President Lee Vows to Carry On Roh Moo-hyun’s Legacy of Fairness and Inclusion
SEOUL — President Lee Jae Myung on Saturday vowed to continue the legacy of late former President Roh Moo-hyun by building a nation founded on fairness, inclusion and respect for human dignity, according to remarks delivered at a memorial ceremony in Bongha, the southeastern village where Roh lived after leaving office.
Speaking on the 17th anniversary of Roh’s death, Lee said, “After you left, so many ‘Roh Moo-hyuns’ were born and I am one of them.” He added, “As president, I feel the immense responsibility and weight that comes with the position. I will carry on your legacy.”
Lee pledged to realize Roh’s vision of a society where success is possible without privilege, hard work is fairly rewarded, people embrace one another regardless of background, and balanced development allows both the capital region and the rest of the country to prosper together. “This government will bring to fruition the dreams you left unfulfilled,” he said.
Addressing North Korea, Lee said he will uphold the spirit of the Oct. 4 Inter-Korean Declaration signed by Roh and late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, the father of current leader Kim Jong-un. The declaration aimed at improving inter-Korean relations and reducing military tensions. “We will firmly walk on the path toward peaceful coexistence and mutual growth,” Lee stated.
Roh, a liberal politician who served as president from 2003 to 2008, died in 2007 after leaping from a cliff behind his retirement home amid a corruption investigation involving his family and aides. Lee attended the same memorial event last year as the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate.
In a separate speech earlier this month, Lee also invoked the spirit of the 1894 Tonghak Peasant Revolution, a peasant uprising against the feudal system and Japanese influence. In remarks read by Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young at a ceremony in Seoul, Lee said his vision for government reflects the movement’s pursuit of social harmony, adding that his administration will work to build a compassionate society where people, as the “genuine owners of the country,” enjoy their rights and share in the fruits of growth. “Together with you, I will build a Republic of Korea in which all people enjoy fair opportunities and live prosperously, without any neighbors left behind,” he said.
During the Bongha ceremony, Lee also stressed his resolve to press ahead with reform to root out rule-breaking and privilege, saying he would not be deterred by resistance from the established order.