Do not go gentle into that good night, old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light, though wise men at their end know dark is right, because their words had forked no lightning they, do not go gentle into that good night.
Ex-Seoul mayor publishes two books
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Oh Se-hoon
By Jhoo Dong-chan
By Jhoo Dong-chan
Former Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, 54, has published two books in diary format about his experiences in Rwanda and Peru.
After resigning as mayor in August 2011, Oh joined the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), working as a civic adviser in the Rwandan capital of Kigali and Lima, Peru’s capital, from December 2013. He stayed in each city for six months.
Oh came back to Korea in January.
“It was the best decision in my life,” Oh said in his book. “I was on a guilt trip for failing to fulfill my term as mayor. So I decided to travel around the world, taking time for introspection.”
Oh rented a house and lived with other KOICA staffers during his service to Kigali and Lima. He also commuted by public transport.
Oh said in his books that he was impressed by Peru’s rapid industrialization through the utilization of its plentiful underground resources, and Rwanda’s leadership to overcome interracial conflict.
In 1994, nearly 1 million people were killed during interracial conflicts between the Hutu majority and the Tutsi in Rwanda.
“I had been trapped in my own prejudice,” Oh said. “I had only focused on advanced countries. My experience in those two countries has changed my thoughts. I learned by teaching, and gained by sharing there.”
In his books, Oh also calls for Korea to contribute more actively to the international community.
“Korea needs to consider its role as a responsible member state of the international community. I hope that my experience in those two countries will suggest a guideline of what we can do for other people in need.”
Born in Seoul in 1961, Oh graduated from Korea University’s School of Law and became a lawyer after passing the bar exam in 1984.
Oh entered politics in 2000 when he was elected as a lawmaker.
In 2006, Oh was elected mayor of Seoul, succeeding Lee Myung-bak.
He was elected for a second four-year term in 2010, but resigned amid a controversy over Seoul’s free school lunch program.