As democracies, both countries espouse the principles of human rights, free and fair elections, and the rule of law. We demonstrate our commitment to supporting democracy in the international community through the U.N. and initiatives like the Democracy Forum, started by President Kim and President Clinton during the latter's visit to Seoul in 1998. The latest initiative is a ministerial meeting in Warsaw this June in which Korea and the United States will join Poland, the Czech Republic, Chile, India, and Mali in spearheading a discussion on how to expand international cooperation and strengthen democratic governance. The goal of the Community of Democracies initiative is to foster collaboration among the full range of countries committed to democratic principles. Korea's leadership in this endeavor indicates just how far down the path of democracy it has come in a relatively short time.
Elections are one of the most important exercises of the democratic process.
Both the United States and Korea face elections this year. Today's citizenry, highly informed and mobilized, thanks to the networking power of the Internet, is demanding a voice in the political process. This broadening and deepening of public participation is particularly apparent today in Korea. However, the creation of avenues for citizen participation is a challenge facing all democratic governments. Politics can no longer be a closed, opaque process controlled by a few.