First Lady Kim Hye-kyung Bakes 'Hope Cookies' with Children with Glycogen Storage Disease: "I Wanted to Make Worry-Free Cookies Together"

Organized as a Follow-up to the Rare Disease Family Communication Event
Hope Cookies to Be Delivered to Young Patients Unable to Attend Ahead of Children’s Day

On April 29, First Lady Kim Hye-kyung encouraged healthy eating habits and dreams for children with glycogen storage disease ahead of Children’s Day, by making customized healthy snacks called "Hope Cookies" together with young patients.

Kim Hye-Kyung is greeting children at the Hope Cookie Making event for pediatric cancer patients held on the 29th at Imagination Land in Children's Grand Park, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

According to a written briefing by Deputy Spokesperson Ahn Gui-ryeong of the Office of the President, Mrs. Kim visited the "Healthy Food Explorers" special class at Seoul Imagination Land, an experiential facility within Children’s Grand Park in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the same day. She participated in a Hope Cookie making activity with children suffering from glycogen storage disease.

This event was organized as a follow-up to the rare disease patient and family communication event attended by President Lee Jae-myung and the First Lady on December 24 last year. The purpose was to encourage healthy eating by making Hope Cookies—previously introduced as a custom snack for glycogen storage disease patients—together with the children ahead of Children’s Day.

Glycogen storage disease is a rare congenital disorder of carbohydrate, specifically glucose, metabolism, causing repeated episodes of hypoglycemia. The number of patients in Korea is estimated to be about 370. Patients must strictly manage their blood sugar levels by eating small meals at regular intervals and consuming corn starch.

The Hope Cookie was developed by parents themselves, taking these special needs into account, by lowering the carbohydrate content so that children can eat it with greater peace of mind.

Meeting the children, Mrs. Kim said, "The story of the Hope Cookie I heard last Christmas Eve has stayed with me," adding, "I wanted to be part of this event where children with glycogen storage disease could freely enjoy cookies without worry."

She then introduced student Jang Jun-woo, who continues his studies at Minjok Leadership Academy despite living with glycogen storage disease, and encouraged the children, saying, "I hope you will all grow up healthy and wonderful like Jun-woo."

Also present at the event were Associate Professor Kang Yoon-gu of Wonju Severance Christian Hospital, who treats patients with glycogen storage disease, and Lee Ji-young, CEO of "Mongsim," a youth startup bakery preparing to launch the Hope Cookie.

Following the instructor's guidance, Mrs. Kim and the children mashed steamed sweet potatoes with unsalted butter, then added oatmeal and sesame to make the dough. They pressed the dough into various shaped molds such as hearts, stars, and cats, and then baked them in the oven. According to the Office of the President, the cookies are characterized by the use of sweet potatoes instead of sugar for natural sweetness, and unsalted butter, oatmeal, and sesame for a nutty flavor and texture.

Watching the children making cookies, Mrs. Kim praised and encouraged them, saying, "You’re doing so well—did you practice beforehand?" Park Jae-yi, who participated in the event, said, "It was a bit difficult, but I think my cooking skills improved," spreading laughter throughout the venue.

Mrs. Kim commented, "I think these cookies would be great as a healthy snack not only for children with glycogen storage disease but for all families," adding, "I also thought they would go well as a late-night snack for President Lee Jae-myung."

While the cookies were baking, Mrs. Kim and the children took a walk together in Children’s Grand Park. In front of a fountain playing children’s songs, they took commemorative photos with "Careu" and "Nashuro," the mascots of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety’s sodium and sugar reduction campaign, and spent time playing with soap bubbles.

Kim Hye-kyung is taking a walk with children after the Hope Cookie Making event for children with leukemia, held on the 29th at Children's Grand Park in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

Afterwards, Mrs. Kim and the children tasted the Hope Cookies they had baked together. After the commemorative photo, Mrs. Kim presented the cookies and a gift package she had prepared herself.

Bae Jun-ho, head of the Glycogen Storage Disease Patients’ Association and father of Bae Ji-an, who attended the event, said, "I sincerely thank you for not forgetting the Hope Cookie and for creating another meaningful occasion," and added, "As a parent, I was extremely moved."

Mr. Bae also said, "It was touching to see ongoing changes under the continuous attention of Mrs. Kim Hye-kyung and the government," adding, "I hope Hope Cookies will spread as a healthy food enjoyed by everyone, not just children with glycogen storage disease."

The Office of the President announced that Hope Cookies will also be delivered through the Glycogen Storage Disease Patients’ Association to young patients who could not attend the event, in celebration of Children’s Day on May 5.

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