Philadelphia: President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday visited the memorial of the late independence activist Seo Jae-pil in Philadelphia and vowed to honor his sacrifice and contributions to Korea.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee, accompanied by first lady Kim Hea Kyung, visited the memorial before heading to Hanwha Philly Shipyard. "I hope the memorial hall will continue to inform future generations about the history of the independence movement and develop into a space that also contributes to the local community," Lee said.

His visit marked the first by a South Korean president in 26 years, since late President Kim Dae-jung in July 1999. Also known as Philip Jaisohn, Seo founded The Independent, Korea's first Korean language newspaper, and led the construction of the Independence Gate in Seoul. He was exiled to the United States in 1898 and died in 1951.

The memorial, established at his former residence, was renovated and opened to the public in 1990 by the Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation.