President Yoon Suk-yeol, front row left, and first lady Kim Keon-hee attend a New Year's concert at the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap

President Yoon Suk-yeol and first lady Kim Keon-hee attended a New Year's concert on Wednesday with specially invited members of the public, the presidential office said.

The annual concert at the Seoul Arts Center was held in-person for the first time in three years due to the pandemic. It brought together some 2,000 people, including dignitaries, winners of a public contest and "significant" public representatives, such as the underprivileged, disabled artists, family members of those killed or injured while carrying out a noble cause, and descendants of people of national merit, the office said.

Performers included soprano Sumi Jo; "pansori," or Korean traditional solo opera, singer Bae Il-dong; and other artists.

Ahead of the concert, Yoon and the first lady met with some 80 leading figures from across the art and culture industry and thanked them for soothing the nation exhausted from the pandemic and economic challenges. (Yonhap)