She accompanied her father on his numerous Presidential visits across the nation as well as on his frequent official tours overseas. She also received foreign envoys, recalling the period she said, “the busy bee has no time for sorrow.”

One issue that attracted her attention was health insurance for the elderly and underprivileged, which was non-existent in the country at that time.

She told her father that Korea needed a nation-wide medical insurance scheme. Korea introduced its first national health insurance system in 1977. “There were plenty of difficulties in the process.

Yet it was the first major step towards Korea becoming an advanced country by guaranteeing the welfare of all citizens.

I personally felt a great sense of accomplishment because I did my very best as First Lady to introduce it to the country,” she later recalled.

Korea’s national health insurance system continued to expand, and in its twelfth year it became a universal health insurance scheme covering the entire population.

It is now regarded as one of the most successful national health insurance systems in the world.