First couple reaches first base

President Lee Myung-bak and the first lady, Kim Yoon-ok, share a kiss between innings at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Saturday. [YONHAP]

President Lee Myung-bak took his family to a baseball game on Saturday afternoon and even smooched the first lady, Kim Yoon-ok, when they were shown on the stadium's big screen, enthralling the crowd with the rare presidential public display of affection.

The presidential couple and their daughter's family showed up at Jamsil Baseball Stadium for a Lotte-LG match, a first for Lee since taking office.

It was the first time a sitting president attended a baseball game since April 1994 when former President Kim Young-sam took a game in, said the Korea Baseball Organization.

Previous presidents before Kim had come to baseball games to throw the first pitch, but rarely did they stay for the entire game.

Lee and his family waved thunder sticks to cheer on the two teams, with the president often turning to his grandchildren to his left, appearing to explain the game to them.

The first couple engaged in some first-base action after the fourth inning, when they shared a quick kiss during "kiss time", a tradition at Korean baseball games where several couples are urged to kiss while being shown on the giant electronic display board.

When the presidential couple was shown on the screen to the crowd's delight, Lee turned to the first lady, who waved her hand in slight protest at first before giving in to her husband's entreaties a few seconds later.

After erupting in cheers and flashing cameras, the stadium settled down for the rest of the game, during which Lee obliged those who requested pictures and autographs - sometimes raising two fingers in a "V".

The president and his family stayed until the top of the ninth inning, with the Lotte Giants winning 7-1 against the LG Twins.

The secretary general of the KBO, Lee Sang-il, was also at the game after hearing that the president would be there. According to the KBO, Lee invited the president to attend more games, which have been quickly gaining in popularity over the past several years, with nearly 6 million fans attending ball games this season.