Departing Moon Heesang: "Though I Have Regrets, I Have No Remorse... Hoping for the Era of Pax Koreana"

Speaker Moon Heesang is entering the press conference room at the National Assembly on the 21st to hold a retirement press conference. Photo by Yoon Dongju doso7@

[Asia Economy, reporter Kang Nahum] "Although I have some regrets, my political life was one without remorse."

At his retirement press conference on the 21st, National Assembly Speaker Moon Heesang shared his thoughts, saying, "Now, as I finish a long and exhausting day and return home, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief."

Speaker Moon's 40-year political journey will come to an end on May 29, the last day of his term. He said, "Looking back, it is no exaggeration to say that I have walked the path of politics my entire life. If I recall my days as a passionate law student in 1965, when I protested against the Korea-Japan talks, it has been 55 years. If I start from the Seoul Spring of 1980, it has been 40 years. Even if I count from the second Seoul Spring in 1987, when I first joined a political party, it has been 33 years."

He continued, "Leaving politics, which has been both my life's work and my conviction, has left me with complicated feelings. The words of former Prime Minister Kim Jongpil, who said 'politics is a futile endeavor,' have resonated deeply with me. To be honest, there were times when I was overwhelmed by the thought that my life might have been, as the saying goes, 'all for nothing.'"

Speaker Moon's true political career began in 1979, on the day he first met the late President Kim Daejung at his Donggyo-dong residence in Seoul. He said, "The day I first met President Kim Daejung remains vivid and unforgettable. His words, 'A world where freedom blooms like wildflowers, justice flows like a river, and the dream of unification rises like a rainbow,' inspired me to enter politics."

"That day, my life's goal became clear, something I was willing to stake everything on. And in 1997, President Kim Daejung was elected. The peaceful and horizontal transition of power became a reality, and with that, all of my goals were achieved," he said.

Speaker Moon stated, "The dreams I held as a young man are still alive today. My political career started with the vision of 'Pax Koreana.' It was an ambitious dream to create an era in which Korea would lead the world. In the 1980s, it was just the dream of a political novice, and no one believed it could come true. However, now, opportunities are coming to Korea."

Quoting historian Arnold Toynbee's phrase, 'History moves westward,' Speaker Moon emphasized, "I earnestly hope and cheer for the opening of the Pax Koreana era."

Finally, Speaker Moon expressed special gratitude to the citizens of Uijeongbu, his constituency. He said, "Thanks to their unwavering support, I was able to serve six terms as a National Assembly member and as Speaker. And today, I am able to retire with honor. How could I ever forget this grace and gratitude? I sincerely thank you all."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.