[7th Multicultural Youth Award] Congratulatory Speech by Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon

Prime minister Lee Nak-yon / Korea Times file photo

Welcome everyone. It's a pity I can only greet you through a video,

First, I congratulate all the winners of this year's award.

You, the winners, have something in common. You all have bright characters and are active participants. You also know how to share what you have with others. You are bilingual, speaking both your mother's and father's languages, and familiar with both cultures. These traits will be valuable assets to you in the future. We adults will try to create a world where you can utilize these talents.

Some have already made efforts to create such a world. It's the teachers at Okcheon Elementary school and activists of Jiguchon Part Child Center. These people have taken care of multicultural families and their children, helping them adapt to our society. They also helped us understand multiculturalism better. To them, I give my congratulations and thanks.

Korea is rapidly turning into a multicultural society. However, we are still not ready for these changes. There are many things that must be changed, including education, laws and systems. The government will undertake meticulous preparations for this. We will not let a single child suffer from discrimination or prejudice. A good country, where everyone can live well together, starts from ensuring we have a society where every child is happy.

I thank The Korea Times for opening this meaningful event every year. I wish all the participants happiness. Thank you.

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