[Korea] Yoon Seok - you's inauguration speech to democracy and liberalism [full text]
2022-05-11
Category:South Korea
I'm participating in the ranking.Please click and cheer for me.
New Presidential Speech on May 10
Respected and dear people,
7.5 million overseas compatriots,
And to all the world citizens who love freedom
I am here today with an epoch-making vocation that must rebuild this country as a country where the people are the true masters on the basis of liberal democracy and the market economy system, and make it a country that plays a role and responsibility in the international community. I stood up.
We would like to thank all the people who have been with us in the historical setting.
Tora Wen, Former President Park Megumi, President Jacob of Singapore, President of the Central African Republic of Tuadera, Vice President of China Wang Qishan, Former President of Indonesia Megawati, Vice President Harris Emhoff Harris, Senator George Fury of Canada, We would like to express our deep gratitude to Japan's Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and other congratulatory missions from around the world and to all the guests from Japan and abroad.
We would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the people who have endured great pain in the process of overcoming the pandemic of the new coronavirus infection for the past two years.
We would also like to thank all the medical staff for their dedication.
Respected people,
World citizens
Now, the whole world is one country alone or only a few countries participating, such as the pandemic crisis, changes in trade order and restructuring of supply networks, climate change, food and energy crisis, and retreat of peaceful resolution of conflicts. Faced with difficult challenges.
Various crises cast a complex shadow on human society.
In addition, many countries, including South Korea, are swaying and breaking down the cohesiveness of their communities due to ultra-low growth, large-scale unemployment, deepening polarization and diverse social conflicts.
On the other hand, politics that must solve such problems are failing to function due to the so-called democratic crisis.
Anti-intellectualism is cited as the biggest cause.
Science and truth must be a prerequisite for people with different views to coordinate and compromise with each other.
That is rationalism and intellectualism that support democracy.
Excessive collective conflict between nations and within nations distorts the truth, and anti-intellectualism, which selects only the facts that each person wants to see and hear and suppresses the opinions of others with a large number of forces, puts democracy in jeopardy and democracy. It undermines trust in the principle.
This situation makes it even more difficult to solve the problems we are facing.
But we can.
Looking back on history, the Korean people are on the verge of many crises, but each time they have worked together to overcome them wisely and courageously.
At this moment, I am grateful to be given the responsibility to overcome such a crisis and I am confident that we can overcome it proudly with our great people.
We also believe that we can work together with the world's citizens to resolve crises and challenges at home and abroad.
Respected people,
World citizens
I think it is very important for us to share universal values ??in order to solve this difficulty.
It is "freedom".
We must recognize the value of freedom correctly and accurately.
We must rediscover the value of freedom.
Looking back on the history of mankind, where free political rights and free markets were alive, prosperity and affluence always flourished.
Prosperity, affluence and economic growth are the expansion of freedom.
Freedom is a universal value.
All members of our society must be free citizens.
If the freedom of an individual is left unattended, the freedom of all of us members of the community will be threatened.
Freedom is by no means a winner's monopoly.
To be a free citizen, one must ensure a certain level of economic foundation, fair education and access to culture.
You cannot be a free citizen without this.
If one's freedom is not overrun or the conditions necessary to become a free citizen are not met, all free citizens must help in solidarity.
And if individual liberty is violated not only by individual nations but also internationally by hunger and poverty, illegal acts by public authority and military power, and a dignified life as a free citizen is not maintained, all world citizens will be free citizens. We must work together as a helper.
In order for everyone to be a free citizen, we must obey fair rules and have a spirit of solidarity and philanthropy.
Respected people,
I would like to talk about the direction that I consider important by looking at domestic issues.
In South Korea, excessive polarization and social conflict not only threaten freedom and democracy, but also hinder social development.
I don't think this problem can be solved without a leap and fast growth.
In the process of rapid growth, many people can find new opportunities and improve social mobility to eliminate the source of polarization and conflict.
Leap and fast growth can only be achieved through science, technology and innovation.
Science, technology and innovation protect our liberal democracy, expand our freedom and make our dignified life sustainable.
Science, technology, and innovation are difficult to achieve with the efforts of Japan alone.
By respecting freedom and creativity, we must work and solidarity with many countries that have achieved advances and innovations in science and technology.
Respected people,
World citizens
Liberal democracy creates peace, and peace protects freedom.
And peace is guaranteed by solidarity with the international community, which respects the values ??of freedom and human rights.
We must pursue sustainable peace that blossoms freedom and prosperity, not fragile peace that temporarily avoids war.
Nowhere in the world is free from the threat of freedom and peac
I'm participating in the ranking.Please click and cheer for me.
[related article]
What are your expectations for President Yun Seok-yue? Twisted National Assembly is a thorny road - Should Japan approve or wait and see? - South Korea's general election will be held in 2024.
Positive theory of Japan-Korea relations and wait-and-see theory
Remains twisted until 2024
Will true speech be freed under the new administration
Korean society will be denounced if it affirms Japanese rule
A country where there is no freedom of speech about history
Looking at Japanese public opinion regarding the prospects for Japan-Korea relations since the inauguration of the Yun Seok-Yeol administration, there are some positive views toward improving relations and a wait-and-see view seen mainly on the right. As always, the affirmative opinion has no concrete content, and since the other party is asking for an improvement in the relationship, things will probably get better. It's just a matter of trying to get along because we're neighboring countries.
The wait-and-see theory is based on the points of the Korean unified local elections in June and the national election in 2024, and that the Democratic Party (a pro-China, anti-Japanese party) holds the majority of the Korean National Assembly.Twisted stateTherefore, unless the ruling party wins the power of the people in the 2024 general election, no bill will be passed, so nothing can be done. Until then, Japan should do nothing and wait and see.
The least I can say is that I don't expect Japan-Korea relations to deteriorate any further during the next five years of the next administration. Personally, I think that if things don't get any worse, there's no need for them to get any better. In other words, there is a necessary distance between Japan and South Korea. This may be the best distance relationship.
In the long run, it would be most effective if the speech of pro-Japanese groups was liberated, rather than if the anti-Japanese movement subsided on the surface. In addition to those who prefer Japanese culture in South Korea, pro-Japanese speech is another form of speech that has been suppressed regarding the annexation of Japan and South Korea and Japan's support for South Korea after the war. Japan has no choice but to wait for South Korea to change, but there is no sign of that happening at all. The appearance of calm on the surface is only a temporary phenomenon. The root of Japan-Korea relations lies within South Korea, where freedom of speech is not recognized regarding the past history of Japan and South Korea. It is impossible to publicly state the fact that the Korean Peninsula modernized under Japanese rule.
Under Japanese rule, slaves, who accounted for half of the population, were liberated, the class system was abolished, a school education system was established, food self-sufficiency increased, starvation deaths decreased sharply, sanitary conditions improved, and cholera and typhoid fever were reduced. The number of deaths due to such things has decreased dramatically. These are facts that do not exist in Korea.
In South Korea's historical perspective, those who affirmed Japanese rule were expelled from academia in order to make the history of being enslaved and violated by Japan into a fact. He was also expelled from politics and government, and media outlets were also blocked. This is an unobjective view of history that only accepts one opinion, and is not academic in the first place. At the root of Japan-Korea relations is this unilaterally created view of history and the education of history based on that view. Unless this changes, we can see that even if the government continues to work together as it has done in the past, it will crumble like a sandcastle. This is exactly what history has proven.
In other words, improving Japan-Korea relations means that South Korea itself will gain academic and speech freedom, that scholars who support Japanese rule will return to academia, that they will return to politics, and that South Korea will become a democratic country where people can have free discussions. . Without this, anti-Japanese education will never disappear. This is an issue that requires the process of South Korea maturing as a democratic country, so it will take a very long time. Therefore, Japan should continue to keep its distance and not approach them easily.
If we look at the past, we are skeptical that politics will improve Japan-Korea relations. This problem is that academic and freedom of speech have not been secured in South Korea in the history of Japan and South Korea.
Candidate Lee Jae - myung said that America was to blame for the division of the Korean peninsula - a victim mentality lacking in historical understanding.
What is this person saying? South Korean presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung told U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff that the Korean peninsula was divided without Japan being divided. It is America's fault that the Korean peninsula was divided into north and south. On top of that, it's a statement that says Japan should have been divided.
Losing a war does not always result in division. The former East and West Germany was divided into East and West by the socialist Soviet Union and liberal countries. Since the Soviet Union was largely responsible for Germany's defeat, the Soviet Union gained control of Eastern Europe, and Germany itself was divided into East and West. In multilateral wars, when the victorious nations were unable to come to terms on their merits and interests, the method of partition was adopted. Germany is a perfect example.
So what about Japan? Although it is still a multilateral war, Japan has won against all Western countries except the United States. Only America lost. The Soviet Union had nothing to do with the Japan-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact. The Soviet Union entered the war on August 9, 1945, just before the end of the war. How could the Soviet Union claim its interests against the United States?
So why did the Soviet Union claim interests in the Korean Peninsula? This is said to have been determined by the Yalta Secret Treaty, which determined the division along the 38th parallel. The question is at what point in time should a return to the status quo be made, based on the principle of restoration to its original state in post-war settlements. At the Yalta Conference, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin discussed how to deal with the aftermath of World War II.
The fact that the San Francisco Peace Treaty recognized the return of Taiwan dates back to the Sino-Japanese War. On the Korean Peninsula, Gojong, the Emperor of the Korean Empire, negotiated with Russia to sell the interests of the Korean Peninsula. The Soviet Union built the transcontinental railroad and began colonizing East Asia. The theory is that if Japan had not interfered in the Russo-Japanese War, the Korean Peninsula would have belonged to the Soviet Union. In other words, they are claiming rights dating back to before the Russo-Japanese War.
Why is present-day South Korea a democratic country? This is based on the premise that the Korean Peninsula belonged to Japan, and it was the United States that forced Japan into defeat, so the United States claimed its rights. Therefore, Korea came under the control of GHQ. Based on this premise, the 38th parallel was established as a compromise line with the Soviet Union, dividing the country into north and south.
Another South Korean Army member fleeing to North Korea? The reality of the 22nd Infantry Division, which is in charge of sloppy border security.
On January 1st of the new year, an unidentified person climbed over the iron fence from the South Korean side and entered the North Korean side, leading to the attack on South Korean troops including the 22nd Infantry Division of the South Korean Army on the Eastern Front in the area where this incident occurred. The Army is on emergency alert.
The 22nd Infantry Division, a unit located on this border, has caused various problems in the past. In June 1984, there was another incident involving a large firearm that resulted in 23 casualties.
In June 2004, a private on duty at battalion headquarters left his post with a firearm and 15 rounds of live ammunition and was captured eight hours later.
In October 2008, a private second class on guard duty committed suicide with a rifle.
On March 28, 2012, a soldier was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head.
In 2005, two reserve sergeants and others were arrested a month later after seizing two K-2 rifles, six grenades, and 7,000 live rounds.
In 2005, a vessel believed to be a fishing boat headed for North Korea, and in October 2009, it was revealed that civilians had cut through iron fences and headed north.
In 2012, the so-called "knock defection incident" caused a stir in society. On October 2, 2012, North Korean soldiers crossed the border and knocked on the door of the living quarters, asking for asylum, but it turned out that the troops were unaware of the fact that the iron fence had been cut until then, and two generals Two territorial officers were reprimanded.
The 22nd Division has been involved in many incidents in the past, and is said to account for the majority of incidents that occur within the South Korean military, with some deriding it as an encyclopedia of military incidents.
The terrain is also difficult. The front boundary stretches for tens of kilometers, surrounded by rugged mountain ranges.
``Many soldiers are said to suffer from knee pain because the iron fence border line is very steep and goes up and down.As a result, guard duty is more difficult than in other divisions.This is also the reason why defections and incidents of North Korea are so common.
Although security near the border is thorough, it seems that there are many cases of people defecting or fleeing from South Korea or North Korea.
It's okay to win even if you commit a foul. Don't expect anything from a country with a different concept of sports.
In Japan, there is no question that sports are played to train the mind and body, and this is sought after in all walks of life. On top of that, the champions of each sport are also expected to have good personalities, so Japanese people are very careful when interviewing the winners.
Physical education is distinguished from sports in that it incorporates physical exercise as a part of education and aims not only to train the body but also to improve the mind and personality. Sports are said to be purely about enjoying the competition and the wins and losses. In order to have fun, you can only enjoy victory and defeat within the fairness that comes from following the rules. It is also expressed as sportsmanship.
If you think about whether Korea does physical education or sports, unfortunately it seems like they are failing at both. Even though it is said that political statements should not be brought into sports, athletes who can't stand it anymore and make a big fuss over the Rising Sun flag or claim territory on the field are seen as heroes. He doesn't mind taking fouls in order to win. Do they think that the rules are something that is followed when the referee is watching? There is no concept of sportsmanship here.
I'm sure some people will argue that this is something that some players do, but the relative number of fouls committed by Korean players is too high. And that is what athletes who participate in international competitions do. As I wrote at the beginning, in Japan, sports are viewed as physical education from elementary school onwards, and the higher a player becomes, the more they continue to train, and as a representative of the country, they are expected to act without shame. It can be said that there are almost no players who commit such foul acts when they reach the level of participating in international tournaments.
It is said that all sports are supervised by an organization called the Korea Athletic Association, but it seems that they are more passionate about anti-Japan activities than athletics, and that way of thinking is quite different even internationally.
Voting for South Korea's unified local elections was held on June 1st, with the ruling party
Local elections won by the ruling party
Local administration launches anti-Japanese movement
The president is the head of the executive branch
Twisted power runs amok
Efforts to improve relationships are always destroyed
Adopts resolution that violates international commitments
South Korea cannot keep its promises
Voting for South Korea's unified local elections was held on June 1st, with the ruling party "People's Power" winning 12 out of 17 regions, and the "Tomo Democratic Party" winning 4 regions including Jeolla Province and Gyeonggi Province by a narrow margin. It is reported that the ruling party won by a landslide, winning only five regions. This appears to be a trend that will lead to a resolution of the kinks between local government, the president, and the cabinet.
The No Japan movement was largely led by local governments. Gyeonggi Province, Seoul City, and Busan City have passed ordinances stipulating ``war criminal company stickers'' or ``restrictions on the purchase of war criminal company products.'' This is a surprising ordinance that places stickers on the products of Japanese companies that have been unilaterally labeled as war criminal companies, and restricts the use and purchase of those products in government agencies and schools.
Local governments in South Korea not only decide local leaders, but also exercise a variety of powers, including issuing ordinances that can lead to diplomatic issues between countries.
Regarding the ban on imports from Fukushima Prefecture, fishing organizations in coastal areas such as Busan are putting tremendous pressure on local governments. This is a local economic issue, and we do not want to import Japanese seafood to South Korea. This is to protect Korean fishing organizations. It is clear from the beginning that this is not a scientific problem.
The president assumes the position of head of the executive branch. Since the president is the head of state who is directly elected by the votes of all citizens, he is given great powers, unlike the prime minister in a parliamentary system.
In a parliamentary system, the leader of the parliament with the largest majority is elected prime minister. Therefore, the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, and the Diet, which is the legislative branch, will not be distorted. If anything could be twisted, the House of Representatives and the House of Councilors would be twisted.
In South Korea, the current president is Yun Seok-Yeol, who ran for office based on ``the power of the people,'' and the Democratic Party of Korea holds 58% of the seats in the National Assembly, the legislative body. In other words, even if the president uses his prerogatives, Congress can pass one bill after another to nullify them.
Substantive exchanges between Japan and South Korea began in 1998, when the Japan-Korea Joint Declaration was signed. Until then, Japanese culture, anime, manga, dramas, etc. had been prohibited in South Korea, but this declaration will lift the ban on these. It was also during this period that Korean dramas and K-POP began to flow into Japan.
Also known as the Obuchi-Kim Dae-jung Declaration, it was a declaration that comprehensively resolved the Japan-Korea issue, including the joint hosting of the 2002 FIFA World Cup between Japan and Korea and the conclusion of a new fisheries agreement regarding the Takeshima issue. It will be deactivated immediately thereafter.
On July 18, 2001, the South Korean parliament passed a unanimous resolution calling on the South Korean government to abolish the Japan-Korea Joint Declaration. Then, a large number of Korean fishing boats appeared near Takeshima, and the territorial issue reignited and continues to this day, and the activities of civil society groups on issues such as the forced labor issue and the comfort women issue further expanded. This is despite the fact that the World Cup was co-hosted by Japan and South Korea in 2002.
Will Congress vote to invalidate the president's diplomatic promises with other countries? Such unbelievable things happen in the South Korean National Assembly.
This has hardly been reported in Japan. Japan was united towards the success of the Japan-Korea joint World Cup. And during the match of this tournament, an incident occurs where Korean players criticize the Rising Sun flag and promote Takeshima as Korean territory. The premise behind this was that South Korea was already trying to revoke the 1998 Joint Declaration.
In South Korea, the president's powers will only be effectively exercised if he wins the presidential election and unified local elections, and the ``power of the people'' wins the national election in 2024.
The issue of South Korean ships conducting investigations around Takeshima shortly before and immediately after the presidential inauguration became a problem. In other words, South Korea is not even equipped to keep its promises..
This is especially noticeable in anti-Japanese groups. In South Korea, members of both the ruling and opposition parties are basically anti-Japanese.. Even if the Diet tries to improve relations with Japan as a matter of policy, if its practical interests are endangered, it will easily turn into an anti-Japanese Diet.
In Japan, if things are twisted, things will not be decided, but in Korea, twisted power begins to run amok. It is an uncontrolled rampage that continues even if international agreements are broken.