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President Lee sends New Year’s cards to 45,000 recipients

Published: 26 Dec. 2025, 12:00

New Year's cards sent by President Lee Jae Myung for the coming year are seen in this photo provided by the presidential office [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

President Lee Jae Myung has sent New Year’s cards to some 45,000 people, key figures from various sectors, national merit recipients, members of vulnerable groups, foreign heads of state and overseas Koreans, the presidential office said Friday.

Marking his first year in office, Lee’s 2026 New Year’s card reflects on the country’s journey while reaffirming his resolve to face the challenges and changes ahead together with the people, according to the presidential office.

For the first time, recipients include centenarians who have contributed to Korean society and expecting parents who are set to give birth in 2026 — a move the office said symbolizes "an expanded message of intergenerational solidarity and inclusion."

“Through countless challenges and hardships, we have built today’s Republic of Korea by trusting and supporting one another,” Lee wrote in the New Year’s cards. “Whatever difficulties may lie ahead, we can overcome them — together.”

“It is my greatest pride to walk this meaningful path alongside the great people of Korea,” Lee also wrote.

The card features a traditional Korean landscape painting-style depiction of the Blue House and its surrounding scenery, symbolizing both the dignity of Korea’s history and the return of the nation's executive leadership to this iconic location.

President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hea Kyung are seen at Myeongdong Cathedral for Christmas Day on Dec. 25. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

A graphic design of lines and dots visualizes Korea’s leap toward a future driven by AI and digital innovation — a message projecting a vision for the country’s next 100 years as it expands its global presence.

“This New Year’s card is a reaffirmation that each and every citizen is the rightful owner of this nation,” a presidential office official said. “It encapsulates the president’s governing philosophy to face an era of challenges together with the people and conveys a message of renewed national progress from the Blue House — a symbolic space that connects Korea’s past and future.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]