Yoon Emphasizes Diplomacy and Education Reform in Meeting with Religious Leaders

1st Anniversary of Inauguration... Sharing Diplomatic Achievements and Communicating National Governance Direction
Yoon "Supported by a Dense Diplomatic Network... The State Will Also Secure Childcare"

President Yoon Suk-yeol met with religious leaders on the 30th to discuss global diplomacy, education reform, child welfare, and solutions to low birth rates. This meeting was arranged on the occasion of President Yoon's first anniversary in office to share diplomatic achievements with religious leaders and exchange valuable opinions on the direction of national governance.

On the day, President Yoon held his second luncheon meeting with religious leaders since taking office at Sangchunjae in the Blue House, exchanging views on state affairs. The meeting was attended by nine religious leaders from Christianity, Buddhism, Catholicism, Won Buddhism, Confucianism, Cheondoism, and the Korean Council of Indigenous Religions. Attendees included Jinwoo Seunim, Chief Executive of the Jogye Order, Deoksu Seunim, Chief Executive of the Cheontae Order, Pastor Lee Young-hoon, President of the Korea Christian Federation, Kim Sam-hwan, Senior Pastor of Myungsung Church, Jung Soon-taek, Archbishop of the Seoul Archdiocese of the Catholic Church, Na Sang-ho, Director of the Won Buddhist Headquarters, Choi Jong-soo, Director of Sungkyunkwan, Park Sang-jong, Chief of Cheondoism, and Kim Ryeong-ha, President of the Korean Council of Indigenous Religions.

President Yoon Suk-yeol is walking and conversing within the Blue House grounds after holding a luncheon meeting with religious leaders invited to Sangchunjae at the Blue House on the 30th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

At the meeting, President Yoon emphasized the importance of global diplomacy and education reform. He stated, "There is no place in the world, even remote areas, where our people are not present. We will support this with a dense diplomatic network," adding, "I believe this will help protect our country and also improve inter-Korean relations."

The attending leaders also expressed their hopes that the expanded diplomatic horizon, including Korea-US-Japan cooperation, would bear fruit for liberal democracy. President Yoon then mentioned education reform, emphasizing the need for the state to take firm responsibility for child care, reduce the digital divide, and revitalize local education to nurture talent.

In response, the religious leaders said, "The religious community is working hard to ensure that children without parents, children from single-parent families, and children from multicultural families can grow up well," requesting the government to resolve difficulties and provide institutional support. In-depth discussions were also held on measures to address low birth rates.

Meanwhile, the luncheon lasted about two and a half hours, an hour longer than scheduled. After the meeting, President Yoon guided the religious leaders through the front yard of Sangchunjae to the main building of the Blue House and saw off the leaders until their departure.