First Lady Kim Jeong-suk: "Let's Create a Dementia-Friendly Society"

13th Dementia Overcoming Day Video Celebration Message
"No One Can Be Free from Dementia"
3-Year Review of Moon Jae-in Government's 'National Responsibility System for Dementia'

First Lady Kim Jung-sook attended the "Korea Together Sale, Let's Buy Value" event held on July 2nd at KSPO Dome in Songpa-gu, Seoul, and engaged in conversations with producers and sellers nationwide via video connection.

First Lady Kim Jung-sook said on the 21st, World Alzheimer's Day, "Let us create a 'dementia-friendly society' that understands and cares for dementia patients as valuable members of our society."

At 10 a.m. that day, during the '13th World Alzheimer's Day Commemoration Ceremony' held at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry International Conference Hall, First Lady Kim delivered a congratulatory video message, stating, "One out of every ten elderly people aged 65 or older in our country has dementia, and no one is free from dementia in this aging society."

September 21 is designated as 'World Alzheimer's Day' by the World Health Organization (WHO) and others, and our government has held the 'World Alzheimer's Day' event annually on this day.

This year's World Alzheimer's Day ceremony was held as the '3rd Anniversary of the National Responsibility System for Dementia,' reflecting on the achievements of the Moon Jae-in administration's focused efforts on the 'National Responsibility System for Dementia' over three years.

The Blue House stated that First Lady Kim delivered the video congratulatory message to emphasize the importance of realizing the National Responsibility System for Dementia and to express special gratitude to those who have worked hard to overcome dementia.

In her congratulatory message, First Lady Kim said, "Addressing the suffering of dementia patients and their families as a problem for all citizens to solve together is the way to maintain the lives of dementia patients and their families, reduce social costs, and improve the quality of life for all citizens," emphasizing the need to create a country where people can feel secure from dementia through continuous interest and effort.

Blue House Deputy Spokesperson Lim Se-eun revealed in a written briefing that First Lady Kim has continuously engaged in activities to support the realization of the National Responsibility System for Dementia.

First Lady Kim has been active as a 'Dementia Partner' since receiving training at the Jongno-gu Dementia Safety Center in 2019 and has watched the dementia-themed movie 'Romang' together with other Dementia Partners.

She also participated in visits to the Namyangju Dementia Safety Center (May 2018) and the Geumcheon-gu Dementia Safety Center (May 2019), inspecting the sites of 'Dementia Safety Centers,' which are central to the National Responsibility System for Dementia.

During overseas trips, she has also observed dementia-related facilities in countries that have experienced aging societies ahead of us and have been striving to overcome dementia. Representative examples include elderly care facilities in Washington, USA (June 2017), the dementia care facility De Wingerd in Brussels, Belgium (October 2018), and the Royal Dementia Support Center in Stockholm, Sweden (June 2019).

Deputy Spokesperson Lim said, "First Lady Kim Jung-sook will continue to actively support activities to ensure that the National Responsibility System for Dementia is well established in our society."

President Moon Jae-in and his wife Kim Jung-sook are entering the first Youth Day commemorative ceremony held on the morning of the 19th at the Greenhouse of the Blue House.

Meanwhile, President Moon Jae-in has expressed his commitment to realizing the National Responsibility System for Dementia from the beginning of his term, stating that "dementia is a responsibility shared by the nation and society." In September 2017, he officially announced the 'National Responsibility System for Dementia Promotion Plan,' formalizing the system.

The 'Dementia Safety Centers,' which have been promoted as a core policy of the National Responsibility System for Dementia, have been established in 256 locations nationwide so far, serving 3.72 million elderly people aged 60 and over (including 500,000 dementia patients) who have visited and benefited from these centers.