Former South Korean President and Nobel Peace Prize Winner Dies
posted by: Natasha G. 97 days ago
Kim Dae-jung, former President of South Korea, passed away on August 18 from heart failure after months of struggling with pneumonia.
After surviving a death sentence and various assassination attempts by military dictators, he was the first opposition leader to take power in South Korea, running on a pro-democracy platform. He held the presidency from 1998 to 2003.
In 2000, he flew to North Korea to meet with Kim Jong-il, in the first summit between the two Koreas. His "Sunshine Policy" created roads and railways to connect the two countries, and he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize that year. However, relations between the two nations increasingly cooled as the North Korean government decided to use South Korean aid to invest in nuclear arms.
Besides being a leader of peace, he is credited with strengthening South Korea's economy after its 1997-8 crisis, and for promoting economic transparency in government.
President Kim's state funeral was held this past Sunday, attended by 20,000 South Koreans. Former legislator Park Young-Sook declared, "Democracy blossomed in our country thanks to your sweat and tears."
After surviving a death sentence and various assassination attempts by military dictators, he was the first opposition leader to take power in South Korea, running on a pro-democracy platform. He held the presidency from 1998 to 2003.
In 2000, he flew to North Korea to meet with Kim Jong-il, in the first summit between the two Koreas. His "Sunshine Policy" created roads and railways to connect the two countries, and he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize that year. However, relations between the two nations increasingly cooled as the North Korean government decided to use South Korean aid to invest in nuclear arms.
Besides being a leader of peace, he is credited with strengthening South Korea's economy after its 1997-8 crisis, and for promoting economic transparency in government.
President Kim's state funeral was held this past Sunday, attended by 20,000 South Koreans. Former legislator Park Young-Sook declared, "Democracy blossomed in our country thanks to your sweat and tears."
Read more: human rights, South Korea, kim dae-jung
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It's almost as though great men the world over have received notice: "Time to leave this place; there's nothing more you can do." And we are all that much less.
Ian MacLeod
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RIP, Mr. Kim.
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KIM DAE JUNG (KDJ)_ I was SADDENED to learn about the death of this , YES, ANOTHER GREAT MAN, one of the few POLITICIANS I did SINCERELY ADMIRE.I did so because : - (i).He and his family suffered a great deal from repeated HARRASSMENT by successive dishonest ROK (Republic of Korea) Governments in the South of that Peninsula, especially Park using the K_CIA and the Military (ii).He was incarcerated for a longer period than even most of the brave ,long-suffering anti-Apartheid militants in South Africa (iii).He was a GENUINE SOCIAL-DEMOCRAT, NOT A COMMUNIST, and there is a huge gulf between the two (iv).He did sincerely and HONESTLY try to engage The PROK (People's Republic of Korea in the North of the Peninsula) NOT to ideologically 'score Political Points' and Unify' the Peninsula but to GEUINELY TRY TO LESSEN THE SUFFERING OF KOREANS in THE NORTH ! (v).His HEALTH suffered a great deal during his incarceration, and consequently, when he was finally released, he VERY REGRETABLY was severely disabled by arthritis and heart-disease and had only a very short time to enjoy a FREE LIFE, anywhere on the Peninsula ! I DO SINCERELY REGRET KDJ's DEATH and KNOW KOREANS ARE NOW VERY MUCH THE POORER in any QUALITIES of sympathy and humanity they might still with the disappearence of his 'ENGAGING SMILE and SUNNY Personality' from their Peninsula !He was the only one who had ANY CHANCE of influencing KIS and other KDJ in the North !A GENUINE Nobel LAUREATE he was!_d'Albert M
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Kim Dae-jung was a Lightworker in his own way and he helped and fought for the freedom of his own countrymen. God bless him and may his works continue to inspire others to follow his ways.
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It is so sorrowful that a peace maker dies not getting the recognition from the public that he deserves. God will welcome kim Dae-jung as part of His kingdom.
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