Korean Dictionary
How to say "President" in Korean
“President” in Korean is 대통령 (pronounced "Daetongryeong").
대통령
Daetongryeong
Usage & Context
The head of state and government in South Korea. The president serves a single five-year term and is a central figure in Korean politics and media.
Example Sentence
새로운 대통령이 취임했습니다.
A new president took office.
How to use 대통령 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “President” is 대통령, romanized as Daetongryeong.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 대통령.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'dae-tong-nyeong'. Three syllables: 'dae' (like 'day'), 'tong' (rhymes with 'tong'), 'nyeong' (an 'n' plus 'young' minus the 'y').
More Example Sentences
political system
한국 대통령은 5년 단임제예요.
Korea's president serves a single 5-year term.
news
새 대통령이 취임했어요.
The new president was inaugurated.
watching news
대통령 연설이 TV에 나와요.
The president's speech is on TV.
Cultural Context
대통령 literally means 'great overseer leader'. South Korea has a 5-year single-term presidential system — no re-election allowed (단임제). Common compounds: 대통령실 (presidential office), 대통령 후보 (presidential candidate). Notably, 대통령님 adds the honorific suffix when addressing directly. The presidential residence moved from 청와대 to 용산 in 2022.
Editorial note
We review entries like 대통령 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
대통령이 누구예요?
Who is the president?
대통령 선거예요.
It's the presidential election.
대통령님께서 말씀하셨어요.
The president has spoken.
Related Expressions
국회의원
gukhoeuiwon
National Assembly member
총리
chongni
prime minister
청와대
cheongwadae
Cheongwadae (former Blue House)
정치
jeongchi
politics
More Law & Government Words
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