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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] Unscheduled public outing to Gyeongbokgung highlights outreach amid canceled bipartisan meeting
On the same day a planned luncheon meeting between ruling and opposition party leaders fell through due to the absence of People Power Party Chairman Jang Dong-hyuk, President Lee Jae-myung held an impromptu lunch with aides near the Blue House and later made a surprise visit to Gyeongbokgung Palace.
In a written briefing on Feb. 12, Blue House spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung said President Lee visited a well-known samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) restaurant near the Blue House, “Tosokchon,” accompanied by Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs Hong Ik-pyo, Senior Secretary for Public Communication Lee Kyu-yeon, and several reporters assigned to the presidential office.
President Lee had originally been scheduled to host a luncheon at the Blue House with Democratic Party leader Chung Cheong-rae and People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk. However, about an hour before the meeting, Jang announced he would not attend, protesting the passage of key judicial reform bills—led by the Democratic Party—at the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee the previous day.
Following the cancellation, Senior Secretary Hong Ik-pyo said the meeting had been intended as “an opportunity for communication and bipartisan cooperation on state affairs,” expressing regret that the purpose could not be fulfilled.
Instead, President Lee held an unscheduled lunch with aides and a few reporters at a nearby restaurant. According to spokesperson Kang, the president spoke candidly during the meal, responding to questions about his increased social media activity and his views on real estate policy. He also greeted restaurant patrons and tourists, readily accepting requests for selfies.
After the meal, President Lee walked to nearby Gyeongbokgung Palace, where he interacted with visitors. He asked an Indonesian tourist dressed in traditional hanbok where she was from and took photos together, and also posed for pictures with families visiting the palace and staff members working there.
Upon completing the outing, President Lee returned to the Blue House through Yeonpung Gate, the main entrance used by staff.
Since relocating the presidential office back from Yongsan to the Blue House, President Lee has occasionally visited nearby eateries to gauge public sentiment. On Feb. 9, he visited Tongin Market in Jongno District, Seoul, where he had dinner at a local restaurant with aides, including Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik.
At the time, President Lee emphasized the importance of understanding real economic conditions felt by citizens, stating, “Exports are recovering and stock prices are rising, but when you sit down for a meal at a restaurant, you understand why people say they are struggling. If citizens cannot feel the improvement, we cannot say the economy has truly recovered. Policy outcomes must be confirmed in people’s daily lives, not just in statistics.”
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
