FAITH AND FORTITUDE. Sharing his life story full of challenges, conflict, and success, Nobel Peace Laureate and former South Korean president Dae-jung Kim recently addressed a packed audience at the University of Portland’s Chiles Center. (AR Photo/Ian Blazina)

From The Asian Reporter, V18, #19 (May 6, 2008), page 10.

By Maileen Hamto

Sharing his life story full of challenges, conflict, and success, Nobel Peace Laureate and former South Korean president Dae-jung Kim recently addressed a packed audience at the University of Portland’s Chiles Center. Through an interpreter, Kim spoke about how his faith as a Roman Catholic helped him weather a multitude of crises throughout his political career.

While emphasizing the role played by the United States in catapulting South Korea to become one of the most successful democratic countries in Asia, he also addressed the need for the U.S. to work closely with and gain the "deep respect and love" of its allies around the world.

For his efforts in executing ideas about making peace with North Korea, he became the first Nobel Peace Laureate from Korea in 2000. Kim, president of South Korea from 1997 through 2002, delivered three public lectures during his recent Portland visit, which marked his second visit to Oregon since 1995.

Kim’s ascent to leader of one of Asia’s economic powers came after many years of political challenges, exile, and brushes with death. He first entered politics in 1954, and was elected as a representative for Korea’s National Assembly in 1961. In 1973, he escaped death at the hands of Korean intelligence agents. In 1980, he was given a death sentence by the Korean military regime. After enduring 14 years of imprisonment and house arrest, he was elected president in 1997 and credited for helping South Korea survive the Asian financial crisis.

During his lecture at the Chiles Center, Kim shared that his belief in God was strengthened by the many trials he endured in his life. Kim, who became a Catholic in 1957, recalled the 1980 military coup in Korea where he was kept prisoner, sentenced to death, and asked to cooperate with his captors.

"Waiting the day of my execution, I had many thoughts in fear and anguish … In the middle of prayer, a verse from the Bible came across my mind. ‘Only believe, and you will be well,’" he said. "Finally, I made up my mind, and told the people from the military regime, ‘If I cooperate with you, I will live temporarily, but I will be dead forever in history and in the memory of people.’"

Kim declined the military regime’s offer to cooperate. He remained a prisoner and became a symbol for the South Korean people’s quest for democracy.

At the height of the Cold War in the 1980s, U.S. President Ronald Reagan put pressure on South Korean authorities to let Kim live. "The U.S. not only saved my life, but played a determining role in Korea’s democratization," Kim said, crediting the United States for supporting South Koreans in ousting corrupt regimes and ending military dictatorships.

Following his planned remarks, Kim answered audience questions about the future of the two Koreas and the reputation of the United States abroad. He ex- pressed confidence in the continuation of six-party talks, which include the People’s Republic of China, the United States, Japan, the Russian Federation, South Korea, and North Korea. The talks began in 2003 when North Korea withdrew from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

"It will take time for the issue to be addressed, but the path to progress has been paved," Kim said. "North Korea insists that it will abandon its nuclear program if the U.S. guarantees to lift economic sanctions. Both countries’ interests are aligned now. There’s hope that we can move forward."

Kim applauded the United States for being the "strongest country in the world, both in its economy and military force," as well as being the model of democracy. Yet he acknowledges that the U.S. has plenty of work to do in managing its reputation abroad.

"The United States must position itself as a country that is loved and respected deeply by other nations. Polls show that while Great Britain, France, South Korea, and Japan have a deep respect for the U.S., these allies do not always agree with U.S. policies. The U.S. needs to strengthen its close relations with its allies to secure the favorable sentiment of the world," he said.

As one of the world’s richest countries, Kim also said the United States is in a unique position to reach out and work toward reducing poverty around the world. "Out of the world’s 6.5 billion people, more than 1 billion are living on less than $1 a day. Many suffer and die from diseases like AIDS and malaria. The U.S., together with other Western countries and wealthy nations around the world, has an opportunity and responsibility to help eradicate worldwide poverty and the spread of disease."