Kim Dae Jung

Kim Dae Jung, a longtime political dissident in South Korea, was elected president of that country in 1997 in his fourth attempt, winning a 40 percent plurality of the vote. He soon introduced what he called the “Sunshine Policy,” a policy of open dialogue and reconciliation toward North Korea. His initiatives culminated in an unprecedented June 2000 summit meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, and he was awarded the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. The following viewpoint is excerpted from a speech Kim Dae Jung gave to a gathering of peace activists on June 16, 2001, one year after the inter- Korean summit. He argues that his meeting with the North Korean leader was a significant event that advanced the...