[One Day One Thousand Characters] "Copying City and Bible at 6 AM... After 2 Years, Sensitivity Has Grown"

Kim Byung-gyu, Deputy Governor for Economy of Gyeongnam Province, Starts His Day with Calligraphy
Begun Calligraphy Practice Since 2021... Enhances Sensitivity and Aids Work
Daily 10,000 Steps Walk Becomes Routine... Also Strives to Address Medical

Kim Byung-kyu, Deputy Governor for Economy of Gyeongnam Province, starts his day at 6 a.m. He transcribes a poem and that day’s Bible verse by hand and sends them to acquaintances. He selects poems from collections on his bookshelf or from the internet, choosing those he feels are appropriate for the season or his mood that day. These days, when spring flowers are in full bloom, he transcribes poems about magnolias, forsythias, plum blossoms, and cherry blossoms. From 6:30 a.m. to 7 a.m., he watches stretching videos on YouTube and does stretching and muscle exercises for 30 minutes. Around 8:10 a.m., after arriving at work, his day is filled with various reports, meetings, local events, roundtable talks, site visits, and consultations with the central government and the National Assembly. Although some days leave him exhausted, his morning routine has never changed. Rather, he has adopted a new routine and the habit of transcription.

Deputy Governor Kim’s transcription habit began in 2021. One of his middle school classmates suggested in a group chat that they create good habits together. From that day on, he committed to transcribing a poem and walking 10,000 steps daily. He had never been able to stick to one thing for long. However, as he carefully wrote each character every morning, he felt his concentration improve and his stress decrease. He said, “After working busily at the Ministry of Economy and Finance for 30 years, I never had a chance to nurture my sensitivity, but thanks to transcription, I am developing poetic sensibility. I even think I might be able to write my own poems someday.”

A handwritten work by Kim Byung-kyu, Deputy Governor for Economic Affairs of Gyeongnam Province.
[Photo by Kim Byung-kyu, Deputy Governor for Economic Affairs]

Among the poems he has transcribed so far, Deputy Governor Kim’s favorite is “The Most Beautiful Thing” by British poet Robert Browning. He said, “The line about the most beautiful truth and faith being contained in a young girl’s kiss is truly poetic.” Recently, he has grown fond of the poem “Lake” by Korean poet Jeong Ji-yong. The line “My longing is as vast as a lake, so I can only close my eyes” seemed to express yearning very well.

Even before starting transcription, Deputy Governor Kim made it a habit to walk more than 10,000 steps a day. In the evenings, he often leaves his official residence and walks to Yongji Lake next to Changwon City Hall. He enjoys the night view around the lake. He said, “I will keep walking until it becomes difficult as I grow older. When I lived in Jeong-dong, Seoul, I felt the charm and living history while walking Jeongdong-gil and Cheonggyecheon paths. I want to find similarly pleasant walking spots in Changwon as well.”

Originally from Jinju, he recommends a walking course along the Nam River from Jinju Jinyang Lake. Walking along the river, you encounter Chokseokru Pavilion and Seojangdae Fortress, and there is a walking path on the opposite side as well, offering splendid scenery. Walking along the bike path that opened in March, from Soksagyo Bridge in Jinju Innovation City to Geumsan Bridge in Songbaek District, Geumsan-myeon, you can enjoy the river, the breeze, and fresh air. Although he does not write a diary every day, he records simple notes about daily events and thoughts. He wants to cultivate a habit of reading for at least 30 minutes daily for brain health, and if this becomes routine, he plans to increase it to over an hour.

Kim Byung-kyu, Deputy Governor for Economic Affairs of Gyeongnam Province, is taking notes with a pen while working.
[Photo by Gyeongnam Province]

Deputy Governor Kim’s three-year goal is to select 200 poems he has transcribed and publish them as an e-book, and to travel the world’s three major pilgrimage routes: Spain’s famous Camino de Santiago, Tibet, and Israel. Another goal is to contribute to restoring Gyeongnam’s status as a center of economic development as it was in the past. For the health of Gyeongnam residents, free mobile medical checkups are being conducted for residents in medically underserved areas, with plans to expand this service. Deputy Governor Kim said, “I believe it is necessary to create a steady personal routine to maintain a healthy and vibrant life. Even if you cannot reach 10,000 steps or write 1,000 characters a day at first, if you slowly build the habit by following the 10,000 steps and 1,000 characters campaign, you will soon see a lively version of yourself.”

Deputy Governor Kim is from Jinju and graduated from Jinju High School, Yonsei University’s Department of Economics, and earned a master’s degree in economics from Oregon State University in the U.S. He passed the 34th Administrative Examination and entered public service in 1991. He has served as an administrative officer in the Blue House’s Office of the Senior Secretary for Economic Affairs, Director of Property and Consumption Tax Policy at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and Director of the Taxation Office. Since July last year, he has been serving as Deputy Governor for Economy of Gyeongnam Province. While at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, he was selected as a role model boss by employees for two consecutive years.