"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. |