President Yoon Suk-yeol's First Commemorative Watch Unveiled... A Look at Watches of Past Presidents

Yoon Suk-yeol's Watch... Simple Style with Inauguration Slogan on Back
Design Reflecting Presidential Style and Philosophy... Kim Young-sam "Greatness Without Arrogance" · Moon Jae-in "People First"

The first presidential souvenir produced after President Yoon Suk-yeol's inauguration, the 'President Yoon Suk-yeol Commemorative Watch,' was unveiled on the 25th. Photo by the Office of the President

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] The 'President Yoon Suk-yeol Commemorative Watch,' the first presidential souvenir produced since President Yoon Suk-yeol's inauguration, was unveiled on the 25th, drawing attention to commemorative watches of past presidents.

The Presidential Office stated in a press release that day, "This is the first souvenir since the inauguration," adding, "The watch design reflects President Yoon's practical philosophy, focusing on simplicity and practicality."

The presidential commemorative watch has traditionally been a souvenir presented to guests invited to the Blue House. On the morning of the 25th, President Yoon invited 20 'People's Hope Representatives' who stood with him on the podium during the inauguration ceremony on the 10th to his office in Yongsan and presented the first commemorative watch. Among them were Yook Ji-seung, a child who donated 500,000 won of pocket money saved over three years to buy a game console, gaining public attention; actor Oh Young-soo, famous as the 'Kkanbu Grandfather' from the drama 'Squid Game'; athlete Kim Na-yoon, who overcame disabilities to succeed as a fitness competitor; and Park Mu-geun, who has anonymously donated 10 million won annually.

The front of the watch features the signature 'President Yoon Suk-yeol' along with a golden phoenix pattern, while the back is engraved with the slogan used since the presidential inauguration, 'Again Korea! A New Nation of the People.' The outer side of the watch strap is black, with beige leather on the inside. The Presidential Office emphasized practicality for everyday wear and chose a uniquely developed design rather than an off-the-shelf product. The watch is durable and water-resistant for daily use. The packaging box bears the presidential emblem and signature. The bag containing the watch and packaging box uses plain materials compliant with the 'Act on the Conservation and Recycling of Resources,' making it recyclable, according to the Presidential Office.

Presidential watches of former presidents Park Chung-hee, Chun Doo-hwan, Roh Tae-woo, Kim Young-sam, Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun, Lee Myung-bak, Park Geun-hye, Moon Jae-in, Yoon Suk-yeol (from top left to bottom right) / Photo by the Office of the President

◆Design Reflecting Presidential Style and Philosophy= The design of the presidential watch and the inscription on the back reflect the style and philosophy pursued by each president.

Watches of Presidents Park Chung-hee, Chun Doo-hwan, Roh Moo-hyun, Moon Jae-in, and Yoon Suk-yeol omit numbers and use dots to indicate time, conveying simplicity. President Roh Moo-hyun's watch was the first among presidential watches to feature a square design, symbolizing his challenge to break away from conventional and authoritative norms. Watches of Presidents Roh Tae-woo, Kim Young-sam, Kim Dae-jung, and Lee Myung-bak display numbers in Arabic or Roman numerals and include yellow gold accents alongside the phoenix pattern, giving a luxurious and authoritative appearance.

The back of each watch highlights the president's political philosophy. President Kim Young-sam's watch back is inscribed with ‘Daedo Mumun’ (大道無門), meaning 'The great way has no gate,' a motto he lived by and personally wrote as a gift when former President Clinton visited Korea. President Roh Moo-hyun's watch bears the phrase 'Principles and Trust, New Korea Roh Moo-hyun.' President Lee Myung-bak's watch is decorated with handwritten signatures of the president and first lady. Former President Moon Jae-in's watch features his campaign slogan, 'People First.'

◆From Absolute Power's Gift to Public Souvenir= In Korea, former President Park Chung-hee was the first to gift presidential watches bearing his autograph to Saemaul leaders who enjoyed Blue House dinners in the 1970s. Subsequently, Presidents Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo followed suit, producing watches as gifts for national merit recipients, foreign dignitaries, veterans' families, prominent athletes who enhanced national prestige, and some Blue House guests. At that time, presidential watches were produced in small quantities and given as gifts, symbolizing absolute power and personal connections.

Presidents Kim Young-sam and Kim Dae-jung also produced presidential watches during their terms. However, they produced watches in larger quantities for special occasions, gifting them to Blue House guests and visitors, thus beginning to take on the character of public souvenirs. Notably, President Kim Dae-jung's Nobel Prize commemorative watch was produced in two types: one for gifting and one for sale.

During the Roh Moo-hyun administration, two types of presidential watches were produced. Former President Park Geun-hye initially stated she would not create commemorative watches that could be perceived as symbols of power but later gifted commemorative watches to select Blue House visitors after Liberation Day in 2013.

However, controversy surrounding Park Geun-hye's watch arose after her impeachment. Lee Man-hee, the leader of Shincheonji, wore a Park Geun-hye watch during a national apology press conference on COVID-19 spread in March 2020. Yet, officials from the Park Geun-hye administration, the Public Procurement Service, and the watch supplier Romanson all stated that the watch worn was different from the official product, leading to criticism that it was a 'turning point tactic.' Former President Moon Jae-in's first commemorative watch, produced when his approval rating was over 80%, gained popularity as the 'Ini Watch.'

◆Wide Price Range Among Used Presidential Watches...Counterfeits Once Circulated = Presidential commemorative watches are mainly recommended by the Korea Watch Industry Cooperative and are ordered and supplied through non-competitive, discretionary contracts. Since they are gifts rather than for sale, used presidential watches are mainly traded on online secondhand markets. Watches of older presidents or those with a solid supporter base tend to fetch higher prices, mostly ranging between 50,000 and 600,000 won.

From President Lee Myung-bak's era, so-called 'counterfeit presidential watches' began to circulate widely. This was likely due to his high public recognition, having been elected with the slogan 'Economic President,' easily defeating opposition candidates. Many merchants were caught and sentenced to prison. Park Geun-hye's watch was popular mainly among conservative circles until her impeachment, leading to the arrest of distributors who produced and sold counterfeit Park Geun-hye watches.