"We will build a country where children can take on challenges through fair opportunities"... President Lee's first Children's Day event since returning to Cheong Wa Dae

President Lee Jae-myung hosted an official event at Cheong Wa Dae on May 5, inviting about 200 children and their guardians to mark Children's Day. It was the first such event since the launch of the Lee Jae-myung administration and the first since his return to Cheong Wa Dae.
The event, held under the title "Welcome to Cheong Wa Dae, isn't it your first time here?" and called "The 104th Children's Day Commemoration Ceremony," brought together children from a wide range of backgrounds, including those living in depopulated areas, children in care facilities, children from single-parent and multicultural families, children with disabilities or rare diseases, and children living near Cheong Wa Dae.
President Lee greeted the children warmly with high-fives before touring the main building of Cheong Wa Dae with them. In Sejong Room, where Cabinet meetings are held, he said, "It is a pleasure to meet all of you, the future of the Republic of Korea," and added, "I invited you to the office where the president works because I hope you will dream of a hopeful and bright future," Ahn Gwi-ryeong, deputy spokesperson of the Blue House, said in a written briefing.
President Lee also encouraged the children to take part by pointing to their seats and saying, "Think of yourselves as ministers and tell us what you would like to say." The children then asked a variety of questions, including, "When is the Cabinet meeting held?" "Why is Children's Day on May 5?" and "When will reunification happen?"
In Chungmu Hall, where ceremonies such as the inauguration are held, President Lee, First Lady Kim Hye-kyung, and the children continued their free-flowing conversation. When one child asked, "What does the president do?" Lee replied, "A president is someone who thinks about how to help everyone live better and decides how to spend taxes wisely." The presidential couple then moved to Nokjiwon, where they spent time playing freely with the children. They took part in keycap-making and face-painting activities, and at the children's request, they signed autographs one by one and offered warm words of encouragement.
"As president, I will do my duty so that children can grow up in a safer environment," Lee said. "I will do my utmost to build a country where children can pursue their dreams in any environment and take on challenges based on fair opportunities."
President Lee also delivered a Children's Day message through social networking service (SNS) on the day. On Facebook, he said, "I will work even harder to build a society where every day of the year, not just today, can feel like Children's Day."
cjk@fnnews.com Choi Jong-geun Reporter