Ban Ki-moon visits Lincoln’s tomb

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stopped by the tomb of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th U.S. president, in Springfield, Illinois, on Thursday (local time). As the Southern Illinois University joined the U.N. Academic Impact, a sort of partnership between the U.N. and universities, it requested Mr. Ban a special speech, which he accepted.

The highest ranking official in the United Nations stressed the leadership of communication, integration and inclusion by strongly signaling his run for presidency in a press conference with Korean correspondents on Tuesday, saying, “I’ll sacrifice myself for the sake of the country.” Some political analysts say that his visit was to prepare for a bid for presidency in that Lincoln, who led the victory of the Civil War, has been perceived as a leader of integration and inclusion representing the United States.

After looking around Lincoln’s tomb and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, the outgoing U.N. leader said in a meeting with local politicians in Springfield, “Lincoln’s politics of the people, by the people and for the people will not only resonate with people around the world as well as Americans.”

Showing Lincoln’s biography written by former Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, the chief of the Lincoln Museum said, “He (Mr. Roh) is the only president wrote Lincoln’s biography.” In response, Mr. Ban said, “He selected me as a presidential aide for foreign affairs and guided me to become U.N. Secretary General.”

Hyong-gwon Pu bookum90@donga.com