Foundation to establish award honoring late lawmaker Kim Geun-tae

By Yi Whan-woo

A non-profit organization aimed at honoring the late lawmaker Kim Geun-tae who fought against military dictatorship in the 1980s said Wednesday it will establish an award named after him.

The Kim Geun Tae Foundation for Hanbando Peace and Integration said it will take applications for the award until Dec. 3. The candidates must have contributed to building and consolidating democracy in Korea and can apply via the foundation’s website or Facebook account.

The award ceremony will take place at Sogang University on Dec. 29 to mark the fifth anniversary of his death. The winner also will receive 10 million won ($8,500) prize money.

“The purpose of this award is to constantly remember the life of Kim as a pro-democracy activist and encourage those who have dedicated themselves to growth of democracy,” the foundation said in a press release.

It said Kim consistently held on to protecting human rights although his life was full of ups and down.

As a civic activist, he was accused of leaking information to North Korea and underwent 22 days of torture during the rule of military strongman Chun Doo-hwan in 1985.

He later took the case to court where Lee Geun-an, who tortured him, was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment in 2000.

Kim, also a multiple-term lawmaker, served as minister of health and welfare as well as chairman of then-ruling Uri Party during the Roh Moo-hyun administration (2003 to 2008).

He died of cerebral venous thrombosis at age 64 in 2011, although many speculated that post-traumatic stress from the torture accelerated his death.

“He was an exemplary intellectual and politician who studied, fought hard and suggested ways to make our society a better place,” the foundation added.

In Jae-keun, Kim’s widow and also a legislator of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), said Kim would have gladly joined the people in their protest against scandal-plagued President Park Geun-hye if he were alive today.