My fellow Koreans,
Honorable Patriots and Koreans Abroad,
We, the Korean people, from all around the world are gathered here today to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the March 1st Independence Movement.
As I stand before this solemn monument dedicated to our fallen heroes, I bow my head to pay my deepest respect to those who sacrificed their lives for this nation’s independence. I would also like to take time to remember the enormous sacrifice of the descendents of our patriots and national heroes and would like to offer them my sincere gratitude and respect.
My fellow Koreans who are watching or listening to us celebrate this moment, I offer you my thanks as well. For you may be far away but always remember that you are never far from our hearts.
Ninety years ago today, our declaration of independence was read aloud and from thereon, our nation was filled with our passionate cries for freedom and independence.
Our forefathers were persecuted and beaten by their Japanese colonizers but they were never deterred. They continued to demand independence, for this land and for the people of this great country. Amid the crushing despair of losing our nation, our forefathers shouted with hope for our liberation and freedom.
We all became one with the hope of regaining our country and our independence. Difference in social class, different religious and ideological beliefs did not matter. Transcending these, the Korean people became one.
The sacrifice and patriotism of the March 1st Independence Movement was carried on and became the spiritual foundation for what followed. The establishment of our Provisional Government and our organized resistance to Japanese colonial occupation became the cornerstone of our independence. Our independence movement and the subsequent gaining of our independence was what made possible the creation of the Republic of Korea of today.
Even after re-gaining our independence, however, all kinds of hardships followed but no matter how severe the difficulties, we managed to do what many called a “history of miracles and achievements.”
My great fellow Koreans,
Our constitution clearly states that the Republic of Korea traces its legitimacy back to the provisional government that was set up as a direct result of the March 1st Independence Movement.
This year marks the 90th anniversary of the February 8th Independence Declaration in Tokyo, the March 1st Independence Movement and the founding of the provisional government. It is also the 80th anniversary of the Gwangju Student Movement and the centennial commemorating our national hero, Ahn Joong-geun, for his heroic sacrifice.
The Korean government understands that this year is a special year that should and must be commemorated accordingly. We will pay our respects to those fallen heroes and remember what they did. And we will do our best to uphold and live up to their patriotism, idealism and selfless sacrifice.
One way for the government to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the provisional government will be the special event to bring back the remains of our heroes who are now honored as our National Meritorious Persons. Last year during the 60th Anniversary to commemorate the founding of the Republic, I made the pledge that this government will take care of its heroes and patriots who sacrificed for their beloved country. Today, I renew to you my solemn pledge and assure you that we will, until the very end, take care of those who gave so much to this country.
As long as this nation exists and as long as the Korean people exist, our respect for the fallen will always remain and our pledge to take care of our own people will always be honored.
My dear fellow Koreans,
As we mark the 90th anniversary of the March 1st Independence Movement, we are in the midst of an economic crisis that is far worse than any we have seen so far. We, as a nation and as a people, have been through many trials and hardships but the current economic crisis is truly daunting.
I look at the world today and what we are going through and I am reminded of the spirit of the March 1st Movement. The spirit that brought the Korean people together 90 years ago is still alive within us, a veritable national treasure that belongs to all of us.
Ninety years ago, our forefathers demonstrated self-sacrifice and unity to save this country. And today, this is precisely the zeitgeist we need.
Selfish personal and collective ambitions will not allow us to weather through this storm. There is no “you” and “me” when it comes to overcoming this grave challenge. We must think how we can survive this crisis and exist side by side. As Baek Beom Kim Koo once said, we must work towards a world where “the moral goodness of love and the order of the law are abided to just like the laws governing the natural heavens and the earth.” We must discard this culture of hatred and struggle. Instead, we must practice love and harmony.
Cardinal Stephen Kim who passed away recently to be with the Lord, showed us how powerful love and gratitude can be. His passing away melted our cold and bitter hearts and he taught us that we must turn our eyes away from ourselves and towards others.
Many of us waited patiently in the frigid cold for hours and hours just so that we could catch a glimpse of Cardinal Stephen Kim.
I watched the people wait and could feel that deep within our hearts, there was this unquenchable thirst for love.
My fellow Koreans,
Let us comfort each other and give encouragements whenever we can. Let us work towards building a compassionate society where love and compassion overflows.
Right now, the “Virus of Unity” where we share love and compassion is spreading like wildfire throughout our country.
Labor, management, NGOs and the government have agreed on a Social Compromise to share the burden as well as jobs. They did not just talk about hope but showed us what hope looks like. What is more significant is that the government did not force anyone to take part in this. It was led by the private sector and those involved.
The Korea Liberation Association which is our nation’s doyenne and many other social organizations are sharing a portion of their pension or their salary with those in desperate need. Those working in the private industry, religious leaders as well as educators and others are taking part in this wonderful display of communal love.
We are people who voluntarily donated our gold trinkets and necklaces during the last financial crisis. This has now culminated in this effort to share jobs. The entire global community is undergoing this economic crisis but only here, in Korea, do we see such a wonderful display of sharing and caring.
We are willing to share with others what we have and such sacrifice will help us overcome this crisis. And such selfless devotion will transform this nation into an advanced country.
The government will do what it can so that such personal sacrifices are not forgotten in vain. We will make sure that your personal sacrifice will be rightly recognized and shared by all the people.
Now, it is time for us to trumpet the call for national unity. Let it ring out to all the corners of this land!
My fellow citizens,
Our aim will not just be about overcoming the economic crisis.
I have no doubt that we will recover more quickly than others. However, we must not stop there but we must be wise and use this as an opportunity to reform our society and to move forward. We cannot just sit and wait for the cold winter gale to pass. We must not hunch or cower. We must be prepared to make the leap to the next level.
We can achieve both of these goals at the same time. Then, we can open up a new era, far surpassing what our forefathers were able to achieve.
We cannot stop to change and reform simply because it is just too hard. We cannot take the easy road, discarding our principles and beliefs, because it is just too hard.
We will strive for a country where individual liberty and creativity is respected and nurtured; where law and social order is firmly established; where personal freedom and rights are protected; where culture and aesthetics flourish. This is the country that we must continue to strive for.
Do-san Ahn Chang-ho dreamt of such a country. He dreamt of a country where economic prowess and military might was not the primary goal but rather, he dreamt of a country that pursued “decency and character, a country that enjoyed genuine friendship with and received the compassion of” all nations around the world.
Taking up such a call, Korea is becoming a “nation that gives” from a “nation that received.” Korea is no longer the country that follows whoever was in the lead but it is now a nation that leads the global trend.
We are facing a great civilizational turning point and Korea is taking the lead with its low carbon green growth future vision. We are actively tackling the global issue of climate change and paving the way for a new frontier and preparing all of us for the future.
We intend to share this vision with the world. And we will carry them out with the 80 million Koreans.
My fellow Koreans, at home and abroad,
What our forefathers called for as they marched on March 1st was “Self-right and determination” for the Korean people and for co-existence and mutual prosperity for all mankind. Unfortunately, more than sixty years have gone by and we have yet to escape the yoke of national division.
I wish to tell our brothers and sisters up north. Of all the peoples and nations in the world today, the only people and the only country that truly worries about you are the people here in Korea.
It is not nuclear weapons or missiles that guarantee your safety but the cooperation with South Korea and the international community.
No one must damage the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula. Even if attempted, it will never succeed.
Complete denuclearization is the quickest path to ensuring North Korea becoming a responsible member of the international community. And for this, we are ready to make bold initiatives to assist North Korea. The two Koreas have recognized and respected each other and agreed to peaceful co-existence and co-prosperity.
I intend to honor such agreements made between the two Koreas. And based on such understandings, I intend to pursue inter-Korea dialogue and cooperation.
The door is still wide open for dialogue with no preconditions. The South and the North must engage in dialogue at the earliest possible time. We should both learn from the spirit of the March 1st movement. We must work together for Korea’s next great leap.
My fellow Koreans,
I believe in our latent strength. We become stronger when the challenges seem insurmountable. We come together when we face crisis. I believe in our passion to never surrender. I believe in our power to hope.
Let us mount these challenges with renewed resolve. Let us share what we have with others and encourage one another.
Let us overcome our differences but seek unity in our common resolve. Let us look back at what our forefathers did and do what they did and much more.
Thank you.
[Source: Cheong Wa Dae]
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[출처 : 매일경제]
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