Small Plaque Ceremony Scheduled on the 25th with Residents Invited
Political Interpretations of Former President's Actions Are Inevitable
Former President Moon Jae-in, who has retired to his hometown, is set to open 'Pyeongsan Bookstore,' which he built with his own funds, soon. Although Moon has repeatedly stated that he intends to "live a forgotten life," considering his political influence, it is difficult to exclude political interpretations from the bookstore. With the general election a year away and the Democratic Party of Korea facing turmoil over allegations of cash envelopes at the party convention, attention in the political world is focused on whether the bookstore will serve as a rallying point for the party.
Pyeongsan Bookstore is expected to open as early as the 25th of this month, or at the latest, early next month. On the 13th, it received building use approval from Yangsan City. Known as an avid reader and book lover, former President Moon is expected to take on the role of bookstore keeper and interact directly with citizens.
Close aides of former President Moon have drawn a line under political interpretations surrounding the bookstore's opening. Tak Hyun-min, former Blue House protocol secretary, said on MBC Radio's 'Shin Jang-sik's News High Kick' in January, "It's not like a retired president is opening a bookstore in the heart of Seoul, and those who have been to Pyeongsan Village would know that about one-third of this studio is the space. It's just a small space to put books and have a cup of tea, so I wonder why people are so afraid or worried about it. (Former President Moon) will do it modestly and well."
Former President Moon Jae-in is meeting with Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, at his private residence in Pyeongsan Village, Habuk-myeon, Yangsan-si, Gyeongnam on the 2nd. [Image provided by the Democratic Party of Korea, Yonhap News]
However, the timing of the bookstore's opening is indeed coincidental. The general election is scheduled for one year later, and the Democratic Party's floor leader election will take place on the 28th. Prospective candidates are likely to visit Pyeongsan Village using the bookstore's opening as an opportunity to showcase their closeness to former President Moon and make an impression on voters. Regardless of Moon's intention to distance himself from practical politics, it is difficult to separate political interpretations from the words and actions of a former president.
Currently, the Democratic Party is experiencing a crisis. Ongoing prosecution investigations have cast doubts on the leadership of party leader Lee Jae-myung, and the party is in turmoil over the 2021 party convention cash envelope allegations involving former leader Song Young-gil. In such times, there are views that the bookstore could serve as a political rallying point to unite pro-Moon supporters.
Former President Moon has expressed his desire to live a forgotten life several times. On the 18th, he said in the documentary film about him, 'This is Moon Jae-in,' which is set to be released next month, "As a private citizen, I cannot be forgotten, but in the realm of practical politics, I have expressed my wish to be forgotten. Yet, I am constantly being summoned back to practical politics."
However, as a former president, it is inevitable that his remarks will be seen as extensions of policy. Moon has been mentioned several times in a critical tone by the current government and ruling party regarding policies such as real estate, heating cost increases, and nuclear phase-out. When the influence of Lee's ardent supporters, known as Gaeddal (Daughters of Reform), grew within the party, Moon's past remarks likening text message attacks from hardline supporters to "spices that make the competition interesting" were also recalled.
On the 13th, various books were placed on the shelves inside the bookstore building of former President Moon Jae-in in Pyeongsan Village, Habuk-myeon, Yangsan-si, Gyeongnam.
In fact, since the launch of the Yoon Seok-youl administration, former President Moon has issued several messages through his Facebook account. It is hard to think that the words of a former president would not carry political influence.
On December 4 last year, regarding the investigation into the West Sea civil servant shooting incident, Moon said, "It is very regrettable to break the trust asset of long experience and reliability like former National Security Office Director Suh Hoon. Such an asset is hard to find again." Suh was indicted and detained by prosecutors on December 9 last year on charges of covering up the West Sea civil servant shooting incident but was released on bail on the 3rd of this month.
On February 8, when former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk published 'A Walk Through Legal Classics,' Moon said, "I feel a renewed sense of the author's capabilities as a scholar and writer and feel a sense of regret. The author's efforts to bloom amid various difficulties shine."
The opening ceremony of Pyeongsan Village is expected to be held without a separate event, inviting only village residents for a plaque unveiling. Former Blue House protocol secretary Tak Hyun-min announced on Facebook on the 22nd that when Pyeongsan Bookstore officially opens, a modest concert will be held with composer Kim Hyung-seok.
Tak said, "The bookstore owner (former President Moon) is sincere about books and also about the bookstore, so I promised that when the bookstore opens, I would hold a modest concert together with my brother Kim Hyung-seok (composer)."
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