Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said on the 14th, "Just as President Kim Dae-jung overcame the foreign exchange crisis and solidified democracy through politics of integration that spans both conservatism and progressivism, President Lee Jae-myung will also save the country through pragmatism beyond ideology and fulfill the vision of a country where 'the people are the masters.'"

On this day, Prime Minister Kim noted at the '1st Kim Dae-jung Award Ceremony' held at COEX in Samseong-dong, Seoul, "When our country faced a crisis during last winter's illegal martial law and insurrection, I recalled President Kim Dae-jung."

The Kim Dae-jung Foundation established the Kim Dae-jung Award in collaboration with the International Political Science Association to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of former President Kim Dae-jung. The award will be given to international scholars who contribute to the spread of the values of democracy, human rights, and peace. This year marks the first edition, and the awardees will be announced every two years at the World Congress of the International Political Science Association. The first awardee this year is Professor Paul Varki of McGill University, Canada.

Prime Minister Kim expressed "heartfelt congratulations and respect" to Professor Varki, mentioning that the professor evaluated the 'Light Revolution' that occurred domestically after the emergency martial law as "a groundbreaking event that gives great hope to the global democratic camp."

Prime Minister Kim stated, "The Korean people who built a developed country that achieved both industrialization and democratization from colonialism are great," adding, "Democracy in Korea will advance once again."

He continued, "Now, democracy is being challenged around the world," and expressed his hopes that President Kim Dae-jung's belief that "democracy is an absolute value that embodies human dignity and the only path to achieve economic development and social justice" will serve as a valuable compass in protecting and nurturing democracy.

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