President Lee Jae-myung Visits Ulsan Traditional Market After AI Data Center Launch

On June 20, President Lee Jae-myung visited the Ulsan Exhibition and Convention Center for the launch of the Ulsan AI (Artificial Intelligence) Data Center, followed by an unexpected trip to a nearby traditional market. This marks his second surprise visit to a market since taking office, the first being just three days after his inauguration on June 6.

After the event, President Lee stopped by the Unyang Alps Market, where he purchased various local snacks including 부추전 (chive pancakes), 고추튀김 (fried peppers), 떡볶이 (spicy rice cakes), and 순대 (blood sausage) from a street food vendor. He also bought 식혜 (sweet rice drink) and 증편 (steamed rice cake) from another shop to share with his accompanying staff. Citizens expressed their joy at his presence and showed concern for his health after his participation in the G7 summit in Canada, as reported by presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jeong.

Some citizens complimented First Lady Kim Hye-kyung's appearance during the G7 summit, while others shared personal grievances, shedding tears over administrative inconveniences. In response, President Lee took the time to shake hands with the citizens, assuring them, "I will look into it carefully."

This visit came shortly after the National Assembly approved a supplementary budget aimed at revitalizing the economy. When a vendor expressed the struggles of the market, President Lee mentioned that 13 trillion won would be allocated for consumer coupons to support traditional markets, indicating a total budget of 13.2 trillion won (10.3 trillion won from the national government and 2.9 trillion won from local governments).

Coincidentally, during President Lee's visit to the market, the KOSPI index surpassed the 3,000 mark. A citizen informed the President about the stock market rise, thanking him for it, to which he replied, "Yes, the stock prices have indeed gone up." A presidential aide noted that on the train back to Seoul, President Lee expressed hope that increased expectations for the domestic market would be a positive signal.