Former South Korean President Dies

South Koreans in Daejeon, South Korea pay tribute to their former President Kim Dae-jung who died on Tuesday. (Jarrod Hall/The Epoch Times)

Former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung died Tuesday August 18 at age 85. His funeral will be held in Seoul on Sunday August 23.

For the decades after the Korean War when South Korea was effectively ruled by military dictatorships, Kim was one its most active and courageous dissidents.

He spent a total of four years in jail between 1976 and 1982 and at one point was sentenced to death.

In 1997, after three failed attempts, Kim finally won the presidency. He was the first leader to be elected from an opposition party in South Korea’s history.

He was famous for his “Sunshine Policy” - an attempt at reconciling with the North through aid and dialogue. It was ultimately unsuccessful but Kim won the Nobel Prize for his efforts in 2000.