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Newly-elected president's oldest pal reflects on a lifetime of friendship

Published: 04 Jun. 2025, 18:18 Updated: 04 Jun. 2025, 19:05

Shim Jeong-woon, right, childhood friend of President Lee Jae-myung, left, visits Lee at his hunger strike site to offer support on Sept. 4, 2023, when Lee was chair of the Democratic Party. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Long before Lee Jae-myung became president, he was just another boy laborer in Seongnam, Gyeonggi — short, quiet and furiously focused — sitting beside his classmate Shim Jeong-woon at cram school, his hands still raw from factory work.

Now 62, Shim remains Lee’s oldest and closest friend, a bond forged in hardship and sealed through decades of quiet loyalty. In a recent interview, Shim reflected on their shared youth, their diverging paths and the moments — tender and tense — that have defined their friendship since 1978.

President Lee Jae-myung's childhood friend, Shim Jeong-woon [SHIM JEONG-WOON]

In Lee's memoir, the title of which roughly translates to “My Diary as a Boy Laborer,” Lee refers to Shim as “my best friend,” describing him as “the only person I could open up to when I felt like my chest was going to burst from frustration.” Lee also writes, “Jeong-woon was absolutely essential to me.”

“He was the youngest one there,” Shim recalled of their cram school days. “He didn’t talk much, but he was the sharpest student in the room. He passed the middle school equivalency exam in just three months — no one else did that.”

The two friends prepared not only for the middle and high school equivalency exams but also for the college entrance qualification test together. On the walk home from cram school, they would quiz each other and recite poetry from one of their textbooks.

When overwhelmed by sleep while studying, they would splash cold water on their faces in the bathroom. Their persistence eventually paid off — both were accepted into the universities of their dreams, Chung-Ang University, in 1982. Though they pursued different majors — Lee in law and Shim in electrical engineering — they continued to travel together during school breaks and shared a formative youth.

Shim later worked at Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) until his retirement two years ago.

In a phone interview with the JoongAng Ilbo last Friday, Shim said, “I hope the day comes when, after fulfilling his duties as president, he returns to 'the ordinary life' so we can share makgeolli [Korean rice wine] and go fishing together again.”

Shim appears in Lee’s biography, the title of which translates to, “Lee Jae-myung the Man,” which recounts a temporary falling out between the two. According to the book, Lee learned from a roommate that Shim had started smoking and subsequently stopped visiting Shim’s place. In a diary entry from the time, Lee explained, “It wasn’t disdain — it was my way of showing resolve.”

President Lee Jae-myung, right, poses with his childhood friend Shim Jeong-woon during a hiking trip in Gangwon in 1982. [SHIM JEONG-WOON]

The last time Shim saw Lee was on Sept. 4, 2023, the fifth day of Lee’s then-hunger strike as head of the Democratic Party. At the protest site, Shim gently tapped his friend on the knee in silent support, appearing visibly conscious of the party’s YouTube livestream camera.

During the presidential campaign, Shim sent Lee a message on social media urging him to “stay strong and manage your stamina till the end.” Lee’s reply was a heart emoji.

The following interview with Shim has been edited for clarity.

Q. What was Lee like as a teenager working in factories?

A. Around the spring of 1978, I first met Jae-myung at a cram school in Seongnam. He was short with bright, lively eyes and the youngest student there. He didn’t talk much and was always focused on his studies. Among the 30 or 40 students, many were frequently absent for various reasons — but Jae-myung rarely missed class. He had a sharp memory and quick understanding, and the teachers often praised him. He passed the middle school equivalency exam just three months after joining the academy — an unheard-of record at the time.

What was he like at the factory?

Jae-myung and I got jobs at a watch manufacturer called Orient in 1979. We worked during the day and attended cram school at night to prepare for the high school equivalency exam. He was skillful with his hands and quickly learned his tasks. Despite his young age, he earned the trust of his supervisor and got along well with co-workers. In one department — painting — which was in a sealed space and usually reserved for senior workers, he was placed there because of that trust. He used spare moments there to study.

President Lee Jae-myung, left, takes a commemorative photo with his childhood friend Shim Jeong-woon on a boat along the Soyang River en route to Yanggu, Gangwon, during a hiking trip in 1982 while they were students at Chung-Ang University. [SHIM JEONG-WOON]

How did you two reconcile after drifting apart?

At the time, drinking and smoking were common among working boys like us. I started doing both, skipped classes, and spent time with other kids. One day, Jae-myung came to my place and scolded me, saying, “How do you expect to get into college living like this?” Then he left. We were awkward with each other for a while. But as I started avoiding those distractions and focused back on studying, we naturally grew close again.

What was your first trip like after entering college?

Toward the end of the first semester, Jae-myung suggested a hiking trip. We started in Chuncheon and walked through Yanggu, Inje, Hangyeryeong and Yangyang, finally reaching Taebaek. Carrying tents and cooking gear, we cooked by the roadside and fished in rivers as we walked. At one point, we popped blisters on our feet with a knife just to keep walking. I still vividly remember the moment we reached Kwangchi Pass at midnight, cheering and encouraging each other. That trip built the stamina and willpower that helped us endure future hardships.

Did you keep in touch after university?

We didn’t see each other often, but we stayed in touch. I remember on my wedding day, Jae-myung drove my wife and I to the airport. In the car, he jokingly told her, “Jeong-woon isn’t fun at all — I think you made a mistake. If you ever get divorced, I’ll be your lawyer, free of charge.” He was always playful like that. Thankfully, my wife and I are still happy together. Once he entered politics, he got incredibly busy, so unless there’s a reason, we don’t speak often. I usually send him supportive messages or small updates via social media.

President Lee Jae-myung, right, and his childhood friend Shim Jeong-woon pose in an alleyway in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, in 1980. [SHIM JEONG-WOON]

What were your thoughts when he entered politics?

I believed that his experiences as a lawyer and in civic activism in Seongnam would give him a unique perspective on governance.

How is Lee as a politician different from Lee the teenage laborer?

As a boy, he only had to be responsible for himself. As a politician, he carries the responsibility of guiding an entire society. That’s why the role of a leader like Lee Jae-myung is so important.

How do you think his early experiences as a factory worker influence his presidency?

The experience of enduring a press machine accident and abusive supervisors instilled deep empathy for the vulnerable and helps shape his policies. Overcoming those hardships gave him the drive and decisiveness that now serve him well as a leader.

How do you hope President Lee will be remembered after five years?

Short-term results are important, but as a citizen, I hope he develops a national road map to tackle long-term issues like population decline, the climate crisis and aging society. I want him to build a sustainable, forward-looking Korea so people will say, “Lee Jae-myung really made a difference.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY HA JUN-HO [[email protected]]