Roh Moo-hyun calls on country to deal with its past

In an emotional speech to the nation on Liberation Day, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun told Koreans they must be prepared to examine some of the most contentious issues of the country's modern history, including the role of its leaders during the Japanese colonial occupation and their subsequent efforts to stifle the growth of democracy.

Marking the 59th anniversary of Korea's independence from Japan's rule, the address was given at Independence Hall in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province. Mr. Roh called on the National Assembly to establish a committee to establish the truth of how Korea's political life evolved over the last 50 years.

"The anti-national activities of the pro-imperial Japan individuals alone are not the only target," Mr. Roh said. "The encroachment on human rights and the illegal acts perpetrated by past administrations should also be targeted."

Mr. Roh said various investigations have been launched on the matters, but alleged cover-ups and lack of cooperation of government agencies have hindered the efforts. "This time, however, no such controversy should be allowed," Mr. Roh said. "If there are things to be confessed, the related agencies ought to come forth courageously to clarify it, and then a fresh start should be made."

Criticizing the dictatorial regimes of Korea's past for deepening distrust and conflict among Koreans, Mr. Roh said "We have to rectify unfair, discriminatory practices and pay more attention to socially vulnerable persons and minority social groups."

In reaction to Mr. Roh's call for an Assembly committee to delve into the sensitive historical issues, the leader of the opposition Grand National Party, Park Geun-hee, said, "It is regretful to listen to a Liberation Day address that was attempting to set the people one against another."

Ms. Park's father, former President and dictator Park Chung Hee, would without doubt be a principal focus of the historical analysis by the projected committee.

At the end of the hour-long speech, Mr. Roh briefly stressed the necessity of moving the nation's administrative capital out of Seoul in order to better balance the development of the country. He also urged North Korea (DPRK) to give up its nuclear ambitions at an early date.

The president asked South Koreans to have confidence in the country's military, dismissing doubts that the country could not adequately defend itself and about the strength of the country's alliance with the United States. He warned against "blind opposition to the United States."

Source: Agencies