Song Joong-ki (left) and Song Hye-kyo (right)[Yonhap Photo]
Fresh from her two-month newlywed life, actress Song Hye-kyo will accompany South Korean President Moon Jae-in at a state dinner hosted by Chinese president Xi Jinping to help the two countries mend ties.
The president's office said the leading Hallyu (Korean cultural wave) actress has been invited to the dinner in Beijing on Thursday that would follow a summit between Moon and Xi. That would be her first public appearance since the 36-year-old got married in October to Song Joong-ki who appeared in their hit drama "Descendants of the Sun".
Song Hye-kyo's appearance in Beijing came on the heels of efforts by Seoul to improve ties soured by the deployment of a U.S. missile shield in South Korea that led to restrictions on the distribution of Hallyu in China.
Seoul officials hope Moon's trip will provide an opportunity for the two countries to quickly mend ties. In a joint announcement on October 31, the two countries agreed on an early turnaround in relations, but Beijing has been slow to ease trade and other restrictions.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
