Chung Ju-yung Born of This Land: My Life Story English edition

Chung Ju-yung Born of This Land: My Life Story English edition

• Publication Date: Apr 23, 2019
• Pages: 357 pages
• Dimensions: 152*228*30mm
• ISBN13: 9791196193447
• Language: English
• Edition: English edition
• Korean Title: 고 정주영 명예회장님의 자서전 영문 번역서

My father’s autobiography was originally published in 1997. The book has been the standard reference for his life story ever since. It seemed only natural that an English edition would follow. Initially, however, I was hesitant about having the book translated because I was not sure a translation could do justice to the author’s inimitable style of writing which so accurately conveyed the way he thought and acted. It has been many years in the making, but there is now a translation that I dare say does at least partial justice to the original and that I am happy and honored to preface.

My father was a nation-builder, figuratively and literally. He built so much of the infrastructure and landmarks in Korea that we still use and see around us today. He was a businessman who built one of the most successful companies in the world. He established schools, hospitals and the largest philanthropic organization in Korea. He brought the 1988 Seoul Olympics to Korea. He was a leader of inter-Korean reconciliation, undertaking daring initiatives that thawed the once frozen relationship. […]

The Korea where he grew up was still a colony of Imperial Japan. He was 30 years old when the country became independent. Even after independence, South Korea was a small war-torn country on the frontline of the Cold War gone hot. Its geopolitics was matched by economic as well as political underdevelopment. The country seemed to hold little promise. However, my father had trust in himself and in the Korean people who he said are “sincere, virtuous, and kind in the pursuit of excellence.” This book chronicles my father’s struggles as he faced the challenges of being on the frontlines of South Korea’s budding, fragile economy.

Today, South Korea is the seventh country in the world with a population of more than 50 million to reach USD 30,000 per capita income level. Its per capita income in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms is similar to Japan’s. That my father and others of his generation were somehow able to hew to the principles of liberal democracy and free market economy and lead us to where we are today is a true testament to their character and the enormity of their achievements. […]

My father lived a full life. As he looked back on his life in his later years, he said, “As a businessman and a hard working laborer born of this land, I feel an infinite sense of pride that I have contributed my share to this country’s breakthrough…. I believe that 90 percent of my life has been full of joy and meaning. I have truly lived well.”

I miss his wisdom, his exuberant optimism, and his ability to rise to any occasion. Most of all, I miss him as only an adoring son can.

Preface by Chung Mong Joon