President Roh Visits His Hometown

President Roh Moo-hyun paid a visit to his hometown, Bongha Village in Gimhae of South Gyeongsang Province, with First Lady Kwon Yang-suk Saturday.

President Roh, who had stayed in Jinhae on Friday to participate in the commissioning ceremony of the Naval Academy, arrived in Bongha Village at around 10:40 a.m. Park Hong-soo, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Lee Chun-hee, Minister of Construction and Transportation, and Yoo Hong-jun, the director of the Cultural Heritage Administration, also accompanied Roh.

After paying a visit to his ancestors` graves on the family burial ground with his older brother Roh Geon-pyeong, President Roh dropped by at his birthplace and at the construction site of his future home that he will live in after retirement. Roh had lunch at the village hall with some 20 people accompanying him and then toured Hwapo Stream, a tributary of the Nakdong River, and Mount Bongha located at the back of his birth house. During the tour, Roh also received a report on a comprehensive flood prevention measure for Hwapo Stream from Minister Lee.

President Roh has been showing interest in the preservation of Hwapo Stream because a large natural wetland is located around the stream. Hwapo Stream flows into Hanrim-myeon and Jinrye-myeon in Kimhae.

toto@donga.com