Posted on 08/21/2009 8:04:31 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
The sunset of South Korea's 'sunshine policy'
Two leaders reached out to the North and got nothing but disappointment and lies.
By Donald Kirk
August 20, 2009
No South Korean leader generated such dreams as did Kim Dae-jung, who died on Tuesday. His five-year presidency, and his "sunshine policy" of reconciliation with North Korea reached its spectacular height in June 2000, when he flew to Pyongyang for the first-ever inter-Korean summit. North Korean "Dear Leader" Kim Jong Il hosted him in an atmosphere of confidence that the half-century of war and confrontation between the two Koreas was nearing an end. In a joint declaration, the two Kims agreed to resolve "humanitarian" issues, reopen borders and unite families. Four months later, Kim Dae-jung won the Nobel Peace Prize.
But although the "sunshine policy" was a glimmering through the dark clouds of the North-South confrontation, it was a misguided effort doomed to fail. Soon enough, the hopes engendered by the summit were shattered. Like every other attempt at rapprochement, the declaration's promises were meaningless.
Only 16,000 members of divided families, among several hundred thousand still alive all these years after the Korean War, ever saw each other. There are still no mail or telephone privileges. Visits to North Korea, when the North chooses to allow them, are tightly controlled and monitored. The industrial complex at Kaesong and the tourist zone at Mt. Kumkang have seemed to open and close at will, depending on mood swings in Pyongyang.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Looking back, the desperate steps he, Condi, and Chris Hill took to appease N. Korea were so outrageous. Dropping financial sanction on N. Korea, the one which was really effective, dropping N. Korea from the list of state terror-sponsors, and frantic efforts to cover up the story on Israeli bombing of Syrian nuclear facilites. I remember Condi flat out deny the fact that Israel bombed a nuclear site(quite possibly reactor.) So what did they get in return? Nothing.
I distinctly remember that when a congress woman urged them to reveal the real story on Israeli bombing, somebody at this forum called her some unsavory name to the effect of "illegal immigrant hogger," an obvious attempt to deflect the unwanted attention.
As for Kim Dae-jung, the only apt description for him is a 'Nobel Scum.' He was also phenominally corrupt, too. All of his sons went to jail for corruption. However, they were just minions. He was the head of 'serpent.'
Ping!
Kim Dae-jung, who died on Tuesday... and his "sunshine policy" of reconciliation with North Korea reached its spectacular height in June 2000, when he flew to Pyongyang for the first-ever inter-Korean summit. North Korean "Dear Leader" Kim Jong Il hosted him in an atmosphere of confidence that the half-century of war and confrontation between the two Koreas was nearing an end. In a joint declaration, the two Kims agreed to resolve "humanitarian" issues, reopen borders and unite families. Four months later, Kim Dae-jung won the Nobel Peace Prize.
BTTT
Of course, some people around here will not want to be "confused with facts" when it comes to exposing the Bush record on North Korea. Wonder if Condi flew to Seoul for the funeral of the traitor Kim Dae Jung?
Did I ever tell you I heard one of his speeches, the first, right after he was allowed to give public speeches? This would have been something like 1984 or so? At any rate, there must have been a million people there. At Iri, outside of Seoul.
That place is right in the middle of his political home base. The guy was an old-style demagogue. Loved to gather as many people as possible in large public arena, and exhorted like Hitler. He always wanted to make himself a Gandhi of S. Korea. Unfortunately, he is close to a race-demagogue in U.S. with much bigger following. Quite cunning and accomplished liar on a par with Clinton, and has greed without bound.
He and Kim family in the North Korea were black marks in Korean history.
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