(unofficial translation)  My beloved fellow Koreans, A new year has dawned – the Year of the Red Horse. I would like to begin by extending my deepest gratitude to you, the people, who placed your trust in the government and stood together to weather one crisis after another over the past year. The Year of t...

Jan 01, 2026

Distinguished business leaders from across our economies, thank you for joining us at the CEO Summit despite your busy schedules. It is a great pleasure to welcome you all to Gyeongju, the ancient capital of Silla, a city that flourished for a thousand years through the enduring spirit of harmony and unity. ...

Oct 29, 2025

(unofficial translation)  Today marks the 579th anniversary of the creation of our proud alphabet, Hangeul. Hangeul is the only alphabet in the world with a clear record of when and how it was created, and it’s still celebrated today. Foreign scholars praise Hangeul as “the best alphabet that every language dreams...

Oct 09, 2025

(unofficial translation)  Fellow Koreans and overseas Koreans, I hope you are all spending a warm and joyful time with your families, friends, and neighbors. The hot summer is over, and Chuseok is just around the corner. Korean Thanksgiving is a time to wish for a fruitful year and hope for a better tomorrow, bu...

Oct 04, 2025

(unofficial translation)  My fellow Korean citizens, and proud members of the Armed Forces, I sincerely congratulate you on the 77th anniversary of our Armed Forces Day. I am filled with pride and emotions as I stand before the full strength of our military here at Gyeryongdae, the heart of our armed forces that...

Oct 01, 2025

I would like to express my respect and gratitude to all Members of the United Nations and staff of the UN Secretariat for their contribution to world peace and shared prosperity. I extend my sincere congratulations to Her Excellency Annalena Baerbock on assuming the Presidency of the 80th Session of the UN General A...

Sep 23, 2025

(unofficial translation)  I stand here today with an overwhelming sense of responsibility and profound gratitude. Carrying in my heart the millions of aspirations and hopes entrusted to me by our 52 million citizens, today I take my first step as the 21st President of the Republic of Korea toward building a true dem...

Jun 04, 2025

Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, Ambassador Chan Heng Chee, Director Choi Shing Kwok, Distinguished Guests, Good morning. It is a great pleasure to speak at the Singapore Lecture, a world-renowned platform for its prestige and tradition. I would like to begin by extending my sincere appreciation to ISEAS for or...

Oct 09, 2024

[Unofficial Translation] Your Excellency Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, the people of Singapore, I am indeed grateful for the warm hospitality extended to me. It is a great pleasure to make a state visit to Singapore, a key partner of Korea within ASEAN, ahead of next year’s 50th anniversary of the estab...

Oct 08, 2024

[Unofficial Translation] Your Excellency President Bongbong Marcos, distinguished business leaders from both countries, It is wonderful that the Korea-Philippines Business Forum is being held here in Manila, the Pearl of the Orient and a gateway linking Asia and the Pacific. Korea and the Philippines possess ...

Oct 07, 2024