"Will You Become President?" Lee Nak-yeon's Response to a 10-Year-Old's 'Straightforward Question'

Lee Nak-yeon, Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea./Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hana Na] Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, showed a humble side by casually talking with children about his opinions on the presidency and his impoverished past.

On the evening of the 5th, Lee appeared on MBC's pilot program 'Who Interviews Whom.' The program was conducted in a way that children interviewed famous figures using informal speech.

During the broadcast, when a 10-year-old child asked Lee, "How old are you?" he nervously replied, "Sixty-nine."

When the child asked, "Are you going to be president?" Lee answered, "That’s not something you can decide on your own; if the people want you to, you do it, and if they don’t, you can’t."

Lee introduced himself on the show with the keyword "mannequin." He explained that since he is often photographed, people say he looks like a mannequin because his expression and posture are always the same in every photo.

He also recalled his impoverished childhood. Lee said, "I was a dirt spoon, but if you studied hard, you could succeed. These days, it seems that’s not the case." He added, "Even if parents are poor, I want to make sure children don’t have difficulties studying."

Lee shared a current concern: "My voice is low, so people find it frustrating." He continued, "When society was stable, people listened comfortably, but these days, they find it frustrating." The children advised him, "Have confidence in your voice."

Lee’s aides said his strength is that "he remembers even trivial things well." When it was mentioned that "he doesn’t give compliments often," Lee responded, "I felt awkward giving compliments, but I will do it more often from now on."