The presidential office said on the 23rd that President Lee Jae-myung, marking his first holiday since taking office, will send Chuseok gifts to people from all walks of life, including families of industrial accident victims.
The gifts consist of a desk clock bearing the president's signature, seafood from the eight provinces, rice, and more. Recipients include not only key figures from various sectors but also patriotic heroes, families of disaster victims, and socially disadvantaged groups.
The presidential office said, "In particular this year, gifts will also be delivered to the bereaved families of those who tragically lost their lives to industrial accidents while sweating and working on job sites," adding, "This reflects the government's resolve to share the people's pain." It also said, "The clock carries an earnest message that 'one hour of the president is equal to the 52 million hours of the entire nation.'"
The seafood from the eight provinces includes bore shrimp, gim (dried seaweed), sun-dried salt, tot (brown seaweed), kelp, dried squid, and stone-grown miyeok (wakame), among others. The presidential office said, "In the era of Arctic shipping routes, it is composed of major specialties from the East Sea, West Sea, and South Sea that form a precious foundation of 'the real Republic of Korea reaching out to the world,' and it symbolizes the national future vision of the Lee Jae-myung administration."
The rice was grown in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang, which suffered damage from a massive wildfire in Mar. The presidential office said, "We have imbued it with a desire to comfort those who have suffered from disasters together with the entire nation and to cheer on the recovery of the affected regions."
A letter carrying the president's message will also be enclosed with the gifts. In the letter, the president wrote, "As we greet the Chuseok holiday, I hope everyone's sweat and efforts will bear fruit, and that warmth will fill our society," adding, "I will do my utmost for a world where we live together and a nation where the people are happy."