President Lee Attends Elementary School Sports Day, Agrees to "Follow Back" Students on Instagram at Their Request

President Lee visits sports day at Wanggung Elementary School in North Jeolla Province
"I kept looking for an elementary school sports day and ended up here"
Takes part in games and takes selfies with students

President Lee Jae-myung visited an elementary school hosting a sports day on Oct. 22. He took part in the games himself and even accepted students' requests to follow them on Instagram.

President Lee Jaemyung encourages students who competed alongside him at the Fall Sports Festival held at Wangung Elementary School in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, on Oct. 22, 2026. Yonhap News Agency.

President Lee attended the "2026 Fall Festival: Happy Gathering" at Wanggung Elementary School in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, that day. Around 70 students and children from the kindergarten attached to the school, along with parents, faculty and staff, and local residents, took part in the event. Han Byung-do, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea and a representative for Iksan, also accompanied him.

"It's been a long time since I last attended an elementary school sports day," Lee said. "I said I wanted to go to one, but I was told there weren't any being held. After looking and looking, I ended up coming all the way here."

President Lee Jaemyung poses for a commemorative photo with students after the autumn sports festival at Wanggung Elementary School in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, on Oct. 22, 2026. Yonhap News.

As Lee walked to a tent set up at the school, he shook hands and greeted parents and students. Some students also hugged the president. Even after taking his seat, Lee was seen taking photos and chatting with the students.

Lee then took part in a game in which participants moved a ball along a long strip of cloth. Han Byung-do, who had come to the sports day with him, joined the opposing team. When the ball hit Lee on the head during the game, those in attendance burst into laughter.

President Lee Jaemyung plays a gym-ball relay with students at the Fall Sports Festival held at Wanggung Elementary School in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, on Oct. 22, 2026. Yonhap News Agency

While Lee was watching the games, some students asked him, "Please follow us back on Instagram." He took out his phone and handed it to them. As more requests followed, he encouraged the children to cheer, saying, "If you cheer hard, I'll follow you."

A member of the school's faculty and staff brought a copy of Lee's essay, The Road We Walk Together Is Not Lonely, and asked him to sign it. Lee wrote "I'm rooting for you" on the first page.

President Lee Jaemyung delivers remarks at the Fall Sports Festival at Wangung Elementary School in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, on Oct. 22, 2026. Yonhap News Agency

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