June 26, 2002

A PROUD LEADER NEARING THE END OF HIS TIME

By Tom Plate

An exclusive interview with Kim Dae Jung

(C) 2002 Asia Pacific Media Network

SEOUL --- It was very nice to see a smile cross the cragged face of the 77-year-old president of South Korea, so battered and bruised by partisan politics and so deeply weathered by decades of fighting for democracy and human rights in his young country, once a terrible military dictatorship.

And the smile broadened into a near burst of sunshine when the South Korean soccer team’s astonishing performance in the ongoing World Cup competition was mentioned. For despite winning a Nobel Peace prize, pushing through significant reforms of the once-declining South Korean economy and launching an imaginatively aggressive diplomacy aimed at normalizing relations with an economically decaying but highly armed North Korea, Kim Dae Jung looked to be leaving office under a large and unpleasant cloud.

After all, his vaunted North Korean diplomacy appeared to be going nowhere, and salivating Korean prosecutors were filing corruption and influence-peddling charges against two of his three sons. But this week there was scant mention in the press of all of that, for everyone was celebrating the scrappy South Korean soccer team’s historic upset win over mighty Italy.

South Korea is definitely aglow right now -- and nothing will diminish the flame.

The president made a point of saying that he was understandably proud not only of the World Cup victories but also of his people’s civilized reaction to them. No adolescent rioting or British hooliganism here. Hundreds of thousands of young people filled the streets of the capital and celebrated into the wee hours without breaking bottles and then cleaning up after themselves before going home.

This, suggested Kim, is the new Korea. For him, the World Cup has brought his nation to a new level of maturity and national unity that will not disappear after the next defeat or with the next challenge. He believes the spirit of this international event will carry over long after he has left office, which for him is February, as constitutionally mandated. Korea is, finally, on the mend and on the rise.

“Culturally, we have been expanding our influence. There are Korean artists ... not only all across Asia but across the globe. These achievements have been forged in the tremendous outburst of energy -- and our Korean football team is an outstanding product of this cultural energy,” said Kim.

This South Korean renaissance -- fueled by a surging economy and aided by growing respect in international financial circles -- is not matched by the North, where a sad-sack Communist regime clings pathetically to power.

Forever? Not even President Kim’s most unfair critics can argue that the old peacenik warrior hasn’t tried his utmost to entice Pyongyang and its Maximum Leader Kim Jong Il into the 21st century. But the big leader won’t even climb down from his high Communist horse and make a visit to Seoul.

Yes, you are correct,” Kim admitted, when pressed on the Northern leader’s failure to reciprocate Kim’s visit in June 2000 to Pyongyang. “I cannot say for certain about the prospects of this happening. However, one thing is certain: North Korea cannot ignore this obligation. Therefore, the next administration here will be able to build on our policy of peaceful coexistence. At the moment, though, you are right: North Korea is not living up to its promise. I am very disappointed.”

Kim would not say it overtly, but he has also been disappointed in the Bush administration’s lack of sincere enthusiasm for engagement with the North.

“Seventy percent of our people support the policy. But in order for inter-Korean dialogue to proceed in the future, it is necessary for the U.S. and North Korea to achieve an understanding. One problem is that the North is still wary of the Bush administration.”

It is the South Korean president’s fervent wish that Kim Jong Il would visit Seoul before Kim Dae Jung leaves office. Political sages here say the best time for that would be after South Korea’s December election to select Kim’s successor, but before Kim’s February farewell to the nation. But the chances of that happening are somewhat less than South Korea beating Brazil for the soccer championship of the world. Still, South Koreans, including Kim, are entitled to their dreams. Indeed, they are both worthy ones -- and both hard to root against.

Previous Columns:

In The Eye of a Hurricane (June 24, 2002)

The Cup Runneth Over (June 19, 2002)

Metamorphosizing Out of a Cocoon (June 12, 2002)

Wanted: A New Vision for South Asia (June 5, 2002)