From Death Row to President: The Legendary Story of Kim Dae-jung: The Legendary Story of Kim Dae-jung

Author: Zhou Hancheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-01-01
Features: Jin Daizhong's life has been full of twists and turns, yet he possesses a strong spiritual force and character. Just by reading his writings, you can feel this. He is not an ordinary politician but a thinker, a political leader with a strong sense of conscience and great wisdom. Small cleverness is aggressive, while great wisdom is calm and unassuming. Jin Daizhong has a serene, composed, and tranquil aura, having reached the realm of great wisdom. He proposed the concept of "political enlightenment," which reflects his mastery in politics. He embodies the perseverance of Confucianism, the detachment of Taoism, the benevolence of Buddhism, and the compassion of a Catholic. His style reflects the shadows of outstanding political figures from China's Spring and Autumn period (such as Guan Zhong and Yan Ying). This book takes the development of modern Korean politics as its backdrop, introducing Jin Daizhong's life journey and legendary experiences within this context. It also portrays the thrilling struggles between Jin Daizhong and figures like Park Chung-hee, Chun Doo-hwan, Roh Tae-woo, and Kim Young-sam, as well as his disagreements and competitions with Kim Young-sam. Jin Daizhong's life has been incredibly rich, but the scope of this book is limited. Moreover, due to time constraints, limited resources, and the author's own limitations, some parts of the book may be simplistic, rough, or superficial.
The life of the current President of South Korea, Jin Daizhong, is full of legends. From escaping Hoiyudo to studying in Mupo, after graduation, he entered the business world, then abandoned business for politics. Over more than 40 years in politics, he endured hardships and setbacks that most people could not bear, including imprisonment, exile, car accidents, assassination attempts, death sentences, near-execution, dismemberment, and being thrown into the sea. Yet he remained unyielding, undeterred by death, and persistent in his struggles. In the end, at the age of 73, he removed the crown of politics and rose from a death row inmate to become president, creating a miracle in the world of politics.
Against the backdrop of the development of modern Korean politics, this book portrays the alliances and rivalries among various political factions in Korea and the evolution of the country's political system. It describes the personalities and psychological states of political figures like Park Chung-hee, Chun Doo-hwan, Roh Tae-woo, and Kim Young-sam in their specific historical contexts and objectively evaluates their historical merits and faults. This book is both a biography of Jin Daizhong and a concise history of the development of modern Korean politics.