President Lee Jae-myung, on a state visit to Mongolia, attended the opening ceremony of Naadam, Mongolia's largest traditional festival, on the 11th, where he watched the festivities and personally tried archery.
President Lee attended the opening ceremony, held at the National Sports Stadium in Ulaanbaatar, together with first lady Kim Hye-kyung, and was seated in the VIP stand alongside Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh. President Lee attended as the official guest of honor of the festival.
The opening ceremony began with the raising of nine traditional ceremonial banners known as the "Nine White Banners." As music played, a mounted honor guard entered in turn and lined up in the center of the stadium. President Khurelsukh then delivered an opening address from a podium at the center of the stadium, saying, "I am grateful that President Lee Jae-myung attended on behalf of the Republic of Korea," to which President Lee and the first lady responded with applause from their seats.
After the Mongolian national anthem was played, traditional performances followed, including the lighting of the flame and a "dance of fire." A structure symbolizing Genghis Khan was enshrined at the top of the stage, heightening the atmosphere of the opening.
The main performance featured mounted processions and traditional performances from various regions. President Lee viewed the stage through binoculars and watched while conversing with first lady Kim and President Khurelsukh. When mounted riders and a procession of children passed in front of the stand, he waved in response.
After bearers carrying the Korean and Mongolian flags circled the stadium and waved the flags in greeting in front of President Lee and his wife, the couple responded with applause. When the roughly two-hour opening ceremony concluded, President Lee exited together with the Mongolian president and his wife, exchanging greetings with local figures.
President Lee and his wife also personally experienced archery, one of the three main events of the Naadam festival. Moving to the archery field, President Lee and his wife watched President Khurelsukh demonstrate traditional archery, listened to explanations from officials, and each took turns drawing the bowstring with all their might. When President Lee gripped the bowstring and released it, the arrow flew in an arc, drawing applause from the spectator stand. First lady Kim also walked out to the front of the field and drew the bowstring.
