Address by President Lee Myung-bak on the 89th March First Independence Movement Day
Fellow Koreans, seven million compatriots living overseas, honored patriots who dedicated themselves to the nation''s independence, and distinguished guests from home and abroad.
Today, we are filled with special emotion as we mark the 89th anniversary of the March First Independence Movement.
As the new President of the Republic of Korea, I have ruminated deeply on our history of relentless challenges and how we have overcome such hardships. I am once again resolutely determined that I will devote everything I have to meeting the challenges of these times which have been entrusted to me.
More than anything, I pay my wholehearted tribute to our martyred patriotic forefathers who gave their lives for the independence of the country. My deepest respect also goes to our patriots who fought for the nation''s independence and their bereaved families.
Eighty-nine years ago today, the Korean people made a great achievement. Our ancestors fervently rose up as one people to regain the land that had been taken away from them.
It did not matter whether they were men or women, young or old. Social status or class was not important. The people stood united as one irrespective of differences in wealth, religion, ideology and region of origin.
The call for independence that reverberated in unison on March 1 led to the establishment of the Provisional Government of Korea in Shanghai, China. The bastion of the anti-Japanese movement at that time transcended ideological differences between left and right. Our ancestors eloquently showed the world that they were still alive and well. In the end, we achieved the independence of our homeland.
Over the last 60 years since the founding of the country, we have written new chapters of success in history that the world calls a miracle. Korea, which was mired in poverty and the ashes of war, now stands tall among the 10 largest economies in the world. During the same period, the country has also accomplished democratization. The strength of this Republic of Korea is now reaching out to the world beyond Asia.
We have forged this proud history all together with blood, sweat, tears, and painstaking efforts. There is no other country in the world that has attained this remarkable achievement in such a short period of time.
I feel the strength and limitless perseverance of our people. I offer my profound tribute and praise to the Korean people who have created this great history of success.
My fellow citizens,
Notwithstanding, we cannot afford to be complacent and sit on our laurels. There''s a long way for us to go to build a nation envisioned by our forebears-a prosperous and mighty country standing shoulder to shoulder with other advanced countries. Our goal is to create an advanced nation. It will be an advanced top-rank country making contributions to the coprosperity of all peoples.
When we are mired in an outdated ideological thinking, we cannot take a single step forward. When we are divided by confrontation and conflict, the nation''s journey toward advancement is doomed to fail. Innovative ways of thinking and courses that have not yet been taken are urgently needed. The spirit of pragmatism constitutes the sole answer to surmounting outmoded ideological divisions.
A culture of mutual understanding and caring for others should take firm root in our society. We must carry on legacies and embrace each other rather than opting for disconnection and exclusion. Freeing ourselves from the adherence to the dark aspects of the past, we have to embrace our shining heritage, and further develop it. Given the countless tasks awaiting us, we cannot afford to have our eyes fixed only on the past. We cannot be at a standstill, fettered by bygone days, can we?
The paradigm of this era has already changed. The age of ideology is now a thing of the past. Also gone is the era where struggles and intransigence were touted as virtues.
Now is the time for pragmatism to serve as a yardstick in all sectors, including politics, economy, diplomacy and security as well as labor-management relations. We have to get rid of half-hearted attitudes, inefficiency and unproductiveness. National strategies should be formulated based on newfound ways of thinking and insights, and we have to put those strategies into practice.
With regard to Korea-Japan relations, it is incumbent on both sides to make efforts to foster a forward-looking approach on both sides in line with the principles of pragmatism. The two countries must refrain from averting their eyes from historical truths. And yet, we should not forsake our pursuit of better relations in the future by being enslaved by the shackles of the past.
Fellow citizens,
What we do now will affect where we are in next 60 years. Today''s world is characterized by creativity and changes. If we fail to adapt to it properly, we will end up being a dropout in the competition in the world community.
Beyond industrialization and democratization, we are now faced with new challenges. The new Administration will adopt the March First spirit as the guiding principle in constructing an advanced country.
Our ancestors overcame differences and joined forces in order to achieve their common objectives. In the same manner, we will walk together steadily on the path of national unity so that we will accomplish the common task of the historical call to construct an advanced country.
We will not pursue myopic nationalism. Our nationalism will be open, the kind that seeks to be engaged in the society of nations, lives with the international community and breathes with the world.
South-North issues cannot be resolved through exclusive nationalism. The issues involve international as well as inter-Korean dimensions.
We have to chart the course of the Korean peoples in the world, and then we will have to search for solutions from the broader standpoint. This is the way we will realize the spirit of the March First Movement, that is, the spirit of national self-reliance and self-respect.
Fellow Koreans,
We have now embarked on a new march forward. When we revitalize the March First spirit today, I firmly believe that we will be able to materialize our dreams of establishing an advanced country without fail.
Through our efforts over the years, we have evolved into a "giving country" from a "receiving country." Now, let us devote ourselves to changing from a nation that follows global trends to a nation that changes and leads events in world history.
Let us become one as a nation, and let us create a new legacy of success for the Republic of Korea.
Thank you.
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