President Moon Jae-in's 'Last Commute'... To Supporters, "Was I a Successful President?"

President Moon Jae-in and First Lady Kim Jung-sook are leaving Cheong Wa Dae in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 9th. Photo by Jin-hyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] President Moon Jae-in, on the afternoon of the 9th after completing his term, said on his final commute home, "Please help me become a successful former president."

On that day, as President Moon left work at 6 p.m., he first greeted the Blue House staff. Employees who were waiting for the president holding balloons and hand signs with messages shouted in unison, "We love you, Mr. President," and handed him prepared bouquets. Ministers from the Democratic Party including Yoo Eun-hye, Jeon Hae-cheol, Hwang Hee, Park Beom-gye, Han Jeong-ae, and Lee In-young, as well as Yoo Young-min, Chief of the Presidential Secretariat, Suh Hoon, Director of National Security Office, Lee Cheol-hee, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs, Park Soo-hyun, Senior Secretary for Public Communication, Shin Ji-yeon, First Secretary, Choi Sang-young, Second Secretary, and spokesperson Park Kyung-mi also accompanied him on his way home.

President Moon also met supporters gathered at the fountain in front of the Blue House main gate and gave his farewell greetings. He asked the supporters, "Everyone, was I a successful president?" and upon hearing the answer "Yes," he responded with "Thank you."

President Moon reflected, "I left work punctually at 6 p.m., the end of the workday. This was my first and at the same time last commute as president. It is not just the end of a day’s work but the end of five years of service. I feel truly relieved as if I am putting down a very heavy burden." He continued, "Thanks to all of you, I safely completed my term. Although there were many crises during my tenure, we overcame them well and were able to achieve even greater leaps forward. At last, we have become a developed country and have risen to the ranks of leading nations."

President Moon Jae-in and First Lady Kim Jung-sook are greeting supporters as they leave the Blue House in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 9th. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

President Moon said, "Today marks the end of the Blue House presidential era," and added, "I especially want to thank the residents of Hyoja-dong, Cheongun-dong, Singyo-dong, Buam-dong, Bukchon, and Samcheong-dong neighborhoods."

He continued, "The residents may have felt pride and honor in living in the 'heart of the Republic of Korea' where the president resides, but they must have experienced many inconveniences due to traffic control and the noise from rallies and protests. On behalf of all former presidents, I would like to express special thanks to the residents of the nearby areas."

President Moon said, "Shortly after I first took office, I held a small concert at the Blue House Greenhouse and invited local residents to register their residency. Today, I am giving my farewell greetings as I leave. When the Blue House presidential era ends, I hope the lives of our neighboring residents will become happier," he added.