President Lee Jae-myung on Wednesday shared images of his dog Bobby wearing an outfit gifted by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.
Lee posted photos and videos of Bobby strolling on a lawn on his official Instagram account, with captions in both Korean and Indonesian reading, "Bobby wearing the outfit gifted by President Prabowo" and "After playing excitedly in his new outfit, he's now resting."
Prabowo reportedly presented Lee with clothing and a leash for Bobby during his state visit to Korea last month.
Tagging Prabowo's account, Lee added, "Is Indonesia's Bobby also doing well?" The remark, referring to Prabowo's cat that shares the same name as Lee's dog, is seen as an effort to further strengthen the personal rapport between the two leaders.
Lee first introduced Bobby, the "First Dog," in July last year. At the time, Lee shared a photo of Bobby on Instagram, saying, "We are in an era of 15 million pet owners. More than one in four Koreans now lives with a companion animal. Through Bobby, whose mere presence brings small joys and warm comfort, I can more deeply understand the hearts of the many citizens who share their lives with companion animals." Bobby was reportedly a dog raised by Lee's daughter-in-law, identified only by her surname Kim.
From the nation's first president, Syngman Rhee, to President Lee Jae-myung, most Korean presidents have had companion animals by their side. Commenting on the First Pet tradition, political commentator Choi Yo-han previously analyzed, "Because the presidency is inherently removed from the public, presidents reveal their pet-raising lives to get closer to citizens and build common ground."
