[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Ahn Cheol-soo, the preliminary candidate for Seoul mayor from the People’s Party, visited the Kim Young-sam Library on the 23rd. This visit is interpreted as an expression of his intention to honor former President Kim Young-sam and to carry on the spirit of democracy and reformist conservatism.
On the day, Candidate Ahn visited the ‘Kim Young-sam Library’ located in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, and met with Kim Deok-ryong, chairman of the Kim Young-sam Democracy Center, Kim Hyun-chul, executive director, and former lawmaker Kim Moo-sung.
After the visit, Candidate Ahn told reporters, "Sangdo-dong is a sacred place for democratization in the Republic of Korea," adding, "During the Yushin dictatorship era, there was a struggle symbolized by the phrase ‘Even if you twist a chicken’s neck, dawn will come.’ During the May 18, 1980 period and afterward, there were two instances of house arrest lasting nearly three years, and in 1983, there was a historic 23-day hunger strike demanding five points of democratization. That is why I visited today."
He said, "When I think of former President Kim, many things come to mind: the spirit of ‘greatness without arrogance’ to boldly follow the right path, the spirit of unity and harmony left as his last will, and I consider him a symbol of democracy and reform."
The reason for Candidate Ahn’s visit is interpreted as a gesture of respect toward former President Kim, who was both a democratization figure and a conservative politician.
Chairman Kim said, "Representative (Candidate) Ahn is playing various roles, and I want to say that I hope the opposition will do well in the future, with the presidential election next year and the upcoming by-elections, so that our opposition can achieve great success."
Meanwhile, Chairman Kim stated on the day, "If politics must be divided into progressive and conservative, former President Kim was a conservative politician. However, because reactionary forces and authoritarian regimes have expressed themselves as conservatives, the democratic and reformist conservatism pursued by former President Kim has regrettably not properly become the mainstream of the conservative forces."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
