President Kim receives Rafto Award

President Kim Dae-Jung was honored with the awarding of the Rafto Human Rights Award on Nov. 5 (local time) at a ceremony held in the city of Bergen, Norway. The award was presented to President Kim's son Kim Heung-Up, who attended the ceremony in his father's name.

"I have walked down in the last 40 years the road of hardship and pilgrimage for freedom, democratization and human rights," President Kim said in his formal acceptance speech through a live telecast. "I was able to remain steadfast and reach where I am now as the Korean people stood by me and through the encouragement and the support of the democratic people around the world in Korea's fight for democratization.

"I am currently striving with all my efforts to put an end to the fear of war in the Korean peninsula, the last area of the Cold War. I would like to ask for continued support and encouragement of the international community as the newly found peace in the Korean peninsula could find deeper roots."

The Rafto Award was established to honor the late Professor Thorolf, who was an anti-authoritarian human rights fighter and awarded to President Kim as its 14th recipient for his work for the promotion of democracy and human rights as well as the promotion of peace in the Korean peninsula. The awarding ceremony was followed by a candlelight march through the city and a dinner.