Lee Jung-hoon Prioritizes Samcheok Merchants and Citizens Over Celebrities

Lee Jung-hoon, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate for mayor of Samcheok, conducted a public outreach tour at the Samcheok Central Market on May 2, 2026. The event focused on assessing the local economic climate and listening to the concerns of market vendors and residents.

The tour, which began at 12:30 p.m., drew attention due to the participation of several high-profile figures from the entertainment and civic sectors. Among those accompanying Lee were actor Lee Ki-young and martial arts director and actor Jung Doo-hong. Also present were Baek Eun-jong, representative of Seoul Voice and Ahn Jin-gul, director of the People’s Economic Research Institute.

Focus on Local Economy Over Celebrity Presence

Despite the presence of well-known actors and industry professionals, Lee Jung-hoon emphasized that the primary objective of the visit was to prioritize the needs of the local community over the visibility of the accompanying figures.

The protagonists of this visit are not famous figures, but the merchants of the Central Market and the citizens of Samcheok, Lee stated, adding that he intended to listen to the frustrations of vendors and examine the cost of living for citizens to confirm the realities of Samcheok’s economy on the ground. Lee Jung-hoon, Democratic Party candidate for mayor of Samcheok

The group moved through various sections of the Central Market, engaging in direct dialogue with merchants to understand their specific hardships and gauge the perceived state of the economy. Lee noted that the solutions for Samcheok’s economic challenges are found in the field and pledged to incorporate the feedback received from citizens and merchants into his policy framework to create tangible changes.

Integration of Public Feedback into Policy

The outreach event was designed as an open forum, allowing any citizen to participate and share their views. According to the candidate’s team, the diverse opinions collected during the tour will be actively reflected in future campaign promises and administrative policies.

The inclusion of entertainment figures like Jung Doo-hong and Lee Ki-young in a political outreach event highlights a strategic effort to bridge the gap between public figures and local grassroots issues, though the candidate maintained that the focus remained strictly on the economic welfare of the Samcheok residents.