MB to Take a Walk at Cheonggyecheon on the 15th... Political Move in the Making?

MB Government's Commitment to the Four Major Rivers Project Revealed
Third Public Schedule After Paying Tribute to Cheonan Ship and Watching a Play

Former President Lee Myung-bak is set to take a walk along Cheonggyecheon with his former aides. This will be his third public schedule since his pardon and reinstatement at the end of last year, leading to analyses that he may be kickstarting his political activities by visiting Cheonggyecheon, which he considers one of his representative achievements.

On the 15th, the former president plans to walk for about two hours covering approximately 5 km from Cheonggye Plaza, the starting point of Cheonggyecheon, to Majang-dong. Afterward, he intends to have lunch in Majang-dong and then return home.

His side notified former aides of the schedule via text message the day before and is currently confirming attendance. It is reported that around 20 people, including former Special Minister Lee Jae-oh, ministers from the Lee Myung-bak administration, and senior secretaries from the Blue House, will accompany him.

Cheonggyecheon, which marks its 20th anniversary of groundbreaking this year, is considered one of the former president’s hallmark achievements. When Lee Myung-bak was elected president in 2007, he visited Cheonggyecheon first and frequently visited it during his presidency.

It is also reported that the former president has expressed intentions to visit the Four Major Rivers project in the future.

Former President Lee Myung-bak is moving to watch the play 'Faust,' starring former Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoon In-chon, at the LG Arts Center in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 26th of last month.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Since his special pardon on December 28 last year, the former president has not shown any notable official activities.

His first official schedule after that was a visit to the gravesites of the Cheonan war heroes and the fallen soldiers of the First Battle of Yeonpyeong in March. At the time of the Cheonan sinking, Lee promised to visit the gravesites of the fallen every year and has continued to pay respects without fail even after his retirement.

This was his first visit to the gravesites in five years since his imprisonment in March 2018. On that day, he wrote in the guestbook, "Honoring the spirit of those who dedicated themselves on the front lines of freedom, I will pray for the national prosperity and security of the Republic of Korea."

At the time, there was speculation that the former president might be starting his political activities with the visit to the Cheonan gravesites. As a former president, analyses of political intentions or influence follow every move of his, especially with the general election a year away. However, Lee did not make any further political statements afterward.

His second official schedule was on the 26th of last month, when he attended the play Faust, starring former Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo In-chon. On that day, when asked by reporters about President Yoon’s achievements during his visit to the U.S., the former president briefly replied, "I look forward to it. It will go well."

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