Moon - a down-to-earth President
President Moon Jae-in greets people in front of his private residence in Hongeun-dong, northwestern Seoul, Friday. /Korea Times photo by You Soo-sun
By You Soo-sun
President Moon Jae-in stepped out of his private hilltop residence in Hongeun-dong, northwestern Seoul, at 9 a.m., Friday, his third day since taking office.
Hundreds of people from across the nation and even abroad gathered in front of his apartment entrance, holding up drawings and messages to greet the nation’s new leader.
With the help of security guards, Moon made his way through the crowd, shaking hands and posing for photos with people.
A woman called out, “Please give me a hug. I came from New York.”
“All the way from New York!” Moon responded, and hugged her. He then gave a fist bump to the man next in the line.
The President paused again in front of a baby. Looking delighted, he grabbed the baby’s hand. The mother of the nine-month-old infant said her family voted for Moon because of his pledge to help people with Alzheimer’s disease, from which both her parents suffer.
The woman, who lives in nearby Bukgajwa-dong, came to see Moon the day before, but left because she could not find parking.
She returned on Friday morning, this time using public transportation.
“I felt like today was the last chance for me to see the President,” she said with her baby in her arms.
A woman surnamed Shin, 58, has lived in the neighborhood for 15 years in the same apartment block as Moon.
“It’s just great. We’re proud. It’s the first time something like this has happened so close by,” she said.
“I feel like I’m living in Cheong Wa Dae right now.”
Moon’s Hongeun-dong house has recently received public attention. Unlike former presidents who owned luxurious homes, Moon has lived a humble, modest lifestyle, best exemplified by his 82.3-square-meter home.
Moon will move to Cheong Wa Dae, the presidential residence, soon.
Many came with petitions, including artists, public housing tenants and administrators at elderly care centers. Some just wanted to show support, wishing Moon well.
“He should just take things slowly,” said a man, surnamed Park, 64, from Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province.
“Like Obama, he should play golf and try to take things easy,” he added, referring to the former U.S. president.
Meanwhile, security staff asked reporters to refrain from taking pictures and asking questions.
They said Cheong Wa Dae had contacted ― and received cooperation from ― major news outlets in order to minimize traffic congestion that might disturb residents.