President Moon Shares Story of 'Gusangnamu'... "If Reborn, I Would Major in Trees"

Actor Park Jin-hee and Broadcaster Tyler Stroll through Cheong Wa Dae, Discuss Climate Change While Highlighting Baekdusan Manbyungcho Plant

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] "Kusangnamu (Abies koreana) is native to Hallasan in our country, but the Kusangnamu forests are gradually decreasing."

On the 27th, President Moon Jae-in said this in a 'special video' released by the Blue House. The special video was created with the purpose of sharing ways to protect the global environment that can be practiced in daily life. It is a strategic move to raise public interest in climate change and carbon neutrality ahead of the '2021 P4G Seoul Summit' opening on the 30th.

In fact, President Moon walked around the Blue House grounds with actress Park Jin-hee and broadcaster Tyler Rasch, sharing stories about climate, environment, and trees. During this, a story about Kusangnamu, which may be unfamiliar to the general public, was also shared. Kusangnamu is a Korean endemic species that grows naturally in Hallasan as well as Jirisan and Deogyusan.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In Hallasan, Kusangnamu forms forests at altitudes above 1500 meters, but the forest areas are decreasing due to climate change. President Moon explained, "The government is making efforts to preserve Kusangnamu."

Actress Park Jin-hee, walking around the Blue House grounds, recalled her time appearing in the drama Guam Heo Jun and brought up 'Manbyeongcho' (Rhododendron mucronulatum). When Park Jin-hee said, "I think that is Manbyeongcho," President Moon confirmed it and shared a story about visiting Baekdusan Cheonji in North Korea.

President Moon said, "When I went to Baekdusan Cheonji in North Korea, Ri Sol-ju, the wife of Chairman Kim Jong-un, said that Manbyeongcho blooms fully in July and August," adding, "Manbyeongcho is also experiencing a decrease in its forest area due to climate change. It has been designated as a bioindicator species to gauge climate change."

Manbyeongcho has the suffix 'cho' which means grass, so it is easy to think it is a herb, but in fact, it belongs to the Rhododendron family and is classified as an evergreen broadleaf shrub, that is, a tree. Actress Park Jin-hee said that President Moon seems to have a great interest in trees, flowers, and farming, and remarked, "It feels like meeting a forest interpreter."

In response, President Moon said, "If I could live my life again, I would really want to major in trees and live freely in nature while farming."

Earlier, President Moon had shown his interest in nature by posting photos of plum blossoms and wildflowers blooming near his home in Maegok Village, Yangsan, Gyeongnam, on social media (SNS).

However, there were criticisms that the road conditions in Maegok Village, Yangsan, where President Moon lived, were not good, causing difficulties in security. President Moon plans to leave Maegok Village and prepare a residence in Pyeongsan Village for his post-retirement life.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.