[General Election, Family on the Move]
Yoon Doohyun, People Power Party Lawmaker's Wife Seomyeonghwan
Made Kimchi Nine Times in One Year in Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk
Engaged in Volunteer Activities at Senior Centers and Crime Prevention
"Last year, I visited over 400 senior centers in downtown Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk. When I volunteer visiting the elderly, I can learn about the difficulties in the neighborhood. I really went around a lot so that I wouldn't hear people say, 'Why have you never come to our neighborhood?'"
Seo Myeonghwan, wife of Yoon Doohyun, a member of the People Power Party, volunteering to serve meals to the elderly at the Gyeongsan Senior Welfare Center in Gyeongbuk on the 2nd. Photo by Moon Hyewon
Seo Myeong-hwan, wife of Yoon Doo-hyun, a member of the People Power Party, volunteering to serve meals to the elderly at the Gyeongsan Senior Welfare Center in Gyeongbuk on the 2nd. Photo by Moon Hye-won
On the chilly morning of the 2nd of this month at 9 a.m., Seo Myeonghwan (64), wife of Yoon Doo-hyun, a member of the People Power Party, tightened the shoelaces of her sneakers while checking her densely packed volunteer schedule. The Gyeongsan Senior Welfare Center in Gyeongbuk, where Seo accompanied the reporter that day, is a volunteer site she frequently visits. Seo moved around the welfare center as if familiar, inspecting exercise equipment and meeting with staff from the health screening center to inquire about any new complaints. During the over two-hour volunteer meal service for seniors at the center's cafeteria starting at 11 a.m., she stayed by washing dishes for about 400 meal trays.
She was a devoted love who waited for Yoon, her classmate from the English Department at Kyungpook National University, until he finished his military service. When Yoon, who was a journalist, served as the Blue House spokesperson and then ran for the National Assembly, Seo left her teaching career of about 30 years to support him as a politician’s wife. Now, she serves as a complaint liaison in Yoon’s constituency, Gyeongsan City, Gyeongbuk.
Seo Myeong-hwan, wife of Yoon Doo-hyun, a member of the People Power Party, talking with elderly people using exercise equipment at the Gyeongsan Senior Welfare Center in Gyeongbuk on the 2nd. Photo by Moon Hye-won
During the 21st general election, she moved her residence from Seoul to Gyeongsan. In her first year in Gyeongsan, she made kimchi nine times. Seo said, "I made 5,000 heads of kimchi, and December was so cold that words cannot describe it. Still, I am grateful just to be invited to these volunteer activities, so I go without complaint, and now many people recognize my sincerity."
Seo said, "When I visit senior centers, I hear complaints like kiosks being broken, requests for roads, or demands to expand facilities. I try to resolve these immediately within my capacity, and I also act as a messenger to convey issues that could be reflected in my husband's legislative activities."
Of course, she is not always welcomed or warmly received everywhere she goes. Seo said, "I usually speak casually and comfortably with my husband like friends, but if I show that in front of local seniors, they point fingers saying, 'She treats her husband disrespectfully.' Seoul and here are very different. Many seniors still look at women who are a bit active with unfavorable eyes, saying they are 'showing off' or 'acting out of line.'"
Seo Myeong-hwan, wife of Yoon Doo-hyun, a member of the People Power Party, listening to local complaints from the elderly at the Gyeongsan Senior Welfare Center in Gyeongbuk on the 2nd. Photo by Moon Hye-won
Gyeongsan City, with a population of 220,000, is a city where over 60% are seniors aged 60 or older. Born in Gumi, Gyeongbuk, Seo said, "At first, I was coldly received and heard harsh words from people who see me as an outsider or who do not support the People Power Party. When I introduce myself at places like senior centers, I don’t say I am Yoon Doo-hyun’s spouse or wife, but say 'manura' (wife in a casual tone), and only then do the seniors understand and welcome me with applause. Through various trials and errors, I have developed my own know-how and try to approach local residents more warmly."
Seo, who is raising an only daughter, also shows special interest in the safety issues of young peers. She regularly volunteers for nighttime patrols mainly around remote university areas and nearby one-room apartments. In addition, Seo consistently participates in volunteer activities such as haircuts and beauty services for seniors, traditional market shopping campaigns, and kimchi sharing events. Seo said, "I don’t want to hear the harsh words that 'Once elected, lawmakers all go up to Seoul and never show their faces in the provinces,' so I am working even harder to get around."
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