Korean President affirms ‘sunshine policy’ towards North Korea back on track

SEOUL, Republic of Korea – South Korea’s President Kim Dae-jung said he was not bothered by the fact that United States President George W. Bush had not consulted him, nor inquired about South Korea’s official views with regard to America’s aggressive policy towards Iraq, nor the possibility of an invasion of Baghdad.

In his view, Kim asserted, "the US still has to make its final decision, and, when they do, they’ll contact us." He added that his government had made no policy decision itself concerning the Iraqi situation.

Turning to the chill in relations with Pyongyang which had followed a naval clash in the West Sea (Yellow Sea) last June 29, in which a North Korean gunboat had fired on a South Korean vessel, killing five navymen, President Kim remarked that there were hopeful signs that North-South dialogue was being resumed and that recent agreements reached last August after three days of ministerial talks in Seoul would have significant results. He referred to an agreement, to "reconnect" road and railway links across the sealed border between South and North Korea as well as a planned "reunion of families" from the two Koreas.

He announced that construction on the rail links between the two countries would begin on September 18, which would then open up the entire western coast of Korea – enabling the people on that peninsula to connect with Japan through Busan City, in the south, as well as, ultimately, through rail connections through the north, via China, with Europe, too.

In fact, wrapping up three days of talks chaired by the Red Cross last Sunday, the two Koreas agreed to open up permanent meeting places for families separated, for half a century, since the end of the Korea war in 1953. One of the sites will be near Mount Geumgang on the east coast, and another near the west coast, in the vicinity of a checkpoint on the proposed cross-border Gyeongui railroad line.

Mr. Kim Dae-jung’s remarks were made to this writer and other delegates to the Asia-Europe Press Forum 2002 when he met with us in the Blue House (the Presidential Palace) yesterday afternoon.

During the hour-long dialogue, the President revealed he had "no plans" as to what he will be doing after he steps down from the Presidency after December 30 this year. (His five-year term ends in just over three months and a half, following national elections to choose his successor.)

Kim elaborated that "I have decided on nothing yet. But when I become, once again, a private citizen, I will continue serving my country in any way I can."

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Replying to a question from Yoichi Funabashi of Asahi Shimbun, the Korean chief executive said that he hailed the coming visit to Pyongyang of Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi as "very timely". He said that it was "a courageous decision made by a very able leader. I hope it will lead to a normalized bilateral relationship between North Korea and Japan.

To demonstrate the returning thaw in relations between his government and that of North Korea’s Chairman Kim Jong-il, President Kim further cited the fact that North Korea is sending a large contingent of athletes to the Asian Games that open in the southern port city of Busan on September 29.

It is still a long way, however, from restoring the outburst of friendly feeling and bonhommie that resulted from the landmark visit of Kim Dae-jung to Pyongyang in June 2000, when the two leaders embraced upon meeting each other for the first time.

Kim recalled that when he launched his "sunshine policy" towards the north four and a half years ago, there were many criticisms of his move. "And yet," he insisted, "we had also many achievements." It is still too early, he admitted, to say whether this reconciliation initiative was "a success or failure."

He quickly added that, "while hopefully, we must maintain our defense posture, and be always on the alert for any eventuality. He was referring, quite obviously, to the ever-present possibility of a surprise attack from the unpredictable North Koreans, whose border is at the heavily-guarded Panmunjon, the former farm village where an Armstice was signed ending the three-year Korean War – and where troops from both sides (including a strong American military contingent) guard a 4,000-meter wide strip called the DMZ or Demilitarized Zone. The DMZ, in fact, stretches 151 miles across the Korean Peninsula from the Han River estuary in the west to a point just below the 39th parallel on the east coast.

What’s disquieting is that the DMZ or the "border", is just 40 kilometers from the capital of Seoul, or less than an hour’s drive (ten minutes by helicopter) away. This means that any aggressive force, just as what occurred in 1950 when North Korea invaded the South, could be in the metropolis within a matter of minutes.

President Kim’s interest in the Bush policy on Iraq and the situation in the Middle East stems from the fact that there are 37,000 US troops and service personnel in South Korea.

Indeed, the Yongsan Army Garrison of the US armed forces is situated right in the heart of Seoul, literally a "small American city" right off It’aewon, which is the favorite shopping street very well known to Filipino visitors, overseas workers, and foreign tourists from all over the world.

Many foreign embassies, offices and residences are located near the It’aewon "district", which is why the US dollar, just as readily as the Korean won, is the "coin of the realm" in that area.

The US, in truth, has 100,000 servicemen (from Navy, Air Force, Army and Armored Corps) in bases in Korea and Japan. The fact is that all US Marines and US Air Force units in Okinawa are geared for a speedy "reinforcement" mission to South Korea, if ever North Korea attacks again.

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Mr. Kim said it was not certain, nor imminent, that – even though the pledge had been put in writing in the year 2000 – that North Korea’s "Great Leader" Kim Jong-Il might suddenly decide to visit Seoul before his (Kim Dae-Jung’s) term ends this December. He declared his own aim continued to be to "reduce tensions in the Korean Peninsula", but there can be no talk of "peace" until the two countries grow "more comfortable with each other."

He said, in response to a question from Josef Joffre, editor and publisher of Germany’s Die Zeit (The Times) that he was leaving the presidency with South Korea experiencing a financial and economic upturn. When he took over following the Asian financial Crisis, S. Korea’s foreign exchange reserves were down to only US$3.9 billion, while today they stand at $116 billion, the fourth largest in the world. "South Korea was ‘in the red’, so to speak, when I took over," Kim noted, "by $86.7 billion. Today, we are up the profit ledger by $83.9 billion."

"Foreign investment," he went on, "totalled only $36.4 billion during the 35 years before my tenure. During my term, we have attracted $66 billion in foreign investment, in just four years."

Mr. Kim pointed out that his successful ploy was to make South Korea a welcoming place for foreign investors by removing all previous unnecessary rules and regulations which might discourage foreigners from investing their money in the country.

He also reformed the system, he stressed, by getting rid of deadwood in the Korean economy. "My basic policy," he asserted, "was to disallow insolvent and unhealthy companies from remaining in business." Because of this tough policy, he disclosed, out of the 2,100 major financial institutions or organizations, as many as 600 institutions closed down or changed ownership. Referring to the giant chaebols or monopolies, he underscored, 16 chaebols either shut down or changed ownership.

Mr. Kim, who received us in a three-chandeliered state conference room, looked well despite his 77 years. He has, however, been ailing, his infirmity aggravated by the fact that two of his three sons are in jail, on charges of "corruption" and "influence peddling".

His elder son, Kim Hong Up, 52, is accused of having received nearly $2 million in bribes. His younger son, Kim Hong Gul, 38, is also in detention (he was arrested earlier) on similar charges.

At least in South Korea, this happens.

Last June 21, when his elder son was taken into custody, President Kim Dae-jung said in a live-television address: "Over the past few months, I have felt thoroughly responsible for not taking proper care of my sons. I have lived in shame and apologize for hurting the hearts of people who supported me. Again, I express my apology!"

Well said.

This writer first met Mr. Kim 15 years ago, when I had dinner with him in his modest residence at the time when he was in the opposition, and being harassed by previous authoritarian regimes, beginning with his imprisonment by the late President Park Chung-hee (the general was, as a matter of fact, assassinated in the Blue House by the head of his own Korean Central Intelligence Agency or KCIA). It was then that Mr. Kim elaborated on his dream of the two Koreas finally being reunited in brotherhood and harmony.

It’s a dream that isn’t about, alas, to come true. But who knows? The day before the Soviet Empire "committed suicide", they were saying in Berlin that the Wall wouldn’t come down within five to ten years. Thus is life.