반군정 야권통합의 최전선에 선 김병로

Kim Pyong Ro is well known as the first Supreme Court Chief Justice of Korea, and the fighter for judicial independence and democratic ideal. In his last public service, he endeavored to discontinue the military dominance, and to defeat the military leader Park Chung-hee at the presidential election. He played a leading role in the unification of political factions who opposed the military regime. Actually, civilian politicians were united under the party called Minjungdang(meant as Civilian Political Party), and subsequently attempted to organize the party called Gukmineudang(meant as People’s Party). However, the dream for one powerful opposition party was not accomplished because it was impossible to co-ordinate the political desire for presidential candidate among the influential politicians. Finally, such an conflict resulted in the close victory of military-based candidate[Park Chung-hee] at the 1963 presidential election. In 1963, he was 77 years old. He resisted any desire for a presidential candidate. Instead, he expressed his role as a sower rather than a reap-taker. Through his life-long contributions, one might get a man of principle filled with patriotic dedication, judicial independence, and political democracy.