How the South Korean Government Honors Parents: Key Takeaways from the 2026 Parents’ Day Event

[By Juhyun Tae, Korea Financial News] The 54th Parents’ Day ceremony was held at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s international conference hall in Jung-gu, Seoul. President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung attended in person to recognize those honored for filial devotion and to pay respects to the parents of police officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty.

According to Booyoung Group on the 10th, the ceremony took place on the 8th and was hosted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare with the Korea Senior Citizens Association serving as organizer. President Lee and the First Lady attended the event. About 230 people were present, including Chief Presidential Secretary Kang Hoon-sik; Senior Presidential Secretary for Social Affairs Moon Jin-young; Deputy Spokesperson An Gwi-ryeong; Minister of Health and Welfare Jeong Eun-kyeong; Korea Senior Citizens Association President Lee Joong-geun; Democratic Party lawmaker Jeong Cheong-rae; Liberation Association President Lee Jong-chan; Constitution Association President Jeong Dae-cheol; and heads of city and provincial federations nationwide.

This year’s ceremony carried the theme, “Parents! With the wings of that love, we blossomed as the flower called ‘Us,’” honoring the sacrifices of the parental generation while promoting intergenerational unity.

◇ Awards for filial merit; parents of fallen public servants invited
The government bestowed awards on 22 individuals recognized for exemplary filial devotion. Honors included one Order of Civil Merit, one National Medal, 10 Presidential Citations and 10 Prime Ministerial Citations.

President Lee personally presented awards to six recipients, including the Order of Civil Merit and several Presidential Citation awardees. Park Jae-du, who received the Order of Civil Merit (Seokryu), cared devotedly for his mother after she lost a leg, visited her grave daily for roughly 40 years after her death, and established Donghae Confucian College to provide filial-piety education to about 5,000 people annually.

Kim Young-an, awarded the National Medal, has supported his intellectually disabled wife and autistic child while caring for his mother—who became disabled in an accident—for 26 years, despite his own physical disability.

The ceremony also invited the parents of police officers and firefighters who died at fire scenes in Mungyeong, North Gyeongsang, and Gimje, North Jeolla. The president and first lady pinned carnations on the parents and offered their condolences.

◇ Government to expand integrated care and senior employment
The government said it will continue expanding senior-welfare policies. Since March, a nationwide community-based integrated care system has been rolled out to ensure seniors can access coordinated care, medical services, and long-term support where they live.

Officials plan to expand senior employment to about 1.15 million positions, reform the national pension income-reduction rules for working beneficiaries, and launch a pilot program for dementia-safe asset management services.

Lee Joong-geun, president of the Korea Senior Citizens Association, said, “Today’s Korea is built on the dedication and sacrifice of the parental generation that led industrialization and national development. We are all children of our parents and parents of another generation.” He added, “Parents’ Day should be more than an expression of gratitude; it should remind us of the values of respect and coexistence across generations. I hope we move toward a warmer society that understands and cares for one another.”

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