"Are the Cows in Cheongdo Doing Well?"... President Lee Jae-myung Brings Laughter to Cheongdo, the Birthplace of the Saemaul Undong

Cheongdo County Saemaul Association Presents the Nation’s Only Exemplary Case at Presidential Meeting
President Lee Lightens the Mood with a Joke: "How Are the Cows in Cheongdo?"
The Only Association Selected Among 228 Nationwide, Proving the Power of the Saemaul Undong's Birthplace

The Cheongdo County Saemaul Association, located in Cheongdo County—the birthplace of the Saemaul Undong (New Community Movement)—has once again asserted its unique presence as an innovative model for Korea's Saemaul Undong.

At a meeting hosted by President Lee Jae-myung at the Saemaul Undong Central Association on May 14, the Cheongdo County Saemaul Association (led by Chairman Jeon Inju) had the honor of being selected as the sole representative among Saemaul Associations from 228 local governments nationwide to present an exemplary case.

Jeon Inju, President of the Cheongdo-gun Saemaeul Association, is presenting excellent cases including differentiated business achievements unique to Cheongdo at a meeting chaired by President Lee Jae-myung. Provided by Cheongdo-gun

This meeting was organized by President Lee Jae-myung to commend the hard work of field leaders and to share a vision for the future of the Saemaul Undong.

The fact that Cheongdo County was chosen as the only presenter among numerous organizations highlights both its symbolic status as the birthplace of the Saemaul Undong and the high recognition that its distinctive business achievements have received from the central government.

As the presenter, Jeon Inju, Chairman of the Cheongdo County Saemaul Association, vividly conveyed topics under the theme of "Revitalizing the Environment in Cheongdo County through the Saemaul Undong," including: ▲ a volunteer model tailored to local characteristics, ▲ environmental cleanup projects to realize carbon neutrality, and ▲ organizational management know-how that harmonizes Millennials & Gen Z with older generations.

In particular, President Lee Jae-myung's witty remark at the meeting became a talking point on site.

After attentively listening to Chairman Jeon's presentation, President Lee offered words of encouragement and light-heartedly asked, "Are the cows in Cheongdo doing well?"—a surprise greeting referencing Cheongdo's symbolic fighting bulls and livestock culture.

What could have been a tense official meeting quickly turned into a scene of laughter thanks to President Lee's locally tailored joke, and the atmosphere remained warm and amicable throughout the event.

Chairman Jeon Inju said, "Standing here as a representative of Saemaul Associations nationwide is thanks to the dedication of the 50,000 residents and Saemaul families of Cheongdo County. As the President has shown great interest, I will take pride in Cheongdo's heritage and lead efforts to overcome the risk of regional decline and build a happy community."

Meanwhile, through this meeting, Cheongdo County Saemaul Association's environmental restoration model has further solidified its position as a 'standard manual' to be disseminated nationwide.

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