Retrospective: Kim Geun Tae, Godfather of Democracy in Korea
GWANGJU, South Korea -- For most of us it is easy to take for granted the freedoms we enjoy each day. South Korea, while not perfect, counts itself as being one of the freest nations in the world.
When a figure, such as political activist Kim Geun-tae passes on, with such an admirable legacy in his wake, it offers us a chance to consider these freedoms we take for granted and those brave souls who fought to secure them.
While most Koreans recognize Kim's face or even his name, interestingly, when shown a photo or asked for more information about him, most can’t quite place who he was or what he did. We’re all guilty of it, and that’s mostly due to the fact that history books and mainstream media are not written by those who sacrificed the most for our freedom. Rather, they are most often written by those who currently hold power.
