Yoon Attending Christmas Worship: "Loving Neighbors Comes First, Fulfilling Responsibilities"

Visited Yeongam Church from Daekwang Elementary Days after 49 Years
President Yoon Emphasizes "The Path to Realizing Jesus' Meaning of Loving and Practicing Neighborly Love"
"I Will Do My Best in My Duties as President"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] On Christmas Day, the 25th, President Yoon Suk-yeol stated, "I believe that the first act of loving one's neighbor is to diligently do one's own work and fulfill one's responsibilities."

On that morning, President Yoon, accompanied by his wife First Lady Kim Keon-hee, visited Yeongam Church in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, to attend the Christmas service. According to a written briefing by Deputy Spokesperson Lee Jae-myung from the Presidential Office, he said, "Loving and practicing love for neighbors is the way to realize the purpose of Jesus coming into the world."

Yeongam Church is the church President Yoon attended while living in Bomun-dong, Seongbuk-gu, from first grade of elementary school until first grade of middle school. Deputy Spokesperson Lee explained that it has been 49 years since President Yoon last visited Yeongam Church. During the visit, President Yoon also met with his former teachers from Daekwang Elementary School at Yeongam Church.

President Yoon said, "I lived in Bomun-dong, Seongbuk-gu when I was young. I attended Daekwang Elementary School and Yeongam Church. When I moved to Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu in the second grade of middle school, I could no longer attend Yeongam Church. Today, meeting Mr. Son Gwan-sik and Mr. Lee Soon-gil, who guided the Boy Scouts during my elementary school days, feels like a dream. It feels like I have traveled back 50 years in a time machine," expressing his feelings.

President Yoon also said, "After studying law, I realized that the constitutional system, all order, and institutions originated from the words of the Bible," adding, "All the civilization and order we enjoy today come from the words of Jesus."

He continued, "This Christmas, Jesus came to the lowest places in the world to save the poor and all the vulnerable," and added, "Loving and practicing love for neighbors is the way to realize the purpose of Jesus coming into the world."

He also mentioned his commitment to fulfilling his duties as president. President Yoon emphasized, "I believe the first act of loving one's neighbor is to diligently do one's own work and fulfill one's responsibilities. And we must help many people in need. As the pastor said a moment ago, as president, I will also do my best to diligently carry out my duties."

Meanwhile, during the service at Yeongam Church, a large screen displayed President Yoon’s childhood certificate of completion from the Yeongam Church youth group in 1973, 49 years ago, along with his elementary school graduation photo from that time.

On Christmas Day, the Presidential Office released the certificate of completion for the Youth Department of Yeongam Church, attended by President Yoon Seok-yeol.

President Yoon Suk-yeol's elementary school graduation photo

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.