Why Did "Ironclad Endurance" Lee Pilhyung, Mayor of Dongdaemun District, Embark on a Jirisan Traverse?

Embarking on a Two-Night, Three-Day Jirisan Traverse from the 7th to the 8th...
Maintaining Physical Fitness and Making Reading a Daily Habit by Arriving at Work Around 7:30 a.m.

Lee Pilhyung, mayor of Dongdaemun District, climbed Daecheongbong Peak in Seoraksan on January 12, 2022.

Lee Pilhyung, mayor of Dongdaemun District, is known for his extraordinary stamina, earning him the reputation of having "ironclad endurance."

He is famous for his outstanding health management, regularly maintaining his fitness through exercises such as hanging from a pull-up bar, heel raises, and squats.

Despite his busy schedule, he is an avid hiking enthusiast who enjoys climbing Geomdansan Mountain in Hanam, has completed a traverse of Jirisan Mountain, and has even climbed in the Himalayas overseas.

Recently, Mayor Lee posted a photo on his Facebook page, sharing that he finished reading Park Kyungni's novel Toji in its entirety while climbing Geomdansan.

He wrote, "I finished reading Toji in 45 days. It is a long historical novel that Park Kyungni wrote over 26 years. The novel consists of a total of 20 volumes and features about 600 characters."

He also wrote, "I discovered the beauty of life despite its hardships: the lives of ordinary people during the Japanese colonial period, lives filled with ups and downs and tears, the deeply rooted existence of humanity. I shed tears three times while reading the book.

The tragic death of shaman’s daughter Gong Wolseon, the recovery of gisaeng’s daughter Lee Myeonghyeon, and the sorrowful life of the abandoned Jo Byungsoo were especially touching."

He mentioned encountering several memorable quotes about life, including: ▲"Traces of life are bound to remain." (by Mongchi) ▲"Life is brilliant and mysterious." (by Ogata) ▲"Every day, I walk through a desert." (by Lim Myeonghui)

He also reflected on the sorrowful lives of colonial subjects during the Japanese occupation, who lamented in their bleak reality, "Where have all the Joseon people gone?" but endured by holding onto the phrase, "The people are like a stream," in their hearts.

I read the novel Toji while climbing Geomdansan Mountain in Hanam.

On the afternoon of the 7th, Mayor Lee departed for Jirisan Mountain with about 20 senior officials, including department heads, to begin a two-night, three-day traverse starting at midnight that day.

On January 12, 2022, Mayor Lee also climbed Daecheongbong Peak in Seoraksan while traversing the Baekdudaegan Mountain Range.

Mayor Lee is known for his daily routine of waking up around 5 a.m., starting his day with simple stretching exercises, and arriving at work around 7:30 a.m. to read newspapers and books.

He is also recognized as a voracious reader who leads a book club with his staff and regularly engages in reading activities.

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