A Walk on Inwangsan with Press Reporters by Cho Kuk... "I Said I Wouldn't Go to the National Assembly, but It's Fate..."

Walking together along Cheongun Park to part of Inwangsan with conversation
Assembly members Cho Kuk, Hwang Unha, Lee Haemin, and Cha Gyugeun attend
Cho: "Will lead discussions by prioritizing advanced social rights countries"

Jo Guk, leader of the Jo Guk Innovation Party who entered the National Assembly, took a walk on the 31st with reporters around Cheongun-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. During the walk, he held an informal press conference and took questions. In a natural atmosphere, Jo introduced his usual exercise methods and shared his thoughts on the opening of the new session the day before, answering various questions.

On the afternoon of the 31st, Jo participated in a "Walk with Journalists" event, starting from the Yun Dong-ju Literature Museum located in Cheongun-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, and walking part of the Inwangsan Trail. About 40 reporters from various media outlets gathered there along with lawmakers Hwang Un-ha, Lee Hae-min, and Cha Gyu-geun. Jo met the reporters dressed in a denim jacket and jeans and walked quickly with long strides. He said, "I often wear this when I don't have official schedules," adding, "It’s somewhat similar to the party color, but if I wear a dress shirt, the collar gets dirty, which makes washing difficult." Because of his fast pace, he occasionally stopped to check on those falling behind.

Cho Kuk, leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, is talking with a reporter during the 'Walk with Journalists of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party' event on the afternoon of the 31st. Photo by Oh Ji-eun joy@

Midway through the walk, Jo stopped on a deck and held a brief press conference. He said, "I used to hike more than walk, but after my mid-40s, my knees started hurting, so I stopped," and added, "I started strength training in my 50s, but I haven’t been able to go since the election, which is unfortunate." He continued, "I think no-momentum pull-ups and squats are the best exercises," and explained, "When I was learning no-momentum pull-ups, I first developed the strength to control the downward movement."

When asked about his thoughts on the opening of the new session, he said, "I have returned to a place I once declined, but I want to try a new challenge here." Jo explained, "When I decided to join the cabinet in 2019, many people, including former President Moon Jae-in, encouraged me to run for office," adding, "At that time, I decided, 'I won’t go to the National Assembly,' but whether it was fate or not, I ended up coming back to the place I had refused."

Jo cited "advanced social rights" as a point of differentiation from the Democratic Party. He claimed, "It’s not very visible now, but we will work hard to promote and communicate it," and argued, "There is a significant difference in how we view issues like housing, healthcare, and welfare."

Representative Jo Guk of the Jo Guk Innovation Party (wearing a blue jacket) and opposition party reporters are taking a commemorative photo. To the right of Representative Jo is Assemblyman Hwang Unha, and in the front row are Assemblyman Lee Haemin wearing sunglasses and Assemblyman Cha Gyugeun wearing an orange hat.
[Photo by Jo Guk Innovation Party Public Relations Department]

After the walk, at a dinner venue where they had potato pancakes and Makgeolli, Jo explained the reason for increasing "skinship" with the media. He said, "Regarding the policies, directions, and vision of the Jo Guk Innovation Party, reporters and their affiliated companies may oppose, agree, or criticize them," adding, "What we can do is communicate." He continued, "We cannot and should not control the stance or editorial line of companies," and added, "It is the duty of our party, party officials, and lawmakers to explain and clarify what our message is."

There was also a response regarding the "Han Dong-hoon Special Prosecutor Act," the party’s first bill. When asked if the act could also reveal issues related to President Yoon Seok-youl, Jo said, "If the special prosecutor is activated, it will proceed step by step," and explained, "Four out of the five items are not directly related to President Yoon, but when Prosecutor Son Jun-sung filed a complaint against a figure critical of then Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, there is relevance."