Ex-President Kim Yong-sam’s residence

Back in the days, political journalists used to wake up early in the morning to meet famous and influential politicians at their homes. They were often treated with breakfast prepared by wives of politicians or housemaids. For example, former President Kim Young-sam usually had soybean paste soup with dried radish leaves and glutinous rice cake for his breakfast with journalists at his home in Sangdo-dong, Seoul. It has been told that he used to ask them to join in a prayer before the meal. Quite many of senior political journalists still vividly remember how gentle Kim was when he was pouring tea for them. The friendship between Kim and journalists created in this way contributed to turning some journalists into a group of Kim’s supporters similar to Sangdo-dong faction in the political community.

“The age of Sangdo-dong” began in the history of Korean politics after Kim move into a house in Sangdo-dong in 1969, which had been occupied by actress Jo Mi-ryeong. Along with former President Kim Dae-jung who lived in Donggyo-dong, Sangdo-dong was the outpost of democratization in Korea. After an open protest at the National Assembly against former President Park Chung-hee who was promoting amendment of the Constitution to allow a third term in presidency, Kim’s car was stopped by strangers who threw a bottle of nitric acid to Kim’s car. Under the Chun Doo-hwan administration, he staged a 23-day hunger strike in protest to the military regime’s decision on his house arrest. It has been told that Kim walked through his small courtyard so many times during his house arrest, leaving a trail of his footsteps.

During the presidential election campaign, Kim had promised that his house in Sangdo-dong would remain the same without any changes. In his first press conference as a president after inauguration, Kim had vowed that he would not receive any financial supports from individuals or corporates. It has been known that, after all, all he brought to the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae were some of his old clothing and his housemaid. After his term ended, he had decided to renovate his house in Sangdo-dong since it was too old to live in, but the size remained the same. He kept his pledge.

Kim lived in his house in Sangdo-dong for 46 years and his wife Sohn Myung-soon still lives in the same house. News has been confirmed that Kim’s house in Sangdo-dong is out for sale. Kim’s son, Kim Hyun-chul, explained the reasons behind his family’s decision to sell the house that the family has to settle some bad debts linked to a library dedicated to his father. According to Kim Dae-jung’s eval‎uation of his rival, Kim Young-sam simplifies difficult challenges too conveniently. If Kim Yong-sam is alive and confronted with complex problems such as seizing or debts, he would probably say, “Get rid of it. Why are you so serious?”