Jung Cheongrae Pays Tribute to Kim Dae-jung: "True Forgiveness Would Mean Eradicating Insurrectionist Forces"

On August 18, Democratic Party of Korea leader Jung Chungrae paid tribute to former President Kim Dae-jung on the 16th anniversary of his passing, stating, "I am certain that if you were here today, you would say that true forgiveness means the complete eradication of insurrectionist forces."

At the memorial ceremony for the 16th anniversary of President Kim’s passing, held at the National Cemetery in Seoul, Jung remarked, "It has already been 16 years since you left us. Yet, like the forsythia that blooms through adversity, your spirit continues to live and breathe in this land."

Yonhap News Agency

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Jung, who described Kim as both his political mentor and comrade, reflected, "The story of Jung Chungrae the politician could not have been written without you. In June 1987, during the funeral procession of martyr Lee Han-yeol, I, then a university student, followed behind you, shouting 'Abolish the constitutional order, overthrow the dictatorship,' and walked on without fear."

He continued, "Right after you returned from the United Kingdom, you emphasized the importance of the cultural industry alongside the knowledge and information industry during a special lecture at the Asia-Pacific Peace Foundation Academy. I, then an office worker, was sitting in the audience."

Jung then linked his entry into politics to former President Kim, saying, "I voted for you in all three presidential elections. However, I never imagined that you, as a constituent in my district, would cast your vote for me. That single vote you gave me continues to awaken me to this day."

Jung also said, "Whenever I stand at a crossroads, I think of you. Even after crossing the threshold of death, Kim Dae-jung never compromised with injustice. He trusted only the people and paved the way for the people. From South Korea’s leadership as an IT powerhouse, to welfare policies created as a matter of citizens' rights and transformed into engines of growth, and even to peace on the Korean Peninsula-on every path I wish to take, I find and encounter you."

He further emphasized, "We must recognize that the dreams of becoming a leader in public health and a cultural powerhouse also stand on the foundation laid by the giant Kim Dae-jung." He added, "Though you have left us, your spirit will continue to nurture democracy in this land. For the people who remember you, and for those who will rediscover you somewhere, I will restore everything to its rightful place."

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