President Lee Jae-myung visited restaurants and a cafe in a traditional market near Cheong Wa Dae ahead of Lunar New Year to hear on-the-ground voices about the economy that people feel, such as grocery prices.
Ahn Gwi-ryeong, deputy spokesperson for Cheong Wa Dae, said in a written briefing on the 9th that the president visited "Seochon Inwang Restaurant" in Tongin Market in Jongno-gu, Seoul, this evening with Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik and had a meal of ox head gukbap.
The president's market visit was arranged to listen on site to the public's voices that the economy they feel—such as grocery prices—remains difficult, despite improvements in some economic indicators.
The president said to aides accompanying him, including the chief of staff, "Exports are recovering and stock prices are rising, but when you actually come to a restaurant and have a meal, you can feel why people say it's hard."
He added, "If people do not feel it, we cannot yet say the economy has improved," and "Policy outcomes should be confirmed not by statistics but in people's daily lives."
After finishing the meal, the president visited the cafe "Tongin Dabang" in the market, ordered a citron tea, and asked the owner, "How are business conditions?"
The cafe owner said, "We endured well even as we went through both the COVID-19 crisis and the relocation of Cheong Wa Dae to Yongsan," adding, "These days, I am living with hope."
In response to the owner's comment that they are working to revitalize the market, the president said, "I hope Tongin Market becomes an even more vibrant space."
The president said, "Policy should find answers not on the desk but in the field," adding, "We will faithfully reflect what we heard today and create changes that people can actually feel."