[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeollanam-do, stated, “We will do our best to inherit and globalize the spirit of Kim Dae-jung.”
On the 16th, Governor Kim gave a special lecture at the ‘13th Anniversary Memorial Meeting of President Kim Dae-jung’s Passing’ held at the Mokpo Kim Dae-jung Nobel Peace Prize Memorial Hall.
The lecture was conducted under the theme “World Leader, President Kim Dae-jung’s Life Spirit and Jeollanam-do.”
About 70 attendees, including former National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang, the inaugural principal of the Kim Dae-jung Political School, current and former politicians, and prominent figures from society who are students of the Kim Dae-jung Political School, participated together.
Through the special lecture, Governor Kim emphasized Jeollanam-do’s role in inheriting President Kim Dae-jung’s spirit and proposed globalization measures through solidarity with world peace leaders.
In particular, he evaluated, “President Kim Dae-jung faced death five times and lost three presidential elections, yet he devoted himself to realizing democracy in the Republic of Korea and peace on the Korean Peninsula amid numerous hardships and adversities, and took the lead internationally in protecting human rights. He unified the people who were in despair due to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) crisis, overcame the economic crisis early, and led new growth in Korea’s economy through the promotion of the IT information industry, marking a milestone in our country’s economic history.”
He continued, “Currently, humanity faces great crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukraine-Russia war, inter-state conflicts, global economic recession, inequality and polarization, natural disasters caused by climate change, and food shortages, but resolving these in a short time is not easy. However, if everyone shares and practices the respect and love for humanity, and the spirit of peace, human rights, and reconciliation that the President practiced, these challenges can certainly be overcome,” he stressed.
He also said, “Jeollanam-do, as the hometown that produced President Kim Dae-jung, strives to pass on the President’s noble life and spirit to future generations and widely promote it worldwide. We will further develop the 2021 Kim Dae-jung Peace Conference, first held last October, into a prestigious international event symbolizing world peace, and lead various memorial projects such as the Mokpo Samhakdo ‘Kim Dae-jung-Nelson Mandela World Peace Park’ and Shinan Haedo ‘Korean Peninsula Peace Forest,’ along with super-regional inter-Korean exchange cooperation projects to open the way for improving inter-Korean relations and peaceful reunification,” he said.
Furthermore, he emphasized, “President Kim often said, ‘There is no future for the Republic of Korea if there is division and conflict among regions, classes, and generations.’ Now, 13 years after his passing, Korea is once again rife with division and conflict. Jeollanam-do will inherit President Kim Dae-jung’s noble spirit and beliefs to overcome confrontation and conflict and make every effort to create ‘a great Korea where everyone becomes one, a society of harmony,’” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Jeollanam-do will hold memorial events for President Kim Dae-jung’s 13th anniversary of passing this year, starting with a memorial ceremony on the 18th at the Mokpo Kim Dae-jung Nobel Peace Prize Memorial Hall, followed by a ‘Memorial Academic Event’ at the Jeollanam-do Provincial Office on the 25th.
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