South Korea continues its impressive transition to genuine democracy this week with the inauguration of Mr. Roh Moo Hyun as the country's 16th president. Mr. Roh could be a pivotal figure in South Korean history, perhaps even more significant than the man who preceded him, Mr. Kim Dae Jung. If the new president follows through on his campaign pledges, he could transform his country, and position it to play a leading role in regional affairs. He faces formidable obstacles, however, and Mr. Roh will need both luck and skill to succeed.
Mr. Roh points to Abraham Lincoln, the 16th U.S. president, as his hero; one-third of the government pamphlet describing the new president is devoted to "his encounter with Lincoln." He credits Lincoln for his vision and his humanity, his willingness to transcend politics and his commitment to progress and bettering the lives of the people. The two men also share a simple background -- Mr. Roh had to get a scholarship to go to college -- and a poor record in politics. Lincoln lost more elections than he won; Mr. Roh has run in six elections since 1998, and lost four of them. His only government experience was a seven-month term as minister of maritime affairs and fisheries in 2000.
Some would say that record puts him on equal footing with his predecessor, Mr. Kim. While the former president lost several campaigns for president, he was also a veteran of national politics. Like Mr. Kim, Mr. Roh is a human rights activist, but he does not have Mr. Kim's network and contacts. That cuts two ways. On one hand, he will not have accumulated the personal debts that opened the Kim administration to charges of cronyism. That could help him overcome the regionalism that handicaps South Korean domestic politics. On the other hand, it means the new administration may not have even the limited experience accumulated by the Kim team, the first opposition government in South Korea's postwar history.