President Jang and his wife meet a Cambodian boy who has undergone heart surgery … football gifts

On the 31st, President Yoon Seok-yeol and his wife, Kim Kun-hee, met Ok Rota (14), a Cambodian boy who had heart surgery in Korea, and congratulated him on his recovery.

President Yoon and his wife successfully completed an operation at the Yongsan Presidential Office in the afternoon and met with Rota, who is preparing to return home, Kim Eun-hye, head of public relations at the President’s Office, said through a briefing.

Chief Kim said, “President Yoon and his wife met with Rota and his older brother, Ok Nara, and the medical staff at Asan Medical Center in Seoul who were in charge of the surgery and reaffirmed their ‘miraculous recovery’ of health’.” At the end of last year, Mrs Kim visited the Asan Medical Center in Seoul to encourage Rota, who was recovering, and thanked the medical staff, saying, “Thank you for making a miracle.”

President Yoon Seok-yeol presents a soccer ball to Okrota (14), a Cambodian boy who visited the Yongsan Presidential Office building on the 31st, and they play soccer together. (Provided by the President’s Office) News 1

Rota has suffered from heart disease since childhood, so he has no experience playing football. Hearing this, President Yoon immediately presented Rota with a soccer ball that the office had on hand.

President Yoon practiced throwing and catching the ball with Rota. He then demonstrated a pick-up technique where he received a playfully thrown ball from Rota and bounced the ball with his body.

First Lady Kim Gun-hee reunites and hugs Okrota (14), a Cambodian boy who visited the Yongsan Presidential Office building on the 31st. (Provided by the President’s Office) News 1

First lady Kim previously visited Rota’s house in Cambodia in November last year, during President Yoon’s trip to Southeast Asia.

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Rota, who suffers from congenital heart disease, underwent heart surgery in Cambodia in 2018, but was unable to receive follow-up treatment due to difficult family circumstances and required additional surgery. Since then, he gathered warm hands and Rota was transferred to Korea in early December last year and underwent surgery at the Asan Medical Center in Seoul.

Reporter Lee Hye-won Donga.com hyewon@donga.com