South Korea has lost a great political leader. Former President Kim Dae Jung died Tuesday of multiple organ failure in a Seoul hospital at the age of 85. The 2000 Nobel Peace Prize winner, who tirelessly promoted the cause of reconciliation and cooperation between the North and South and played a critical role in the holding of the first inter-Korea summit in 2000, has left behind an enduring legacy.
While considered a shrewd political realist, Mr. Kim, as an opposition politician, was a man of indomitable spirit who never gave up even while being severely persecuted by successive authoritarian regimes. He spent six years in prison and lived for 40 years either under house arrest or in exile. His dedication to the struggle for democracy in South Korea was second to none.
He will also be remembered for his efforts to promote friendly ties between South Korea and Japan. In an October 1998 speech given at a banquet in the Japanese Imperial Court hosted by the Emperor, he called for building new relations between South Korea and Japan for the 21st century. His push for the gradual opening of South Korea to Japanese popular culture ultimately led to a wide exchange of pop culture between the two countries that continues today.