Good morning, fellow Koreans,

Yesterday, we bid an eternal farewell to a great political leader in modern Korean history. All Koreans joined in mourning the passing of President Kim Dae-jung. May he rest in peace.

This year, some of our great leaders who left behind indelible footprints on our society passed away. Their lives and deaths remind us of many significant things that should be reckoned with. They make us think again about the paths we have taken thus far and the journey of life we will travel from this day onward.

This past spring, Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan passed away after having practiced the spirit of sharing and loving his entire life. Even as he left us, he helped unite our society. Having waited in the endless line of mourners, countless citizens shared the spirit of caring and loving with one another. During the funeral, the presence of the Cardinal grew even bigger in our hearts and minds.

When President Kim Dae-jung lay ill in bed and even after he passed away, he offered an opportunity for reconciliation. President Kim Young Sam visited him to mend an estranged relationship. President Chun Doo Hwan visited him even though there had been an unbridgeable gap between them in the past. All these must have given a great deal of comfort to many people.

It is now our turn and responsibility to learn a lesson from the lives and deaths of those who have passed away. It is my intuition that the final curtain has come down on the past era and that a new chapter in our history is beginning to open. From this historic scene, I want to reaffirm that harmony and unity are what constitutes the spirit of the times for us all.

Now is the time to put an end to the era of conflict.
We must open an era of unity.
We must break away from the era of hatred.
We must open an era of love.

After going through the democratization period, we now need to forge ahead towards a new era of democracy. Under this new democracy, we need to turn to tolerance and compromise rather than conflict. The goal that we have to aim for is a mature democracy under which all people duly respect one another and the values of open dialogue and proper procedures.

Many participants in an international symposium hosted by the Korea Political Science Association last week pointed out that politicians in Korea need to put an end to extreme showdowns and outdated ideological confrontations. In addition, a majority of the participants reportedly thought that ideological conflicts among the people had already begun to abate, which in turn helps social cohesion. However, they also pointed out that the political circle alone has been lagging behind such new progress. I believe their diagnoses are well founded.

In my address on the 64th anniversary of Korean Independence, I declared that the top priority in steering state affairs down the road should be placed on achieving social cohesion. I once again pledge that I will make utmost endeavors to realize that goal.

To this end, I will take the initiative as President in closing the political and economic divides. In addition, I will make sure that the argument for political reform, a prerequisite for unity, will not turn out to be a hollow mantra.

If we avert our eyes from political reform curbed by trivial selfishness even though we recognize that it is the right course to follow, it would be tantamount to committing a sin against history and the people. I am determined not to spare any effort to eradicate chronic problems and to settle the controversies about whether the measures would end up favoring one political party or another. In this regard, I once again urge the members of both ruling and opposition parties to take the issue at hand seriously and put their heads together for a common cause.

My fellow citizens,

Being divided amongst ourselves makes us smaller, while coming together makes us greater. Currently, the nation is faced with an unprecedented crisis as well as an opportunity. This opportunity is crucial. On this occasion, we all have to be united as one regardless of the region we are from, our social class and the ideology we espouse. When we do so, we will be one step closer to emerging as an advanced country.

If we are to achieve national unity, individual citizens have to have to be more tolerant towards others. The nation has demonstrated such a possibility this time.

Everyone is entitled to his or her own views. Everyone can accomplish personal feats and everyone makes mistakes at times. Historians make harsh evaluations of such achievements and mistakes, but I feel there is a need for our society to give full recognition to individual accomplishments. In this context, I believe that the achievements of former presidents should be treated as such and remembered as part of our proud history. In fact, I now realize that all Koreans think the same way.

It is only natural to respect former presidents and hold them in a high regard as they once led the Republic to a record of miracles. By doing so, we are enhancing the prestige of Korea as well as our own self-esteem.

This is also the way to continue to make our history more positive and triumphant.

Finally, I am truly grateful to all the people who prepared the state funeral for President Kim Dae-jung with such devotion. Once more, I offer my heartfelt condolences to former First Lady Lee Hee-ho and all the bereaved family members.

Thank you very much.