The first ladies of South Korea and the United States spoke with each other at Cheong Wa Dae while their husbands were engaged in summit talks in another room of the presidential office Wednesday. The 40-minute conversation between Lee Hee-ho and Laura Bush were centered around the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks on the United States, volunteer social activities and religious issues in particular as both attended Methodist schools.
Lee said she respects the citizens of the United States as they have shown strong resolve to overcome a national crisis under the leadership of President George W. Bush in the wake of the terrorist attacks. Laura Bush responded by saying that she was told 17 Korean residents in the United States were victims of the attacks. She expressed thanks for South Korea's help toward U.S. rescue operations at that time.