the former President Roh Moohyun's apology

The President Lee Myung-Bak hasn't apologized for 6 deaths from the Yong-San incident which happened back in January 2009, and the following apology by the former President Roh Moo-hyun for the death of 2 farmers from a demonstration in 2005 shows clear contrast between two of them. --nurungji

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On December 27, 2005, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun publicly apologized for the deaths of two protesters who suffered fatal injuries during a clash with riot police a month before in Seoul.

The two men were in a group of rice farmers demonstrating against plans to open South Korea's rice market to international competition. They died several weeks after the mid-November clash in Seoul (one in a series of protests denouncing the policies of the World Trade Organization, which met earlier this month in Hong Kong).

Dear respected citizens,

There was a decision made by the National Human Rights Commission that the death of Yongchul Jun and Dukpyo Hong is caused excessive repression by the police. And the police expressed its acceptance of the decision.

It is a deeply regretful matter. I bow my head and sincerely apologize. I pray for the souls of Mr. Jun and Mr. Hong, and I send my apology and condolences to the families.

Following the advice given by the National Human Rights Commission, we will reprimand the people responsible, and will make appropriate compensation for the victims' families through proper procedures. And I will discipline the police and make sure that such thing never happens again.

I acknowledge that there might be concerns, especially among those of you who sent a son to serve in a special police force, regarding the safety and morale of the police who perform its duties and who faces violence by protesters regularly.

The public power is performed by human beings and it is possible for the executors to lose rationality when they get emotional or confused. So, there may be some extent of criticism for asking only the police to be responsible, even when the violence is caused by the protesters who used heavy tools.

However, the public power is a unique power. As it can be enormously dangerous to people if overused or abused, public power must be controlled and exercised only in a calm and collected manner and therefore holds a heavier responsibility.

I would like to clarify this both to citizens and civil servants.

Also, this tragedy wouldn't have happened if there was no violent demonstration to begin with. For this, the government and the society will have to work on it together. The government will prepare measures to prevent similar cases.

Citizens, I deeply apologize again and assure you that such thing will never happen again. Thank you.

President Roh, Moohyun

Translated from http://www.seoprise.com/board/view.php?table=seoprise_12&uid=78131