Hundreds of Visitors Flock Daily
to President Lee's Hometown Village
Dochon-ri, Yean-myeon, Andong-si, North Gyeongsang Province, the hometown of President Lee Jae Myung, has been bustling with visitors every day. Since President Lee's election victory, a steady stream of people has been visiting the 'birthplace site,' with reports indicating that 200 to 300 people come here each day.
According to Yonhap News on June 10, the owner of President Lee's birthplace site in Dochon-ri, Yean-myeon, Andong-si, North Gyeongsang Province, is Hwang Younggi (age 73), who returned to farming from Busan in 2010. After acquiring the site, Hwang has been using it as farmland.
He said, "Since President Lee was elected, people have been coming here every day," and added, "On busy days, 200 to 300 people visit, and even on quieter weekdays, about 80 to 100 people stop by."
Hwang explained, "When I first bought this land, I didn't know its significance. It was completely covered in household waste. There were mountains of debris piled up."
Since President Lee's election, the site has seen a daily influx of supporters and tourists, leading to a reported increase in complaints from local residents. In anticipation of the crowds, Andong City installed one portable restroom near the Dochon-ri community center, 2.7 kilometers from the birthplace site, on June 7. However, this has not provided a practical solution.
In response, the city plans to install security lights along the roads in the Dochon-ri area after discussions with the township office and local residents. Additionally, the city will carry out environmental maintenance, such as grass cutting, in the surrounding area.
The North Gyeongsang Provincial branch of the Democratic Party of Korea is also discussing how to respond. A party official stated, "There is not much we can do at the party level, but we are considering measures to address the inconvenience to residents."
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