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Article: Think what would happen if all powerful people owned up. (Chun Doo Hwan of Korea apologizes for political misdeeds; Asia)
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- November 26, 1988
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1988 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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FROM OUR EAST ASIA CORRESPONDENT THIS was the scarcely believable moment. Mr Chun Doo Hwan, whose word not long ago had been law in South Korea, was apologising for the misdeeds carried out during the eight years of his rule. The streets of Seoul were almost empty as Koreans watched their former president go through a ritual of self-abasement on television. Even the stockmarket did little business during the broadcast.
This is what, in part, Mr Chun said on November 23rd:
I stand before you filled with all indescribably
miserable emotion. Over the past nine months
I have lived with profound self-reflection and
sincere ...