Kim Sung-joo "Even I, a Kkondae, rode Ddareungi, but instead of attention, I was stopped"

Lee Jun-seok, the leader of the People Power Party, is commuting to the National Assembly for the first time by riding a Ddareungi bike at the National Assembly Station on the morning of the 13th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Choyoung] On the 14th, Kim Sungjoo, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, commented on the attention garnered by Lee Junseok, the leader of the People Power Party, who commuted to work riding the public bicycle 'Ddareungi.' Kim said, "There is high media interest in the emergence of a young leader of the People Power Party," adding, "I am a Democratic Party old-timer in my mid-50s. I have long been commuting by subway and bus between Seoul and other regions."

In a post titled "Public Enthusiasm for the Birth of a Young Conservative Party Leader and Political Showmanship" on his Facebook page that day, Kim stated, "Media attention should not be on the party leader who suddenly appeared riding a bicycle, but rather on the dangerous road conditions where one must risk their life to ride a bicycle."

Kim said, "I have been commuting to the National Assembly by bicycle for a long time, but instead of receiving media attention, I have been stopped several times while passing through the main gate of the National Assembly on my bicycle," and added, "Only once was I introduced in an article as a 'subway-riding lawmaker.'"

He explained, "I do not particularly seek or want attention because it becomes uncomfortable," and said, "What I want is a city where people can comfortably commute using public transportation or bicycles."

Kim also said, "Why did the people choose a young leader of the conservative party? It is because they want to stop entrenched politics, solemn politics, and confrontational politics," and predicted, "The transformation of the dull and dark conservative party will bring about changes in the opposing progressive party."

He added, "What we should focus on is not the emergence of a 'young' leader of the conservative party, but the expectation of a 'young' conservative party," and appended a list of 'lawmakers under 40 years old.'

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