Korea Democracy Foundation

I spent my young life for democratization of Korea under the dictatorship, which had been laced with imprisonment on five occasions over ten years and six months. I had to endure a lot of hardship, but also saw the aspirations and hopes of many citizens for democracy and democratization in this country.

In 2000, I proposed the Korea democracy movement foundation bill as a national-assemblyman and added my efforts to pass the bill into law. Now, 23 years later, I met the Korea Democracy Foundation, or KDF again. It is landed as an inevitable choice and mission for me. Now as the president of the KDF, I would like to humbly serve development of democracy in Korea.

At a glance, Korea is a country of accomplishment for both industrialization and democratization. But a deeper look reveals that the Korean democracy still has a long way to go. A democratic country is a just and fair society, which makes the constituency happy. That means we have a lot to do to bring democracy to our everyday life.

To this end, the KDF as a public institute supporting one pillar of the Korean democracy will inherit and further develop the democratization spirit. The National Museum of Democracy and Human Rights, which is scheduled to open in 2024, should be a focal point for citizen engagement in protecting and defending democracy and human rights.

We at the KDF will work together as one community to overcome a democracy as a superficial facade and settle the democracy into our life.

Democracy has no end. We will do the best as if each move is a new beginning.

Thank you.