"Hope and Unity for Korea, Cooperation and Peace for Northeast Asia"

-President Roh Moo-hyun's History and Vision-

A man of principle and conviction with an uncompromising attitude toward the need to root out "old politics," President Roh Moo-hyun is poised to carry out his visions of national unity and reform. He will also pursue a policy of peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and strive to transform Korea into a hub of Northeast Asia.

Roh emerged victorious in a close race with Lee Hoi-chang, the candidate of the opposition Grand National Party, garnering 48.9 percent to Lee's 46.5 percent of the popular vote cast on December 19, 2002. Running on a platform of "new politics," Roh, representing the ruling Millennium Democratic Party, won the presidency with an entirely different mandate than past presidential elections.

A legendary, self-made politician, who rose to office in the National Assembly as a self-educated lawyer, Roh made history by dismantling the barriers of the past and heralding a new era dubbed "a republic of hope and integration."

As a long-time progressive and human rights lawyer who defended dissident students and labor activists struggling against the authoritarian Chun Doo-hwan regime in the 1980s, Roh was supported by young voters, especially the Internet generation. Many political observers characterized this presidential campaign as a showdown between the old and new politics, and between the older and younger generations.

However, in his election victory speech Roh declared, "I will be the president not only of those who supported me, but also of those who opposed."

His victory, which many ordinary people regard as their own, came after many years and many political challenges. In the Korean political climate, where divisive regionalism has prevailed over election issues, Roh repeatedly failed to overcome parochial barriers in his hometown in the southeastern region. Although he was dubbed a "favorite son" on his home turf, he lost one election after another for the simple reason that he was a candidate of President Kim Dae-jung's Millennium Democratic Party, which commanded little popularity in his region.

The Korean people, however, paid more attention to his message than his party in the latest election. Not discouraged by Roh's repeated setbacks, the younger generation formed the country's first-ever Internet-based political fan club "NOSAMO" (literally translated as the "The Association of Those who Love Roh Moo-hyun"). And a growing range of people from all walks of life warmed to his cause and began to encourage him. Roh is often called the "winner of hopes," a moniker earned from his having had the strength to ride out a series of crises to victory. His tenacity won him support from a wide range of citizens across the country, and his lonely decision to transcend outdated politics elicited spontaneous and explosive endorsement. Elected against this backdrop, Roh said, "I will try to build a nation where the citizens are treated as its owners."

Roh first began taking part in the anti-dictatorship, pro-democracy movement in the early 1980s, when he served as a defense lawyer for those accused in the so-called Burim Incident, which involved treason charges against activists fabricated by the then military regime in power. Since then, he has devoted much of his life to the nation's democratic movement, defending the rights of ordinary workers, which resulted in a period of confinement. In 1987, he served as the Chairman and Director of the Busan Citizens' Movement for a Democratic Constitution and played a leading role in the June Democratization Struggles of that year. A year later, in 1988, he was elected to the National Assembly. That same year, Roh made forceful presentations at national televised hearings as a member of the Special Committee to Investigate Political Corruption during the Fifth Republic, which attracted national attention and made him a national figure.

Born to a poor farming family, the president was a self-educated attorney. As a human rights lawyer, he worked for the working poor and the disaffected. Throughout his presidential campaigns, he emphatically promised to serve as president of the honest and faithful people. His dedication to this theme evidently moved the voters. A campaign TV ad, showing Roh in tears, made a powerful statement of his beliefs. His own life story, which included many hardships and much adversity, has brought comparisons to Abraham Lincoln.

As the incoming president, Roh promises to bring about a new society free of corruption, establish an administration that serves the people, and achieve political reforms. He also says that he would continue the Sunshine Policy of reconciliation with North Korea advocated by the outgoing President Kim Dae-jung and develop it into a "Policy for Peace and Prosperity." In connection with inter-Korean issues, including the North Korean nuclear issue, the president-elect emphasizes that he would continue to pursue the principle of dialogue. He said he would also seek cooperation and coordination with the United States on an equal footing. In light of this posture, Roh is expected to focus on two primary goals: establishing a structure of peace on the Korean Peninsula and developing Korea as an economic hub of Northeast Asia.

Koreans who aspire for a new era elected Roh Moo-hyun the next president of Korea, and they are expected to provide this young and reform-minded President with the motivation to lead the new Republic. With Roh Moo-hyun, a new era of change is about to begin in Korea.