Moon touts his achievements, says regrets too few to mention

Home > National > Politics

print dictionary print

Moon touts his achievements, says regrets too few to mention

Outgoing President Moon Jae-in, center left, and first lady Kim Jung-sook, are seen off by staffers and ordinary people gathered in the streets in front of the Blue House compound in central Seoul Monday. [YONHAP]

Outgoing President Moon Jae-in, center left, and first lady Kim Jung-sook, are seen off by staffers and ordinary people gathered in the streets in front of the Blue House compound in central Seoul Monday. [YONHAP]

Outgoing President Moon Jae-in tried writing the first draft of his own legacy by describing how he led the country through five tumultuous years, including a nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula and a global pandemic.  
 
In a farewell address from the Blue House carried live on television Monday morning, Moon said, "Peace is a condition of survival for us, a condition of prosperity. I sincerely hope that efforts will continue for the resumption of inter-Korean dialogue and for denuclearization and the institutionalization of peace."
 
He said that at the beginning of his administration, he transformed a "war crisis on the Korean Peninsula" into a "phase of dialogue and diplomacy, raising hopes for a new era of peace and prosperity.
 
"The past five years have been a period of overcoming a series of national crises in the midst of a turbulent world history," said Moon. "Korea has grown stronger in the midst of crises and has made a greater leap forward."
 
Moon took office in May 2017 after the impeachment and ouster of former President Park Geun-hye, whose corruption and abuse of power prompted nationwide candlelight vigils in 2016 and eventually landed her in jail. Moon granted a special pardon to Park at the end of last year.  
 
At the beginning of Moon's term, the Korean Peninsula faced a period of acutely heightened tensions due to the "fire and fury" rhetoric between former U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Following the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in February 2018, Moon held three meetings with North Korean leader Kim that year. They resulted in the April 27 Panmunjom Declaration and the September 19 Pyongyang Declaration, which called for an improvement in inter-Korean relations and reduced military tensions.  
 
However, inter-Korean relations have been at an impasse since the collapse of the second U.S.-North Korea summit in Hanoi in February 2019, and Pyongyang has intensified tensions on the peninsula in recent weeks. In March, it broke its self-imposed moratorium on intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) kept since late 2017. 
 
Nonetheless, Moon and Kim exchanged cordial farewell letters last month.  
 
Outgoing President Moon Jae-in delivers a farewell speech from the Blue House in Seoul Monday morning. [NEW1]

Outgoing President Moon Jae-in delivers a farewell speech from the Blue House in Seoul Monday morning. [NEW1]

Moon said his government managed the Covid-19 pandemic and economic recovery after the first case broke out in Korea in January 2020.  
 
Moon noted Japan's export restrictions on Korea since the summer of 2019 were an opportunity for Korean manufacturers to become more self-reliant and strengthen their competitiveness.  
 
He highlighted Korea's ambitions for carbon neutrality and his own Green New Deal environmental policies.  
 
"I am somber over how much our government has responded to the aspirations of the candlelight vigils that demanded a nation that is like a proper nation," he said. "However, even if our government failed to achieve everything, the people's aspiration for a proper nation will never stop." 
 
His remarks reflected regret that he didn't achieve all he wished to.
 
The Moon administration faced criticism for policies that fanned real estate prices and various scandals linked to his aides, such as former Justice Minister Cho Kuk. Moon last week signed into law controversial bills stripping the state prosecution agency of its investigating power.  
 
Moon also decided not to pardon any other political or business figures at the end of the term, including former conservative President Lee Myung-bak.  
 
Pointing to the political divide in the country, Moon stressed that Korea will find true success "when it moves forward on the road to national unity by filling the gaps in conflicts that have deepened in the election process."
 
Moon added, "It is more important than anything else to unite the hearts of the people."
 
"Korea is recognized and admired by the world as a nation of great people," said Moon. "I hope that we all take pride in our heightened national dignity. I am very proud to accompany our great people in the successful history of the Republic of Korea. It was a real honor to be able to work with you." 
 
He went onto express "infinite gratitude" to the people who have supported him with "undeserved love and support."
 
"I put down a heavy burden as president," Moon said. "I will now return to life as an ordinary citizen, pray for the happiness of all people and support the successful history of the Republic of Korea."
 
Moon kept a busy schedule on his last day in office.  
 
Earlier in the morning, Moon and first lady Kim Jung-sook visited Seoul National Cemetery in the Dongjak District, southern Seoul, and also paid respects at Hyochang Park in Yongsan District, where independent activists are buried.  
 
In the afternoon, Moon met with Singapore's President Halimah Yacob and Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan, who are visiting Seoul to attend the inauguration ceremony of incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol Tuesday.  
 
Moon left the Blue House compound at 6 p.m., ahead of the start of Yoon's presidency at midnight. He was greeted by hundreds of people on the streets waiting to see off the departing president, the last to work and reside in the Blue House.
 
Moon asked the people to help him “become a successful former president.”
 
He added, "Today is the end of the presidential era of the Blue House,” and extended his thanks to the local residents.
 
Blue House officials said Monday there will be no security vacuum, with National Security Office officials on duty until the handover to the Yoon administration.  
 
Moon and Kim will stay at an undisclosed location in Seoul overnight and attend Yoon's inauguration ceremony Tuesday.  
 
The couple will head to their retirement residence in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang on a KTX bullet train at noon.  
 
Some 5,000 people are expected to gather to welcome outgoing President Moon Jae-in to his newly constructed retirement residence in Pyeongsan Village in Yangsan, Tuesday, around 3 p.m.
 
A conservative group is also expected to hold a smaller rally of some 150 people against Moon's return to his hometown of Yangsan.  
 
Police expect the crowds will include supporters of Moon from civic groups. These supporters will arrive in 40 to 50 chartered buses from across the country.  
 
South Gyeongsang police plans to bolster security in the area and take traffic control measures preparing for the return of Moon as an ordinary citizen.  
 
The village is located near the scenic Mount Yeongchuk, often referred to as the Alps of Yeongnam. The Tongdosa Temple, a temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and a Unesco World Heritage site, is located just 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the residence. The grave of Moon's mother, Kang Han-ok, is 13 kilometers away.
 
It is also 50 minutes by car from Bongha Village in Gimhae, where Moon's friend and political mentor, former President Roh Moo-hyun, is buried. Moon served as Roh's senior secretary for civil affairs and chief of staff.,
 
Moon said in 2020 press conference that he wants to live as a "forgotten person" after retirement.
 
Locals gaze at outgoing President Moon Jae-in’s new retirement residence in Pyeongsan Village in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang, Monday, one day before his return to his hometown as an ordinary citizen. [NEWS1]

Locals gaze at outgoing President Moon Jae-in’s new retirement residence in Pyeongsan Village in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang, Monday, one day before his return to his hometown as an ordinary citizen. [NEWS1]


BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]
Log in to Twitter or Facebook account to connect
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
help-image Social comment?
s
lock icon

To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.

Standards Board Policy (0/250자)