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| President Yoon Suk Yeol waves during a ceremony at Yongsan Children's Garden in front of the presidential office in Seoul, May 4. Yonhap |
President Yoon Suk Yeol attended the opening ceremony of Yongsan Children's Garden on Thursday, pledging to create a space where children can be healthy and happy.
The Garden is a park located in front of the presidential office building in Yongsan and occupies around 300,000 square meters of land previously used as a base by U.S. forces stationed in Korea.
The park opened to the public on the eve of the Children's Day holiday after having undergone reconstruction for a year in line with Yoon's campaign pledge to draw closer to the public.
The opening also comes days ahead of the first anniversary of Yoon's inauguration on May 10.
"I'm reminded of how I felt at the time of my inauguration when I returned Cheong Wa Dae to the people and relocated the presidential office here," Yoon said in congratulatory remarks, referring to the former presidential compound.
"We will continue to make improvements so that it becomes a space where children can be healthy, joyful and happy," he said.
First lady Kim Keon Hee was also present at the ceremony, which was attended by around 200 people, including children, parents, and officials from the government, ruling People Power Party and the presidential office.
Yoon showed children around the park, pointing to a football field, a baseball field and a library.
Yoon and Kim later planted a pine tree on a hill overlooking the presidential office. (Yonhap)
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