Lee Soo-sung served as the prime minister of the Republic of Korea from 1995 to 1997 and is a former president, dean and professor of law at Seoul National University. He has become a leader in improving South Korean relations with the communist North as well as a renowned expert on criminal policy.
Speaking to a rapt audience Wednesday, his words translated continuously into English, Lee reminded Koreans and Korean Americans of their obligation to their community. Referring to the concept of "moral power," he emphasized that the wealth of a nation is not contained in its territory, but rather in the selflessness of its people.
America, Lee said, has a significant presence in the Pacific Rim and on the Korean Peninsula in particular. Currently, there are approximately 37,000 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea to guard against North Korean aggression.
Lee also discussed the political history of his nation through the prism of South Korea's evolving relationship with its traditional friends and enemies. He stressed his desire to look to the future rather than the past.
Lee put the current burgeoning anti-American sentiment in his nation in context. While he expressed gratitude to U.S. troops for maintaining the democratic freedoms of South Korea in the wake of the Korean War, he also cited several American treaties with Japan in the early 1900s as problems.
He said these agreements allowed Tokyo free rein to dominate the Korean peninsula and subvert the rights of the Korean people.
Lee stressed the complexities of diplomatic relations on the Pacific Rim and the importance of unlikely alliances.
He acknowledged that reunification of the Korean Peninsula is not currently possible given the worldwide political climate, in which North Korea is seen as a "rogue state."
Lee, however, remained hopeful that hostilities could be avoided between the North and South and that an "equal partnership" in free trade could be developed.
Also central to his talk was an exploration of what it means to be Korean in a worldwide context. Koreans are by nature "compassionate" and "full of love" for their fellows, he said.
The talk was sponsored by the Penn Center for East Asian Studies.
