President Lee hosts Skills Olympics team for lunch: “So people receive recognition befitting their skills”

[Financial News] President Lee Jae Myung held a luncheon on the 5th to encourage the national team competing at the Shanghai International Skills Olympics and said, “I will work to create a society where more young people can pursue their dreams through technology, and where people with outstanding technical skills receive recognition and respect commensurate with their abilities.”
The luncheon, held that day at the Yeongbingwan State Guest House at Cheong Wa Dae, was attended by President Lee and his wife, the team, team advisers, parents, representatives of sponsoring companies, and others. The Korean team placed second overall at the 48th International Skills Olympics, held in Shanghai, China, last September.
President Lee emphasized, “Our country has grown into a world-class manufacturing powerhouse because of the sweat and passion of countless skilled workers who have quietly honed their skills on the job,” adding, “If technology is Korea’s competitive edge, then you, the young skilled talent who will develop that technology, are the future of our country.”
He went on to urge them, saying, “I hope you will take pride in the skills you have and continue to pursue even bigger dreams.”
President Lee encouraged them, saying, “There is a competitor who helped our country win the web technologies event for the fifth time in a row, one who won a valuable medal despite difficult family circumstances, and even one who overcame an injury and a slump to realize the dream of representing the country. Each of you has a different story, but I believe all 54 competitors challenged their limits and did an excellent job of showcasing the skills they had honed to the fullest.”
He also said, “Of course, some competitors were unfortunately unable to win medals. But I believe the sweat you shed and the time you spent persevering and taking on challenges to get here are more valuable than those medals.”
Lee Byung-hoon, head of the team delegation and chairman of the Human Resources Development Service of Korea, said, “Host nation China poured national resources into developing young skilled talent, taking first place overall and widening its lead over Korea even further.” He added, “We will not rest on our laurels after this second-place finish. We will overhaul our athlete development system and make every effort to achieve a better result at the next competition in Aichi, Japan, in 2028.”
He also asked, “I would be very grateful if more companies created employment opportunities for winners of domestic and international skills competitions, helping young skilled workers find clearer motivation.” He added, “I would like to use this opportunity to urge the government to actively consider hosting the Skills Olympics in order to create a major nationwide groundswell for the promotion of skilled technical expertise in this era of sweeping AI transformation.”
[email protected] Seong Seok-woo Reporter