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(Seoul=Yonhap Infomax) Ji Seo Jeong – On the 21st, President Lee Jae-myung commemorated the 10th anniversary of the passing of former President Kim Young-sam, stating, “I will keep in mind his words, ‘Daedo Moomoon’—that there are no obstacles on the righteous path.”
While on an official visit to Africa and the Middle East, President Lee delivered a memorial address at the ceremony held at the Seoul National Cemetery, read by Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik. He said, “We vividly remember the late president as a ‘fighter for democracy’ who ended the harsh winter of military dictatorship and ushered in the spring of civilian rule, a ‘reformer of the era’ who boldly broke outdated systems to pave the way for new progress, and a leader who stood humbly before justice and never yielded to injustice.”
President Lee recalled, “His resolute declaration that ‘even if you twist a rooster’s neck, dawn will come’ remains an indelible symbol of courage and perseverance in the history of South Korea’s democratization.”
He continued, “Immediately after taking office, he dissolved the Hanahoe (a secret military faction), brought those responsible for the Gwangju massacre to justice, and corrected the course of South Korean history and the order of the democratic republic. It was a life-risking decision that few dared to make, and because of it, the tragic history of the military intervening in politics and dominating the nation and its people could be put to an end.”
President Lee further noted, “By introducing the real-name financial transaction system and the real-name real estate system, he laid the foundation for a transparent market economy. Through the public disclosure of high-ranking officials’ assets, he broke the chains of ‘dark collusion’ that had dominated our society. The full implementation of local autonomy sowed the seeds of democracy nationwide, and the demolition of the former Japanese Government-General building helped heal deep wounds and restore national pride.”
He recalled, “The Kim Young-sam administration, which said reform is harder than revolution, propelled South Korea to become an economic powerhouse with a per capita income of $10,000, establishing the framework of a modern state where democracy and the market economy coexist in harmony.”
President Lee concluded, “Now, following in the footsteps of the late president, we are advancing the values of freedom, justice, and peace toward a more mature democracy. No matter what trials and challenges arise, we will remain steadfast in our commitment, as shown by the late president’s convictions and decisions, and will not cease our progress toward a more mature democratic nation and a true democratic republic.”
jsjeong@yna.co.kr
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