady Kim’s revisit to Hebron Medical Center was made at the suggestion of President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was concerned about support measures after she met Rota. Due to unavoidable circumstances, she was unable to participate in the program provided by the Cambodian government for spouses of heads of state on that day as well."

Meanwhile, on the same day in Cambodia, First Lady Kim met with Korean young entrepreneurs pursuing their dreams. She encouraged young Koreans running a Korean snack shop in Cambodia with support from the KOTRA Youth Startup Program, as well as a young entrepreneur who moved to Cambodia several years ago and started with a small general store and now operates a select shop.

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