“104 books recommended by the book-loving president!”

What books does the president read?

This book is a collection of reading notes by former President Moon Jae-in, the 19th President of the Republic of Korea.
This book contains 104 book reviews introduced on Facebook and Twitter from May 2012 to March 2024, divided into ‘before taking office,’ ‘during office,’ and ‘after retirement.’
In addition, it includes around 40 photos capturing the daily life of the former president, providing a great sight for those curious about his appearance.


Former President Moon Jae-in's love of books is widely known.
When I went trekking in the Himalayas, I read books by the light of a headlamp in a lodging without electricity, and during my presidency, I read books not only on vacation but also in my spare time on my private plane while traveling abroad.

“Like a young bird meeting the sky for the first time, like a sprout stepping onto the ground for the first time, we always begin a new day as if it were the morning, as if it were the beginning of spring, even on a winter evening when the day is fading away.
“Living is a constant beginning, creating countless firsts.”
When I was feeling frustrated after losing the presidential election, my teacher gave me a calligraphy piece that contained the words and the interpretation of the book, “Like the First Time.”
This was a work that the teacher had exhibited, and he sent it to me in its original frame.
Every time I see 'Like the First Time' hanging on the wall, I think about the meaning my teacher gave me when he wrote those words.
When the teacher wrote for others, he chose the phrases with the recipient in mind.
The Foolish Old Man Moved the Mountains
This is a letter that the teacher wrote to President Roh Moo-hyun before his retirement.
The interpretation was, “The ingenuity of a foolish old man moves mountains.”
At a press conference marking his 100th day in office, President Roh expressed his determination, saying, “I will conduct state affairs with the mindset of a foolish man who takes one step at a time to achieve his goals, rather than with grand promises or slogans.”
He returned those words in writing when he retired.
--- From “March 5, 2016, Reading Notes on ‘Like the First Time’ (Shin Young-bok)”

The Roh Tae-woo administration's Northern Policy, which established diplomatic relations with communist countries and signed the Inter-Korean Basic Agreement with North Korea, was the most epochal shift and decision in our diplomatic history.
The Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun, and Moon Jae-in administrations inherited and developed that policy.
At that time, inter-Korean relations developed and were relatively peaceful, and balanced diplomacy was promoted.
It was also during this time that national income increased significantly, leaping into the era of $20,000 and $30,000 per capita.

In governments that did not do so, the opposite happened.
Inter-Korean relations have deteriorated, peace has become endangered, and national income has stagnated or even decreased.
Despite such a stark comparison, many people still remain stuck in Cold War mentality.
I wonder how different inter-Korean relations, the security situation, and even the economy would have been if successive governments had consistently pursued policies for peace. --- From "July 3, 2023, Reading Notes on 'The Power of Peace' (Choi Jong-geon)"

Poet Park No-hae's latest work, "The Boy Who Cried Tears," is a truly welcome book.
It was nice to meet him in a book after a long time, and it was nice to see that he was still going strong.
It was even more gratifying to reminisce about my childhood and feel a sense of kinship.
"The Boy in Tears" is an autobiographical essay in which the poet reminisces about his childhood and growing up.
It is a story of dark, poor, and sad times, but what helped the boy grow was not poverty and deprivation, but the love between family members and the warm acceptance of neighbors.
As I read the episodes that taught the boy life lessons and wisdom, I found myself missing those days.
How much are we losing now in exchange for the material abundance we have gained?

I still remember the shock and emotion I felt when I read the poet's first poetry collection, "Labor's Dawn," which came out 40 years ago and featured Oh Yoon's rough black-and-white woodcut print on the cover.
It was a time when both of us were young.
In the boy in this book, we see the archetype of a poet who dreamed of revolution while writing such fiery poetry, and who, after enduring a long imprisonment, dedicated himself to the life and peace movement.
--- From "March 12, 2024, Reading Notes on 'The Boy Who Cried Tears'"

I am very worried about the current state of affairs in which people do not read books.
While the internet and mobile devices may allow us to acquire more knowledge more quickly, they cannot replace books in shaping a comprehensive thinking system and personality that goes beyond knowledge.
When we look at what's happening in our politics and society these days, it often seems like a lack of reading is the cause.
Although our country's publishing market is ranked 7th in the world, its citizens' average annual reading volume is said to be among the lowest among OECD countries.
This means that although many books are published, many are not read.
Even though the college entrance rate is increasing, many people put down their books after graduation.
Even though educational attainment has increased, literacy has declined significantly because people rely on mobile devices for knowledge and information instead of reading books.

--- From the author's note