First Lady Kim Jung-sook Wears Rubber Gloves to Serve Food...Surprise Visit to Flood Damage Site in Cheorwon

First Lady Kim Jung-sook is volunteering for flood recovery efforts on the 12th in Igil-ri village, Dongsong-eup, Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon Province. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] Kim Jung-sook, the wife of President Moon Jae-in, visited the site in Igil-ri, Dongsong-eup, Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon Province, where the entire village was submerged due to heavy rain on the 12th, to assist with flood recovery efforts. Although Kim's visit was kept completely private, with no information disclosed to the media or outsiders, it naturally became known as a topic among local residents.

It is reported that the entourage on that day was composed of a minimal number of people, including Deputy Spokesperson Yoon Jae-kwan. A Cheorwon-gun official also told Asia Economy in a phone call that day, "We had no prior information about the First Lady's visit. We confirmed it through news articles."

According to residents, Kim began flood recovery work at 8:40 a.m., wearing rubber gloves. She organized and cleaned household items submerged in muddy water and participated in meal distribution during lunch.

First Lady Kim Jung-sook, wife of President Moon Jae-in, visited Igil-ri, Dongsong-eup, Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon Province on the 12th to assist with flood recovery and comfort the residents. [Image source=Yonhap News]

As news of Kim's volunteer activities spread, posts informing about the event appeared on Twitter and Facebook.

One Twitter user wrote, "The village residents and volunteers reportedly had no idea about Kim's visit. When the villagers and volunteers gathered at the meal distribution site for lunch, they were surprised to recognize Kim volunteering there."

Igil-ri is a small village with 68 households and 141 residents, and this is the third time the entire village has been flooded, following incidents in 1996 and 1999.

Previously, shortly after President Moon's inauguration, in July 2017, Kim also visited the Chungbuk Cheongju area, which was struggling with heavy rain damage, to support recovery efforts.

Meanwhile, on the same day, President Moon Jae-in separately visited Hadong in Gyeongnam and Gurye in Jeonnam to inspect the damage situation.