Unhealed Democracy Wound
It seemed a little difficult to pick up meanings of words and without proper communication skills Kyung Hyun just smiled. When asked how it feels to achieve an honorary degree at last, Kyung Hyun only said a word slowly, saying she is happy. Lee Kyung Hyun (41) remains in Busan people's heart as a distinguished 'Unhealed democracy wound'.
Finally, Lee will hold an honorary graduation diploma from the Busan National University of Education (BNUE) in her arms in the afternoon of February 21. She entered the university in 1986 and it is 21 years since Lee became a student. Compared to her classmates, Lee is seventeen years late.
Kyung Hyun has been fighting paralysis and mental disorders for eighteen years, after getting hit in the head when she fled from police who rushed into the school to stop the 'Agreement campaign of education students fighting for true education' at BNUE on April 12, 1989. Now, Lee lives in Ulsan with her parents and still works hard at rehabilitation. She is in much better condition compared to what she was like just after the accident; a human vegetable. However, Lee's right arm and both legs are paralyzed and she has an IQ of a six or seven year old child. Luckily, Lee recently shows interest in drawing pictures and she seems much brighter than before.
Lee's colleagues and friends, the 'True Education Business Organization,' have made this honorary graduation possible after constantly asking the school since 2004. Requirements for honorary degrees do not exist at BNUE, so the school could not directly accept the proposal. It came to the final confirmation through various procedures including revising school regulations and a meeting of the entire school personnel. There were some opposing opinions on the process of awarding the degree, but one hour prior to the actual graduation ceremony the awarding process will be conducted at the conference room next to the BNUE president's office.
After the small graduation ceremony, members of the True Education Business Organization will hold an additional event with something meaningful for Kyung Hyun. The event is a mini-exhibition of twenty watercolor paintings which Lee drew with her left hand as therapy. To general people's eyes they would look like just plain drawings, but for Kyung Hyun they are her heart and soul.
Kyung Hyun's friend is Choi Youn Chul, vice-president of the organization and teacher at Geum Seong Elementary School. She said, "It's not just the honorable graduation as it is, still many people have not forgotten about Kyung Hyun. That fact will be a great comfort for Lee's family, and Lee herself, to carry on with her therapy in the future."
Lee's father, Lee Jeong Chang (72), however, showed displeasure at his daughter's graduation certificate. Father Lee said, "I understand the effort that Lee's friends put in to make this happen, but it is the first job of students who were removed from school as punishment against the democratic movement to return to university." He also added with emotion, "I don't intentionally beg the government for help, but I am over seventy now and when we both die, I am worried about who is going to look after Kyung Hyun. It would be helpful that if she could receive some pension benefits."
Kyung Hyun's father and her family filed a lawsuit against the country at the Busan regional court in 1996, partially won, and received approximately 7.6 million won. However, the compensation money was spent on operations and rehabilitation treatment expenses. Currently, treatment costs are paid from personal finances and supporting donations.
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 / 입력시간: 2007. 02.15. 08:14
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