Value context and insight. lkm@koreatimes.co.kr
Sandel becomes honorary Seoul citizen
By Lee Kyung-min
Michael Sandel Harvard professor
By Lee Kyung-min
Michael Sandel, a Harvard University professor famous for his worldwide bestselling book “Justice” has received an honorary Seoul citizenship, the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) said Friday.
After a one-on-one meeting with Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon at City Hall Friday, Mayor Park awarded him with an honorary citizenship, the SMG said.
Earlier, he gave a lecture to city officials under the theme of “the increasing income disparity between the haves and the have-nots.”
Citing examples of Mayor Park’s campaign pledge of “tuition cut by half,” and chaebol, or major conglomerates in Korea, expanding businesses and forcing out small to medium-sized companies, he shared concerns about society losing the sense of community.
Sandel praised Mayor Park’s policy of protecting traditional markets and his efforts to look out for the underprivileged.
This is his sixth visit to Korea, and Sandel came here at the invitation of Soongsil University. He gave a lecture Thursday there.
Before meeting with Mayor Park, he visited the National Assembly at Yeouido to meet with the ruling and opposition lawmakers, including Saenuri Party Chairman Kim Moo-sung.
Under the theme “What is justice?,” he lectured on topics such as same-sex marriage, the global financial crisis and surrogacy.
His book “Justice” was published in 2010 and sold 1.24 million copies here, becoming a best seller in July 2010, while only 100,000 copies were sold in the U.S.