When the new president of South Korea, Kim Dae Jung, is sworn in on February 25, he will be confronted with seven daunting challenges that comprise the most formidable trial for his nation since its liberation from Japan in 1945. This will be no ordinary change of government. President Kim's success or failure will determine not only the immediate future of Korea but the security posture of the United States in Northeast Asia, where 80,000 American troops are stationed in Korea and Japan in a single area of military operations. In addition, the fate of the new government will affect other Asian nations struggling to right their capsized economies, to sort out issues of governance, and to find safety in a volatile region. Until now, South Korea had been among the leaders of the "Tigers of Asia," the fastest developing nations in an increasingly interlocked region. Despite the immensity of the tasks before him, Kim Dae Jung is given an even chance for success by many Koreans, even those who did not vote for him, and by some foreign observers, including this correspondent who has known him for more than a quarter century. President Kim's challenges will include:
To meet these challenges, President Kim will bring undisputed courage, a thirst for information that is the source of political power, a shrewd analytical ability to set his own politics aside when calculating events, and a lifetime of ambition, having first sought the presidency in 1971. On the other hand, he is 72 years old and has not enjoyed good health at times. Kim Dae Jung's courage has been tested in two attempted assassinations, a court imposed death penalty, and years of prison or house arrest. In one instance, he was kidnapped from a hotel in Tokyo by South Korean government agents in August, 1973, and taken out to sea where his legs and arms were bound with chains and weights. He heard crewmen talking about how to make sure his body disappeared beneath the waves. Strong protests from the Japanese and American governments saved his life and he was returned to Seoul after five days in captivity. In a long interview the next night, he gave a detailed account of his ordeal in a calm, almost detached manner: "They had done a beautiful job of kidnapping me and getting me out of Japan, but they made one miscalculation. They had not expected the Japanese to be in such an uproar over the infringement of their sovereignty." After three months of diplomatic maneuvering, President Park Chung Hee sent Prime Minister Kim Jong Pil to Tokyo to apologize for the kidnapping. In a supreme irony, the two Kims, who are not related, made an election campaign deal last year under which Kim Jong Pil will become prime minister under President Kim Dae Jung and later will head a parliamentary regime. For many months after that abduction, Kim Dae Jung was under house arrest but was permitted visitors, newspapers and magazines, and a telephone. He soaked up political intelligence, which he shared with minimum of spin. This correspondent once teased him: "You are my best source in Seoul because I always know where to find you." Kim chuckled. As he takes office, President Kim can count on the support of labor, which has already accepted a need for streamlining and thus layoffs, and on Korea's politically strong farmers. Some intellectuals support him as do some students. The government bureaucracy appears to be taking a wait-and-see stance. The army, which still is the final arbiter of power in Seoul, has so far stayed out of politics. Korea is a more homogeneous nation than Indonesia, which has suffered a similar financial crisis that has triggered riots against Chinese who control much of the economy. As President-elect, Kim has sought a honeymoon from a coalition of now-opposition parties, but with little promise. Big business, in the form of chaebol, or conglomerates, have indicated that they will oppose Kim's efforts to open the country to foreign investment, to remove stifling government regulations that favor them, and to cut the knot between politics and business. Internationally, President Kim has gained the backing of the International Monetary Fund by promising to see that Seoul's obligations are fulfilled. The efforts of Korean banks and companies to persuade foreign creditors to rollover loans seem promising. President Kim plans to visit Washington soon to ask for American political support. North Korea has been quiet since the election in marked contrast to the vitriol it has spewed on incumbent President Kim Young Sam. Pyongyang recently asserted: "Five years of Kim Young Sam's office were years of the most despicable treachery, disgrace, collapse and self-destruction. Kim Young Sam, the traitor without an equal in history, must face stern judgment by the nation and history and kill himself." In public statements since his election, President-elect Kim has indicated he is aware of most of the tasks before him. He has vowed that Korea, which may have the best chance among the wounded Asian Tigers for an early recovery, will tighten its economic belt, saying: "Reform without pain is not possible." He has outlined a plan for reconciliation with North Korea, including a possible summit meeting with Pyongyang's leader, Kim Jong Il. The incoming president has acknowledged the narrow margin of his election that was based heavily on votes in his home province and pledged to "end the era of regional conflict." He has promised: "I shall sweep away corruption." He has noted that the alliance with the U.S. is "the central factor of our security." Heading into office, President Kim has urged his compatriots to "stand proud and tall." Referring to the river that runs through Seoul, he has said: "We will show the world that the 'Miracle on the Han' is not finished at all." Brave words for a large order but he may just pull it off. *Richard Halloran, formerly with The New York Times in Asia and Washington,
writes about Asia from Honolulu. He is a consultant to the Center for War,
Peace, and the News Media, and a regular contributor to the Global Beat.
For reprint rights, please contact him at tel: 808-395-0511, fax 808-396-4095,
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