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President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung travel by car after arriving at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia, on October 26 to attend the ASEAN summit. / Source: Yonhap News

President Lee Jae-myung pledged Sunday to build a country that inspires pride among Koreans living abroad, saying he wants to make sure no one feels uneasy when asked about their nationality.

“Whenever our compatriots overseas are asked, ‘Are you Korean?,’ the meaning of that question varies depending on the times,” Lee said during a dinner meeting with the Korean community in Malaysia, held at the JW Marriott Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. “Sometimes it’s out of admiration or friendliness, which fills us with pride. But at other times, people have said it felt like they were being asked, ‘Are you from that strange country?’”

“I promise to make a Korea where our citizens abroad no longer have to feel that kind of anxiety,” he added.

Lee noted that there were times when Koreans overseas had worried deeply about the state of their homeland, saying, “I will ensure that you never have to worry about Korea’s future again.”

He also encouraged the Korean expatriate community to help younger settlers establish themselves more easily. “More Koreans will likely make Malaysia their home in the future,” he said. “As pioneers, I hope you will open a path for those who follow — a smoother, happier road to success.”

Lee emphasized that “each and every citizen of Korea possesses great potential,” and that “when abroad, it is vital for our people to build strong, supportive networks with one another.”

According to presidential spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung, around 200 guests attended the event, including leaders of Korean associations, businesspeople, educators, artists, and staff from international organizations.

The evening also featured cultural performances: a youth orchestra of about 50 students from the Korean International School in Malaysia and local Korean youth performed “Arirang” and “A Beautiful October Day,” followed by singer and actor Jang Han-byul, winner of a Malaysian talent show, who performed “Golden.”