PRESIDENT CLIMBS MOUNTAIN WITH CITIZENS

[Anchor Lead]

President Moon Jae-in started the year 2020 by climbing a mountain with seven selected people known for their "righteous" acts. He watched the first sunrise of the year with them and pledged to make 2020 a more hopeful year.

[Pkg]

President Moon Jae-in kicked off 2020 by hiking and watching the first sunrise of the year. He was accompanied by seven selected citizens who rescued people at the scenes of fires and crimes in 2019.

[Soundbite] PRES. MOON JAE-IN : "It's going to be a year of good fortune because we welcomed it together."

On his way up the mountain the president greeted citizens.

[Soundbite] "Happy New Year!"

[Soundbite] PRES. MOON JAE-IN : "Do you think the Korean people will be happier this year? (I do.) We should make it like that. (Yes.) The government will take the lead."

Hiking a mountain on the first day of the year has been Cheong Wa Dae's annual event for three years now. This year the president was joined by a history guide for the first time.

[Soundbite] PARK KWANG-IL(HISTORY GUIDE) : "Historians presume that the Goguryeo army stayed here in 520."

After hiking, the president invited the selected citizens to his office to have rice cake soup, a Korean traditional dish eaten on New Year's Day. Moon pledged to improve firefighters' working conditions and emergency medicine services. In his New Year address made on social media, the president said that 2020 will be the year of giving back to the people and producing good results.