President Lee Meets Do-ol Kim Yongok: "Like Jeon Taeil Becoming President"

President Lee: "The People's Overcoming of the December 3 Martial Law Should Be Defined as a Democratization Movement"
Kim Yongok Emphasizes Historical Consciousness: "'March 1st Movement' Should Be Named the 'March 1st Independence Manse Revolution'"

On July 24, President Lee Jaemyung had lunch with philosopher and thinker Do-ol Kim Yongok.

According to the Presidential Office, during the luncheon, Do-ol Kim Yongok remarked that President Lee Jaemyung becoming president was "like Jeon Taeil becoming president," emphasizing that, at last, a president representing ordinary people had been inaugurated and highlighting the significance of the new administration's launch.

The Presidential Office stated, "Kim Yongok especially emphasized historical consciousness, insisting that the March 1st Movement should not be named after the influence of foreign doctrines such as Wilson's principle of national self-determination, but rather should be called the 'March 1st Independence Manse Revolution,' as it arose from the historical context of our own people."

In response, President Lee said that the process of overcoming the illegal martial law on December 3 and reaching June 3 is also a scene in which such history is condensed, and expressed his view that the case of the people overcoming martial law and achieving the revolution of light should also be defined as a democratization movement.

President Lee also stated that he hopes that true conservative elders and respected figures in our society, such as Do-ol, will create opportunities for dialogue and discussion to open the path toward unity for Korean society.

Meanwhile, the Presidential Office explained, "During today's luncheon conversation, Do-ol suggested that since the fundamental principles of the humanities originate from the classics, the ideological foundation of the president's pragmatic approach should also be established through classical education."