President Lee Jae-myung visited Dongmun Market in Jeju on Friday with his wife, First Lady Kim Hye-kyung, carrying shopping bags and mingling freely with citizens to observe everyday economic conditions on the ground.
Kang Yu-jeong, the presidential spokesperson, said in a written briefing that "President Lee visited the market after holding a town hall meeting at Jeju Halla Convention Center and stayed for more than an hour." President Lee, who traveled to Jeju on a two-day, one-night schedule, paid respects at the April 3 Peace Park the previous day and wrapped up his trip with the town hall meeting and market visit.
President Lee has made surprise visits to local traditional markets in the past, but this time was different. At the end of the town hall meeting, he announced, "I'm going to visit a market now. Where it is, that's a secret."
The presidential couple's stroll through Dongmun Market began at a fruit chapssaltteok shop. After purchasing hallabong and strawberry chapssaltteok with Onnuri gift certificates, they bought omegi-tteok at another rice cake shop and offered them to accompanying aides, including Ha Jeong-woo, senior presidential secretary for AI and future planning.
The couple then bought zucchini and garlic scapes at a vegetable shop, and Jeju-caught silver hairtail and seasoned mackerel at a fish shop. President Lee offered words of encouragement to the vendors, saying, "Sell plenty."
At a kimchi and jeotgal shop, President Lee asked First Lady Kim, who was picking out pepper jangajji, "Honey, let's get some young cabbage kimchi too."
At another fish shop, he congratulated a vendor who said she was expecting a grandchild in June, and purchased dried Jeju okdom. At a fruit shop, he tasted cheonhyehyang and surahyang citrus varieties and told citizens, "They're delicious — buy lots."
President Lee bought chocolates and shared them with his aides, and together with the First Lady tasted hallabong juice she had purchased. He was also seen handing Onnuri gift certificates directly to First Lady Kim as she selected Udo peanuts and biscuits.
Throughout the market, requests for photos poured in. The presidential couple obliged each selfie request and exchanged high-fives with children.