President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung attended a Christmas service on Wednesday at Haein Church in Incheon's Gyeyang District, the president's former constituency during his time as a National Assembly member.
The president arrived at the church with his wife and exchanged greetings with Pastor Lee Jun-mo and his wife Pastor Kim Young-sun, saying he was "grateful to share Christmas greetings at this church that embodies the true spirit of a church, just as Jesus came to the lowest places," presidential spokesperson Kim Nam-jun said in a written briefing.
The two pastors responded by telling the president, "Like baby Jesus who came to a humble and modest place, you can become a president who embraces the difficult corners of our society."
Following the conversation, President Lee attended the Christmas service with approximately 130 church members. The presidential couple then had lunch with congregants in the church dining hall, serving themselves bibimbap in a buffet line and taking photos while chatting with members.
Haein Church was established in 1986 as a people's church founded with money pooled by workers. It operates community programs including a shelter for homeless people and has many congregants from marginalized groups such as homeless individuals and domestic violence survivors. The spokesperson said the visit was arranged to reflect on the original meaning of Christmas and deliver a message of comfort and hope to all citizens across religious lines while reaffirming the value of social integration.
President Lee then visited the nearby Notre Dame Convent to exchange Christmas greetings with the nuns. The convent, also located in Gyeyang District, supports rehabilitation and independence for marginalized groups through welfare centers and educational facilities for people with disabilities.
In the afternoon, the president attended Christmas Mass at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul. The Mass was celebrated with Archbishop Chung Soon-taek of the Seoul Archdiocese, Auxiliary Bishop Koo Yo-bi, Parish Priest Cho Sung-poong, and approximately 1,000 congregants in attendance. Spokesperson Kim, Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, and Senior Secretary for Public Communication Jeon Sung-hwan also accompanied the president.
