President Lee, Who Worked in a Factory as a Boy, Hosts Luncheon for World No. 2 Young Technical Talents, Encourages Youth to Take on Challenges

54 competitors win 4 gold, 14 silver and 6 bronze medals, demonstrating Korea's technological prowess
President Lee to view athletes' works and try their skills; Rose of Sharon brooch also to be presented

President Lee Jae-myung will invite young skilled workers who helped South Korea place second in the world at the WorldSkills Competition to the Blue House on Nov. 5 and encourage them. The event will give President Lee, who worked as a factory laborer in his youth, an opportunity to meet young people whose skills have been recognized on the world stage and reflect on the meaning of challenge and growth.

President Lee Jae-myung speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the Blue House on Nov. 3, 2026. Yonhap News.

President Lee and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung will host a luncheon at the Blue House State Guest House on Nov. 5 for the national team that represented South Korea at the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai, China. The event will be held under the slogan, "Passion Forged in Sweat, Korea Standing Tall."

South Korea placed second overall at the competition held last September, with its 54 competitors winning four gold medals, 14 silver medals, six bronze medals and 16 Medallions for Excellence. The achievement once again demonstrated on the world stage Korea's technological competitiveness, built up across diverse fields, including manufacturing and advanced industries.

Before the luncheon, President Lee will view works made by the national team members and experience their skills firsthand. The six exhibits are in floristry, baking, jewelry making, fashion design, optoelectronics and industrial control. Song Hyeonjun, a silver medalist in Industrial Electronics, will explain the works on behalf of the team.

The exhibition will include works by Nam Yunhui, a bronze medalist in floristry; Shin Jihyeon, a Medallion for Excellence recipient in baking; and Choi Boran, a bronze medalist in fashion design. Works by Yoo Yechan, a gold medalist in optoelectronics, and Park Jimin, a gold medalist in industrial control, will also be on display.

In particular, Lee Seungbin, 21, who won a silver medal in jewelry making, will present President Lee and his wife with a mugunghwa brooch that he made himself. Lee is a skilled young worker who also won a gold medal at the 58th National Skills Competition. The brooch, shaped like the mugunghwa, South Korea's national flower, embodies the craftsmanship of a young skilled worker and the pride of representing the country.

The event is also significant because President Lee, who experienced industrial work firsthand as a child working in a factory, will personally encourage young people who have grown into world-class skilled workers. It is expected to spotlight the development of skilled talent and the value of technical skills, while emphasizing the role of young people in driving the competitiveness of future industries.

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