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Quotations
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| According to my experience of seventy-one years of life, I believe that the value formed during youth years would be a decisive factor for success or failure and it can be applicable to both an individual and a state.
You may know from history and newspapers that if the youth of a nation lose their energy playing as a major role but wanders around, the nation will be going to fall. Even in my youth, I strove to have the drive that only a young man can have, and although I can’t estimate it to what extent I fought, but only in the independence movement from the time in Shanghai to until now have I have been trying to meet with young people and have befriended them. As you know, Patriot Lee Bongchang and Patriot Yoon Bonggil were also young men. Mr. Yoon Bonggil visited me whenever he had time, and one day he pleaded with tears saying, "Sir, I have given my body for the country, so please let me die gloriously for the country." I was so moved by him. Another day, a young man who often visited me came to me and offered me his pistol and cried, saying, "I have been ordered by the Japanese consulate to kill Kim Gu because he is a villain since then I have tried to make a chance to do so until now, but after talking to with you a couple of times and listening to what you were saying, I would rather die than kill you with my own hands, so now that I’m giving you my pistol and heading to Nanyang, please take this and kill the Japs.” I am a man with nothing, no educational degree, but I have always cherished and loved the youth. I understand that you are representatives of the youth. I hope that every one of you will each become a founding hero by using me as a tool, with the thought that oh! Kim Gu, the old man, have been fighting for us, the youth as a foundation and a guide. I will help you until the end of my life, and I will devote the rest of my life to building the country with you as my confidants. In the future, if you, the young men and women, let me know directly or indirectly, in person or by letter, what you think of my work, I will take it into consideration and fight based on your opinions , so please help me. |
