President Lee Jae-myung pledged on Children's Day Monday to "continuously strive to become a dignified adult who protects the dignity of children," in a social media post titled "Marking the 104th Children's Day."
After an event inviting children to Cheong Wa Dae, President Lee wrote on Facebook, "I believe much will change depending on how we view and treat our children." He emphasized, "If we watch over them with a warm gaze and wait patiently, our children will grow into adults with broader hearts and deeper consideration." He added, "I too pledge to respect children not merely as objects of protection or as cute beings, but as persons with dignity and character," promising to be "a dignified adult who protects children's dignity."
"Though we now live as respectable adults in our own places, we were all once children learning about the world under someone's care," President Lee said. "On May 5, Children's Day, I recall the feelings of those days." He reminisced, "We were thrilled and excited by the smallest things, crying and laughing over trivial matters. Everything in the world was unfamiliar, but for that very reason, it was all the more new and wondrous. Those were days when we believed we could become anything and do anything, seeing possibilities before limits."
"Looking back, children are by no means insufficient or immature beings — they simply need a little more time than adults," President Lee said. He added, "They are complete persons who learn and grow at their own pace and understand the world in their own way."
Finally, President Lee said, "I will do my utmost to build a society where every day of the year can feel like Children's Day, not just today," adding, "I wholeheartedly wish that our children, the future of the Republic of Korea, will always remain healthy."
Meanwhile, President Lee and first lady Kim Hye-kyung invited children to Cheong Wa Dae to mark the 104th Children's Day. About 200 people attended, including children from depopulating areas, children from multicultural families, and children residing near Cheong Wa Dae along with their guardians. Given that this was the first Children's Day event since the return to Cheong Wa Dae, some children living in the vicinity were also included.
