The front page pictures that appeared last Friday in newspapers across Korea of President Lee Myung-bak and his wife kneeling at the National Prayer Breakfast portray an image of contriteness and humility. It’s almost as if President Lee was asking for forgiveness from the Protestant church after he became the target of criticism for supporting legislation that would give tax breaks to Korean companies that issue Islamic sukuk bonds.
The pastor of Yoido Full Gospel Church, the largest Protestant congregation in the world, at first threatened to topple Lee over the issue, but he later backed away from that comment.