Kim Dae-jung and Aung San Suu Kyi’s first letter to be released regarding’Myanmar democratization’

Input 2021.03.10 13:31

For the first time, two letters exchanged in the 1990s by former President Kim Dae-jung and national advisor Aung San Suu Kyi on the democratization of Myanmar were released.

On the 10th, the Yonsei University Kim Daejung Library reported on December 13, 1994, a letter sent by former President Kim to Suu Kyi as co-chair of the Asia Pacific Democratic Leaders’ Association (FDL-AP) and a reply from Suu Kyi to former President Kim on January 18 of the following year. Revealed.

At that time, former President Kim sent a letter to Suu Kyi asking him to accept FDL-AP’s honorary adviser. Former President Kim made the FDL-AP a permanent organization in 1994, and then promoted support for democracy in Myanmar as a major activity goal.

At the time, adviser Suu Kyi, who was under house arrest at the time, accepted Kim’s proposal and wrote in a reply, “I am sincerely grateful for showing interest in the issue of democratization in Myanmar.” He said, “I think that democratization is difficult because Myanmar has been isolated for a long time and has many complex problems.”

“How can (Myanmar) achieve democratization? What is the reason that the totalitarian regime is bound to fail?” He said, “If discussions on such topics at the forum will be of great help to the Myanmar democratization movement.” I wrote it down.

The Kim Dae-jung Library also released a video of former President Kim’s support for the democratization of Myanmar in his keynote speech at the’Asia Pacific Democratic Leaders’ Conference held on December 1, 1994.

Kim Dae-jung Library said, “As Korea experienced the Gwangju Uprising and had a historical legacy of Kim Dae-jung, it can be confirmed from the historical that it needs active interest and role in the recent Myanmar situation.”