SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee on Tuesday met with a Cambodian child who received heart surgery in Seoul, his office said.
Kim first met the 14-year-old boy, named Aok Rotha, in Phnom Penh in November, 2022, while accompanying the president on an official trip.
The boy has long suffered from congenital heart disease. He underwent surgery at Asan Medical Center in Seoul in December.
Yoon and Kim expressed wishes for his swift recovery during the meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan.
President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, watch Aok Rotha kicking a ball at the presidential office in Seoul on Jan. 31, 2023. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Yoon gave Rotha a soccer ball as a gift, recalling that Rotha has never played the sports, the presidential office said.
Rotha, in return, presented a thank-you card with floral decorations.
Officials from the hospital and Korean Air, who supported his travel to Seoul, were also invited to the event.
Rotha received heart surgery in 2018 but was not able to afford follow-up surgery due to his family's economic hardship.
During the Cambodian visit, Kim visited a hospital and the boy's home and discussed ways to provide treatment.
jwc@yna.co.kr
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