In 1980, I was sentenced to death by the military regime.
“In 1980, I was sentenced to death by the military regime. For six months in prison, I awaited the execution day. Often, I shuddered with fear of death. But I would find calm in the fact of history that justice ultimately prevails. I was then, and am still, an avid reader of history. And I knew that in all ages, in all places, he who lives a righteous life dedicated to his people and humanity may not be victorious, may meet a gruesome end in his lifetime, but will be triumphant and honored in history; he who wins by injustice may dominate the present day, but history will always judge him to be a shameful loser. There can be no exception.” In his Nobel Prize lecture, Kim Dae-jung shared the story of how he bravely struggled against authoritarian regimes in South Korea. For this he was imprisoned several times. After being sentenced to death Kim Dae-jung was sent to Chungju prison. His wife Lee Hee-ho knitted clothes to give more warmth than the prison uniform. In pris...