At the National Foundation Day ceremony and in commentary from the ruling and opposition parties on October 3, “Hongik Ingan” emerged as a shared language.
Prime Minister Han presented the direction that technological and cultural development should benefit people’s lives.
The ruling and opposition parties each emphasized people’s livelihoods, freedom and rights, and integration, but the words spoken that day were each party’s promises and positions, not confirmed policy outcomes.
3-Line Summary
1. The spirit of Hongik Ingan was emphasized on National Foundation Day
2. Prime Minister Han mentioned an AI basic society
3. Messages from the ruling and opposition parties must be distinguished from implementation outcomes
A “People-Centered” Direction Presented at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts Ceremony
Prime Minister Han said that people must be at the center of all change at the National Foundation Day ceremony marking the 4358th anniversary, held on October 3 at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The intent was that technological development should lead to changes that protect lives from accidents and disasters and benefit the public in healthcare, care, education, and jobs.
The congratulatory address also included the expression “AI basic society.” However, this was presented as the government’s direction and promise to ensure that people experience the fruits of technological development in their daily lives. The remarks about focusing on improving people’s livelihoods, including housing stability, jobs, and working-class finance, were also plans announced in that day’s address, not an announcement that those tasks had already been completed.
Prime Minister Han also said that Korea should take the lead in broadening the scope of empathy and solidarity through K-culture and in sharing its capabilities in experience, technology, and culture with the world. He connected this to putting the spirit of “Hongik Ingan and Jeseihwa” into practice today.
The Meaning of Hongik Ingan Reflected in Examples of Rescue and Nursing
The event was attended by firefighter Park Kyung-soo, who rescued neighbors in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, where damage from torrential rain occurred, and nurse Jung Eun-ah, who saved a citizen who collapsed from cardiac arrest. Prime Minister Han expressed his gratitude to them and described them as people who had put the spirit of Hongik Ingan into practice through their actions.
The core of the address was that it did not leave the national vision as an abstract slogan alone, but connected it with actions to help others at disaster and medical sites. The message can be understood as saying that the achievements of technology and culture must ultimately emerge in ways that protect and help people in their daily lives.
Democratic Party Emphasizes People’s Livelihoods; People Power Party Emphasizes Freedom and Rights
In a written briefing, Shin Hyun-young, spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Korea, said that the party would put the promise of Hongik Ingan into practice through politics that benefits the lives of each and every citizen. The party also expressed its position that it would make restoring people’s livelihoods its top priority and protect their lives, along with its pledge to strengthen democracy and create a Republic of Korea in which no one is marginalized.
Cho Yong-sul, spokesperson for the People Power Party, explained that the spirit of Hongik Ingan means protecting the people’s freedom and rights and ensuring that the results of their efforts lead to better lives. He went on to say that the values of freedom and prosperity, as well as integration, must be upheld and passed on to future generations.
As they marked the same National Foundation Day, the two parties both emphasized Hongik Ingan, but the Democratic Party placed greater emphasis on people’s livelihoods and democracy, while the People Power Party put greater emphasis on freedom, rights, and integration. It is not possible to determine from the day’s remarks alone what policies and outcomes the shared language of the commemorative holiday will lead to in actual politics.
References
- Daum·Yonhap News Agency, “Ruling and opposition parties on National Foundation Day: ‘We will protect the people’s lives’… People Power Party: ‘Defend the value of freedom’”
- KBS News, “Prime Minister Han: ‘Benefit everyone through an AI basic society’… Put Hongik Ingan into practice through K-culture”
Tags #NationalFoundationDay #NationalFoundationDayCeremony #HongikIngan #Jeseihwa #PrimeMinisterHan #AIBasicSociety #K-culture #SejongCenterforthePerformingArts #DemocraticPartyofKorea #PeoplePowerParty #RestoringPeople’sLivelihoods #People’sFreedomandRights #PoliticalMessages