Death of a President

I have been thinking about what I would write in this blog since that fateful Saturday morning I first learned of former South Korean President Noh's tragic death. Don't get me wrong, anytime a former President of a country dies it is news, but this death is special in a number of ways.

First, let me create some perspective. I have been living, as a foreigner commuting from the US, in South Korea since 2001. As a result, I have witnessed first hand a number of very positive changes in Korea. I will not recount them here, but suffice it to say that Korea has gained prominence on the worldwide stage during the intervening years. To the outside world, the Republic of Korea is seen as a republic with a democratically elected government. Korea is a prosperous and affluent country as well. GDP is now approaching US$20,000. One look around the Kangnam area tells you that there are many people in Korea with money. In many ways, the financial district of Seoul does not look that different than Wall Street. The headquarters of many Korean as well as international companies line Teheran Street, one of the main streets through the Samsung-dong and Jamsil area.

So why does the death of a President -- an apparent suicide no less -- capture my attention in this way? It is simple. Korea is a land of counter-currents as well. A land of contradicitons -- of sorts.

Korea's culture and societal norms stem from its Confucianism past. I don't pretend to be an expert on this topic, but I will tell you my thinking. In Korea, relationships are governed by age, position, and power. As an example, younger people readily give way to older people, physically and mentally. The language used when talking to an older person is more honorific than than used when talking to a peer or younger person. Younger people yield to their seniors on buses, trains, etc. I have even seen a pregnant young woman give up her seat for an older gentleman. This is normal in this society. It also means that younger people bend to the political will of the older generation as well. However, with the election of President Noh, the younger generation showed its strength, and to some degree its rebellious nature. President Noh was seen as the President for the next generation. In fact, in his earlier years, as a civil rights lawyer he had defended rebellious students of the 1980's. In short, he was arguably Korea's first "people's president".

So, what was the meaning of his suicide? Why was this event special?

First, President Noh's suicide marked the end of the "People's President" and to a large degree was a setback for those whose cause he championed. The outpouring of sympathy and grief was overwhelming. Second, many say it was another poignant reminder of the power that any sitting president has. Many say that the pressure the prosecution brought against President Noh was done at the behest of President Lee's team -- in fact many on the left go as far to say that it was the invisible hand of the prosecution's power that pushed Noh off of that mountain on that fateful morning. Third, it again draws a strong distinction between the political thinking of the younger generations (40's and younger) and the older generation (50's and older).

On the other hand, the conservatives say that President Noh's apparent suicide points to the fact that he was guilty of the crimes that the prosecution was pursuing.

So what do I think? I think it is a tragedy anytime a strong person bullies a weaker one -- anytime a person in power takes advantage of that power to inflict on his or her enemies retribution.

It is my fervent hope that President Noh's death was not in vain -- that others take up his cause and push it forward with as much gusto as President Noh did. It is my hope that Korea someday is seen not only as a strong economy globally, but is also seen as a tolerant society where power does not corrupt, but power is used to help even the helpless. It is my hope that President Noh's son and daughter, his wife, and all of his extended family find comfort in knowing that President Noh was an honorable man and was the spark that lit the fire of true democracy in Korea.