86 quotes found
"I agonize over the suffering that the North Korean people must be experiencing. Every time I'm having a meal and I leave some food, I think about how much this food could do for suffering North Korean children. I really do want to do more to help them, but again, with such negative public opinion in this country, it is very difficult to go ahead with assistance."
"I am confident in my dealings with the heads. I believe that I have won their trust because, I have asked them for nothing. Unlike past presidents, I did not force them to give me money or political funds. Not a single cent. And, I have not shown favoritism to any particular chaebol. They know that I am fair."
"I believe democracy is the foundation of a healthy economy. Without genuine democracy you cannot have a genuine market economy. And, under the market economy, one must fully open doors to allow free trade and investment."
"Many of the leaders of Asian society have been saying that military dictatorship was the way and democracy was not good for their nation. They concentrated only on economic development. I believe that the fundamental cause of the financial crisis, including here in Korea, is because of placing economic development ahead of democracy."
"If parents can tell their kids, `Look at Kim Dae Jung: Live upright, put your effort into a good cause and you will be successful,' then I think my life would be very meaningful"
"If we had true democracy in Korea, then the collusive intimacy between business and government and corruption would not have been as great here. And the wealth would not have been allocated to only a few people. Usually the dictatorship or authoritarian style of government lies to people."
"So when the U.N. made a resolution and asked us to send troops to East Timor, we took this as a responsibility that we must take, and also this was to repay them for their favors. As for the secretary-general's statement that when there is a conflict between human rights and the sovereign right, that sometimes the human rights can override the sovereign right, I think in principle that is right, because before we had nations, we had God-given human rights."
"For human rights issues, I think the intervention or support from the outside world is important. But also the effort and sacrifice, or willingness to make sacrifices within, among the people of a nation is important. The Korean democracy -- we had a few decades of sacrifices and tens of people lost their lives because of this concept and hundreds of people were imprisoned because of this concept and we finally gained it. And also the support from the democratic-minded peoples and democratic countries was very important. Of course the prime example of that nation is the United States."
"Eventually, North Korea will come out for dialogue. Even though we may hold dialogue at the end, if the provocations are prolonged, then the compensation that we have to give North Korea will become bigger."
"In an era of a global economy, we can't survive without foreign investment. We must change our attitude toward foreign investment. We should welcome it."
"In China and Korea, feudalism was brought down and replaced with counties and prefectures before the birth of Christ, and civil service exams to recruit government officials are a thousand years-old. The exercise of power by the king and high officials were monitored by robust systems of auditing. In sum, Asia was rich in the intellectual and institutional traditions that would provide fertile grounds for democracy. What Asia did not have was the organizations of representative democracy. The genius of the west was to create the organizations, a remarkable accomplishment that has greatly advanced the history of humankind."
"Dr Kim Dae-Jung, the one unmistakably great political leader with whom I have had the privilege to talk at length, to whom his country owes far more than it has yet begun to realize, by his singular courage."
"Once elected president in 1998, Kim chose reconciliation over revenge — even inviting his persecutors from the previous military governments to the Blue House, where he sought and welcomed their counsel during his presidency. Kim Dae Jung showed[,] that true leadership lies in compassion, not [in] coercion."
"Opportunities will be equal. The procedures will be fair. The result will be just."
"If tensions between the United States and China intensify, North Korea can take advantage of it and capitalize on it."
"I believe that we need to have North Korea understand that dialogue and diplomacy are the only way to achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula."
"One of the biggest problems with this THAAD deployment decision was that it lacked democratic procedure, and it has resulted in a wide division of the nation and aggravated foreign relations. If the South Korean government were to push this issue further, it would only make matters worse, and it would be more difficult to find a solution to this problem. I hope the U.S. government will fully consider these issues."
"The successful return to daily routines lies down a path never taken. We may encounter unexpected difficulties at any time. However, we will not make the same mistakes again. We will turn this brief pause into an opportune time to move forward."
"It is very fortunate that our economy has managed to catch two rabbits in two senses: growth and distribution as well as innovation and inclusion. It is a national achievement made by the Government, the people and businesses pulling together. My Administration will do all it can to further develop what has been achieved to date and make up for any shortcomings until the end of my term."
"Democracy did not stop at fighting authoritarianism. It enabled humanity to prosper with the power of freedom and creativity. Democracy is, even now, expanding in a manner that helps people live life to the fullest as humans."
"Korea is an exemplary testament to the value of democracy. Although having lived through colonial rule and a war, we have grown while complying with international free trade norms and become the first developing country to ascend to the ranks of advanced economies in tandem with progress in democracy. Every time authoritarianism suppressed the Korean people, they protected democracy and moved it forward through peaceful civil revolutions. Korea will build on this experience and contribute to global democracy."
"The most ardent dream of the global community is creating a life that is peaceful and secure. The birth of the UN has transformed the paradigm of international relations based on competition and conflict into the one of coexistence and shared prosperity. The UN has endeavored to replace the incomplete peace maintained by the balance of power with sustainable peace grounded in cooperation, thereby promoting freedom for entire humanity."
"Wherever they are around the world, Koreans are shining stars in their chosen fields. We have fostered hopes and built our strength to recover while trusting, relying on and longing to be with each other. I extend my profound respect and gratitude to our overseas Koreans, the delegation of Korean community leaders and those who rendered distinguished service to Koreans abroad for uniting as one and shining all the more brightly even amid the COVID-19 pandemic."
"If the truth is not revealed, we cannot say it is a just society."
"When you face difficulties and hardships, your homeland is always by your side. The Government will work more meticulously to make it possible for you to take pride in your homeland."
"Abuse of power has become the norm in Moon's South Korea, and Koreans are taking notice."
"When Moon Jae-in looks back on the history of the ROK he holds up only the anti-state riots and protests as high points."
"Korea’s perception on gender has not yet reached an advanced level."
"One of the things I envy while watching American television dramas is an office with a sense of openness. The offices of senior executives are made of glass and are transparent. Here (in South Korea), the higher the status, the more closed the space they have – even as far as a personal bedroom."
"Discipline and abuse are different, but there is a culture (in Korea) that identifies them and says they are a family issue."
"More state power should be used to intervene in child abuse cases as children are the most vulnerable members of our society and find it difficult to express themselves."
"For child abuse, there are various related institutions, such as organizations dedicated to child protection, the police and government offices. The thing is that they do not share information with each other."
"If the United States accepts North Korea as the de facto nuclear state through a small deal, acquiring nuclear weapons is the only viable path for us, some people argue. With a small deal, demand for deploying strategic nuclear weapons will increase."
"Nowhere do we see in the last year’s process the denuclearization of North Korea. We only see denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula on the North’s terms."
"The election should be about what the city needs now and also down the road. I promise to run my campaign strictly on the vision and plans that I have for the city."
"The people strongly demand an end to the authoritarian system. It has become a stark reality that an authoritarian system can no longer maintain national unity, achieve economic development and preserve national security."
"I place the organization ahead of individuals. I think two ordinary men are better than one genius. I always choose teamwork rather than individual efforts."
"The military was the last resort to contain social and political chaos. It would have been very dangerous if the military had faltered . . . . The troops were mobilized to save the nation. We did not intend to take power. It is not proper at all to link the incident with a coup."
"I did not desire to become a politician or a presidential candidate. I think it is my fate, shaped by the conditions of an era."
"One of the most moving experiences for me was to see realized the people’s desire to elect the president with their own hands and to see the release of politicians and others who were imprisoned because of their conviction."
"I emphasized that authoritarianism . . . should be removed and that we should renovate both the system and the way of thinking that then prevailed. In my inaugural speech, I asked political leaders and government officials not to turn me into a Don Quixote. I emphasized the need for a completely fresh way of thinking . . . . Although the authority of the president should be preserved, authoritarianism should be eliminated."
"As the nation transforms itself into a democracy, the public expects and demands more than ever that politicians and political parties work harder in the best interest of the country, the people and society. Our politicians, however, have given the impression that, on the contrary, they are engrossed in self-serving maneuvers to advance the interests of only their parties, factions or themselves, personally. The process of liquidating such negative political legacies of the old era has progressed more slowly than the people expected."
"I am aware of the recent discussions about creating a nuclear-free zone in the Korean peninsula. But, in my view, it is meaningless to talk about declaring a nuclear-free zone in Korea alone. For the Korean peninsula to be protected against a nuclear threat, the neighboring countries of China and the Soviet Union must be free of nuclear weapons. To exclude this factor and talk only about U.S. nuclear weapons in (South) Korea--and I am not aware of whether they exist here--is not logical. The three countries that possess nuclear weapons (in this region) should get together and discuss the reduction of nuclear weapons. That, I think, is more logical."
"North Korea’s recent decision to go along with South Korea in joining the United Nations separately means a change in North Korea’s policy toward the South remains to be seen. In these circumstances, I believe that South Korea and the United States must continue to maintain their solid cooperative relationship."
"I thank the Lord for choosing me to show this people with my presence the affection and closeness of the Holy Father. My presence has also built a bridge between the Church in Korea and the Church here: we have many Korean missionaries in Bangladesh."
"Relations between Catholicism and Buddhism are based on mutual respect."
"St. Andrew Kim, and others of our forefathers, practiced what they believed, even if they lived in a society dominated by a hierarchical social system, and did their best to live the Gospel ideals of human dignity and equality among peoples."
"I have never thought of advising the Holy Father. Instead, I have always found communion with the Pope very beautiful. For my part, instead of advising, I rather try to listen to the Holy Father in order to understand well what he expects from my service, starting with some fundamental questions: What priests does the Church need today? How do we choose them? How do we form them? I see in this regard a very clear answer, ever since, at the beginning of the Pontificate, the Pope gave us the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium."
"Pope Francis [...], invited us to face the struggle of searching within ourselves and, at the same time, not to forget God’s presence in our life. We can thus recognize a vocation when we place our deep desires in dialogue with the work that God’s grace does inside of us; thanks to this dialogue, the night of doubts and questions gradually lightens and the Lord allows us to understand which path to take."
"Seminaries should not be factories for priests who are already beautiful and ready."
"In the Church, we must remember this: it is better to be imperfect in communion than to be perfect in disunity."
"When others see our joy as Christians, they are contaminated."
"I still don’t know how to define or answer what is the meaning behind life and death. And I don’t think I will be able to define them in the future either. It’s difficult. What I can do, is to live my life, which is only given to me once, without regret until it runs its course. That’s I think the best I can do, at the present."
"I don’t really have a lot of desires, or that’s what I think of myself. But if I were to pick one, I would want for people to live peacefully. I don’t understand why some people harass or hurt others, or why they do these things because they envy others — we fight and wound each other and it might be a natural phenomenon that arises among weak humans, but I still hurt thinking about social issues such as Asian hate."
"I think I was pretty much constant, unvarying, for 20 years. So, I do want to give myself a pat on the back for focusing on one career without any dramatic slumps for the last 20 years. But [personally] I don’t want a son like me. I don’t think that highly of myself."
"In the perspective of the audience, the movies that make me think are the most precious. I want to naturally be projected onto the film or role. From there, applying my tendencies and emotions is what I believe is the most natural way for actors to tell a story."
"I am extremely grateful for all the attention and anticipation for my work, but I will admit that sometimes it does put pressure on me. Honestly speaking, I tend to be someone who follows my own heart and is drawn to and chooses productions that resonate with me."
"Even when I choose projects, if before, I looked only at my own character, I am now more interested in what the producers are trying to say through this project and what kind of statement they want to make."
"Usually, I'm attracted by screenplays that stir my curiosity. I try to ask myself why the writer wants to tell this story."
"I think an actor's filmography represents the direction and the course of the acting that an actor has pursued. I'm filling in my filmography to let people know who I am and how I see the world as an actor."
"As long as you have a television screen or a streamer, we are living in an era where we can connect and enjoy any content from any place around the world very easily."
"I tend to pick projects that give me a sense of freshness. So my filmography, especially after hitting my 30s, has become a lot more diverse."
"But if there’s something you gain, there’s also something you can lose. Therefore, I try not to showcase my personal life."
"When I become a character in a movie or drama … I can think about the character only and not the complicated matters of my own life. I feel ecstasy in those moments and it’s what keeps me going as an actor. It’s not about the money, it’s not about the honor."
"We all are a family under the Catholic faith."
"Cardinal Cheong always said that he wanted to be a little star in the night sky, and now he's become a big one. We too shall try to become a little star by loving our neighbour as ourselves."
"Considering the situation of North Korea, the conflict sedimented for half a century, we recognize that the path of rapprochement should be gradual. We cannot talk about "mission", but dialogue and reconciliation. Everything starts from considering the North Koreans our brothers, to love people, beyond the ideology and oppressive power they are subject to."
"In North Korea, after the persecutions of the past decades, there is the so-called "Silent Church": a community of people who have not let the flame of the Spirit extinguish, but who do not have the freedom of professing their belief in Christ. It is a Church that suffers, which must be encouraged and gradually awakened, not abandoned."
"The most fundamental principle of legislation is to defend human rights. If a law violates the most fundamental right, the right to life, it commits a serious error."
"In our day we have a desperate need of the spirit of the declaration Nostra Aetate issued 40 years ago. I hope all religions will always be ready to work together for the good of humanity through sincere dialogue, despite the different teachings of our faiths"
"In the training of priests, the study of Asian spirituality should play an important role. The people in charge of the seminaries should meet, study and explore the ways to achieve the best possible training. The priests, at least those from the same cultural area, should try to live in a climate of profound mutual understanding."
"Celebrating Easter, we must live a life of love and service of neighbour."
"Work for the evangelization of North Korea. This task is all the more important the closer we get to the border, and we are very close. This institution will be a new base for cultivating peace in East Asia and even the world."
"The Korean Catholic Church has always embodied the Christian virtues of "forgiveness" and "sharing", promoting these values in society while living peacefully with other religions. In the reality of living in a "divided nation", the Church has worked tirelessly over the past seven decades to resolve the conflicts inherent in this division and has striven for peace and unity for the Korean people."
"I think the interreligious situation in Korea is very unique in the world. We cannot witness often in other countries for leaders of different religions to make this kind of concrete effort for harmony and unity. It was a good opportunity for us to grow understanding and respect towards other religions. I hope we can build solidarity for the common good based on this mutual respect and cooperation and this harmony can continue with the common values of truth, love and justice."
"Even those supposedly trained for years in biblical "studies" are quite unable to bring the Bible as living word into people's lives. One might ask: what makes other Christian groups often so appealing to the grassroots people? Is it not their thirst for God's life-giving word? To help remedy this inadequacy, a serious formation in biblical apostolate ought to be integrated into the seminary and religious curriculum."
"Support for missionary activity, with prayer, sacrifice and material offerings is important because it helps sustain and nourish the whole Church."
"We can promote sincere reconciliation between Korea and Japan and become neighbors in heart."
"Remembering that numerous Christians have been martyred for this dignified mission we should reaffirm that it is the essential mission of every individual Christian to deliver the Good News to the people of our time who have not yet heard of Christ."
"I think the interreligious situation in Korea is very unique in the world. We cannot witness often in other countries for leaders of different religions to make this kind of concrete effort for harmony and unity."
"Christmas is a day of blessing on which the Divine love and His reign over the world have been revealed. We should share joy and practice love with the marginalized and the neglected. When we share what we have been given, our love will not be dried out but more enriched."
"It is not enough to have only sympathy for the poor and the neglected. We must help them find their place in life and restore their dignity. Contemplating the commandment to love, let us revive the justice of God on this earth."
"Global warming is a product of materialism. Excessive emission of carbon dioxide not only destroys the environment it leads to climate change. If we overlook this phenomenon the natural environment in which human beings live will be destroyed."
"The Church will continue to support the struggle for the official and definitive abolition of capital punishment in the country and defend life, from conception until its natural end. We will do it with public statements, but also with awareness and the education of children and young people, to increase the value and the culture of life in the country."
"The fight to protect life in Korea unites Catholics, Protestants and Buddhists. Although a minority in Korea the Catholic Church has great influence on public opinion: the country is divided."
"Grow understanding and respect towards other religions. I hope we can build solidarity for the common good based on this mutual respect and cooperation and this harmony can continue with the common values of truth, love and justice."