On June 3, 2025, Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea was elected as the 21st President of South Korea. The AsiaN is publishing the hopes and expectations of Koreans for the new president and administration in both Korean and English editions. We welcome the interest, feedback, and constructive criticism of our readers.
The AsiaN Editorial Team
By Choi Kyung-jin,
Korean expatriate in the Philippines and wife of the late Ji Ik-joo, who was killed by Philippine police in 2016
SEOUL: Dear President Lee Jae-myung,
I sincerely congratulate you on your election as the 21st President of the Republic of Korea.
I still remember your journey—how, as a young boy, you held your mother’s hand while working as a child laborer, enduring hardship yet never letting go of your commitment to education. After passing the qualification exam, you graduated from university and devoted yourself as a lawyer to helping those in need. Your path has been filled with trials and challenges, but you have consistently pursued warm and compassionate governance for ordinary citizens with a spirit of optimism and determination. Watching your leadership, I felt a sense of gratitude and hope, realizing that there truly are capable leaders in Korea.
Listening to your campaign speeches, I was deeply moved by the vision you presented for Korea’s future—a vision that seemed to dispel the darkness and usher in new hope.
I am not someone well-versed in politics. I am just an ordinary Korean citizen living day by day in the Philippines. However, living abroad, I feel the instability of Korea’s politics and economy more acutely. Over the past few years, the rise of the Korean Wave has significantly elevated our nation’s global standing, and I too have felt great pride. Yet, since last winter, it has been a time of anxiety and shock, and its effects still linger. I know that Koreans have always risen to overcome crises in difficult times, and that has been a great source of strength.
I believe Korea now stands at a critical crossroads—one that could determine the country’s fate. So much has collapsed over the past three years; society has become divided, and common sense has often been ignored. The economy has slowed, and the lives of ordinary people have become increasingly difficult.
In the midst of this turmoil, I earnestly hope that your leadership and ability to solve problems will help set Korea upright again. Not long ago, I saw you on television as a citizen voiced a concern. You immediately took out a notebook, wrote down the issue, and suggested ideas for solving it. In that moment, I felt I was witnessing a kind of leader I had never seen before—one who listens directly to the people, takes notes, and shows a sincere will to act. I saw in you a genuine sense of responsibility and drive.
Living abroad, I have come to understand even more deeply the preciousness of one’s homeland. When facing hardship or injustice in a foreign land, it is the nation that must stand as a parent to protect its people—a shield and a refuge. I, too, lost my husband at the hands of law enforcement in the Philippines, and for the past ten years, I have been fighting to bring justice to his case.
While leading the nation is undoubtedly a great responsibility, I believe the diplomatic protection of overseas Koreans is equally essential for today’s leaders. I earnestly ask you to make Korea a country that protects its people no matter where they are—a country that does not turn away from injustice.
I believe, President Lee, that you are the one who can inspire all of us to dream of Korea again, to hope again. I hope you will be a president who lights the way in people’s hearts—a leader who builds a fair and warm nation with the people.
Once again, congratulations on your election as President.
With respect and heartfelt support,
A Korean citizen from the Philippines
