President Roh, “I’m Meditating to Clear My Mind”

President Roh Moo-hyun cast his ballot with his wife Kwon Yang-suk at a polling place in central Seoul near Cheong Wa Dae around 7 a.m. yesterday.

President Roh, who was on a second short visit following a visit to an arboretum on the outskirts of Seoul after being forced from office due to the impeachment, opened the conversation with the press by saying after the vote, “It’s been a long time since we’ve gone out. My wife really liked it.”

“I meditate to clear my mind and pray while meditating. Please cast your ballot,” he also said. Asked how he felt about newly introduced “party vote system,” he replied, “It’s not that complicated.”

When President Roh arrived at the polling place, a woman in her 60s greeted him saying, “Cheer up, Mr. President. Justice always wins.” He got in his car with the applause from about 20 residents.

Acting President Goh Kun also cast his ballot with his wife Cho Hyun-sook at a polling place in central Seoul at 8:20 a.m.

Goh, walking to the polling place 150m away from his official residence, showed an interest in the voter turnout, asking members of election commission whether many residents had cast their ballots in the morning.

After voting, he made an earnest request encouraging people to vote, saying, “The government has supervised a clean election campaign with strict neutrality.”

Goh dropped by the “voting and ballot counting circumstantial room” at the government administration and Home Affairs Ministry and encouraged the officials there.

Jung-Hun Kim jnghn@donga.com