What Does President Lee’s Dog Bobby Wearing an Indonesian Gift Reveal About Pet Culture?
Daniel Kim Views
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President Lee Jae-myung on May 3 shared photos and a video of his dog Bobby wearing clothes gifted by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.
Lee posted on his official Instagram a photo and a video showing Bobby strolling on the lawn and captioned them in Korean and Indonesian: “Bobby wearing the clothes President Prabowo gave him” and “Wore the new outfit and played so hard he’s now resting.”
Reports say President Prabowo presented clothes and a leash for Bobby during his state visit to South Korea last month.
Lee also tagged Prabowo’s account and added, “Is Indonesia’s Bobby doing well, too?” The reference to Prabowo’s cat, which shares the same name as Lee’s dog, appeared intended to underscore the friendly rapport between the two leaders.
Lee first introduced Bobby as the “First Dog” last July. When he posted Bobby’s photo on Instagram, he wrote, “We live in an era of 15 million pet owners. More than one in four citizens lives with a pet. Through Bobby—who brings small happiness and warm comfort simply by being—I can better understand the feelings of the many citizens who live with companion animals.” Bobby reportedly belonged to Lee’s daughter-in-law, identified as Ms. Kim.
From the first president, Syngman Rhee, to Lee, most presidents have kept pets by their side. Political commentator Choi Yo-han said presidents often show their pets to appear closer to the public and to build empathy, since the presidency can distance officeholders from ordinary people.
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