hankyoreh

Former President Moon Jae-in greets supporters upon arriving in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, alongside his wife Kim Jung-sook on May 10. (Blue House pool photo)

On Tuesday afternoon, Moon Jae-in returned to his home in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, after completing his five-year term as president of South Korea.

“This is my liberation! I’m a free man,” said Moon, grinning broadly and greeting locals who had gathered for his homecoming.

The scene evoked former president Roh Moo-hyun’s return to his home in Bongha Village after leaving office on Feb. 24, 2008. “Wow, this feels great,” Roh told the locals upon his arrival.

Following President Yoon Suk-yeol’s inauguration, Moon and his wife, Kim Jung-sook, took the special presidential train from Seoul Station bound for Yangsan. After reaching Tongdosa (Tongdo Temple) Station in Ulsan, the couple was driven to their home in the village of Pyeongsan (Jisan Village, Habuk Township, Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province), arriving at 2:26 pm.

Moon was accompanied on his homeward journey by some of his former advisors at the Blue House — including former chiefs of staff, Im Jong-seok and You Young-min; former senior secretary for political affairs, Kang Ki-jung; and Yoon Yeong-chan, Yoon Do-han and Park Su-hyeon, who had previously served as senior secretaries for public affairs. A few Democratic Party lawmakers were also present, including Youn Kun-young and Kim Eui-kyeom.

Former President Moon Jae-in greets supporters upon arriving in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, alongside his wife Kim Jung-sook on May 10. (Blue House pool photo)

After arriving in Pyeongsan, Moon shook hands with more than 40 locals who were on hand to welcome him. “I’d like to announce my change of residence to the people of Pyeongsan. Now that I’m back home, I feel a sense of relief, as if I’d managed to pull everything off without a hitch,” he said.

“I’m really looking forward to making a new start here in the second half of my life that I’ll spend in Pyeongsan. My wife and I mean to live here in freedom, without entanglements.”

Moon is the second president after Roh Moo-hyun to return home immediately after finishing his time in office.

“While I was coming down here on the train, I saw a picture of a sun halo over the house that we’re going to live in. I took that picture as a congratulations for me and a welcome for all of you.”

Since that morning, more than 2,500 of Moon’s supporters (as estimated by the police) had gathered near Pyeongsan to await Moon’s homecoming. Banners were also hung up around the village with such messages as, “Glad to be a neighbor of President Moon’s!”

As Moon and his wife, Kim Jung-sook, walked from the Pyeongsan community center to their newly built house, a distance of over 400 meters, they greeted their waiting supporters with high fives. Supporters holding blue balloons shouted, “We love you!” and “Take care of yourself!”

“[Moon] really went through a lot over the past five years,” said a 67-year-old man surnamed Park, who said he’d come from Seoul the previous day to welcome the former president.

“The fact he’s returning here after leaving office shows he intends to stay humble during his remaining years. I hope he enjoys peace and safety here,” Park said.

“Everyone will have a different opinion of Moon’s job as president, but I hope they recognize how hard he worked,” said Lee Jeong-suk, 72, who’d traveled from Jeonju, North Jeolla Province.

Earlier, more than a thousand supporters assembled at the plaza in front of Seoul Station to see Moon off. They held signs with messages such as “You’ll be my superstar forever” and “We love you, Moon Jae-in.”

“Friends, I hope you won’t be too sad about me leaving office and going back to the countryside. This is my liberation! Just not having to watch the news will be a blessing. I’m a free man,” he said.

Moon had a new house built in Pyeongsan because of security concerns about his previous house in Yangsan’s Maegok neighborhood. The property and construction reportedly cost around 2.5 billion won (US$1.9 million).

Pyeongsan is a small village near Tongdo Temple that is home to around a hundred people in 48 households. Korea’s Presidential Security Service hired 65 more staff to keep watch over Moon.

By Lee Wan, staff reporter; Kim Yeong-dong, Busan correspondent

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]