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Acting President Lee calls for unity on Buddha's Birthday

Published: 05 May. 2025, 12:22 Updated: 05 May. 2025, 16:16

Acting President Lee Ju-ho delivers a speech during a celebration event marking Buddha's Birthday at Jogye Temple in central Seoul on May 5. [YONHAP]

Acting President Lee Ju-ho on Monday called for unity and coexistence in observance of Buddha's Birthday, stressing the need to rebuild a broken community.

Lee's remarks came in a congratulatory speech on Buddha's Birthday, a public holiday in Korea, saying that the country needs Buddha's teachings of mercy and coexistence now more than ever.

"We need to rebuild a broken community with the power of firm solidarity by caring for each other and sharing our pain," Lee said during a celebration event held at Jogye Temple in central Seoul.

He said the government will focus on improving the people's livelihoods and mitigating social inequality and polarization for sustainable growth.

Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Lee became Korea's new acting president last week after former Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, who was second in line in the presidential succession, stepped down Thursday as the National Assembly moved to impeach him. Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo also resigned last week to announce his presidential bid.

The successive resignations of Korea's acting leaders last week heightened political uncertainty just weeks before the nation holds a presidential election on June 3 following the ouster of former President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Yonhap