S. KOREA ELECTS DISSIDENT LEADER.Byline: Nicholas D. Kristof Nicholas Donabet Kristof (born April 27 1959 in Yamhill, Oregon) is an American political scientist, author, and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist specializing in East Asia. The New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Times Enraged en·rage tr.v. en·raged, en·rag·ing, en·rag·es To put into a rage; infuriate. [Middle English *enragen, from Old French enrager : en-, causative pref. by the financial crisis that has humbled their nation, South Koreans overturned their political establishment Thursday and elected as their new president Kim Dae-jung
The outcome was all the more surprising because this is the first time in South Korean history that an opposition candidate was elected to lead the nation. As in Japan and Taiwan, politics have been dominated here by a single ruling party, and Kim's victory could help nurture the rise of two-party politics in East Asia East Asia A region of Asia coextensive with the Far East. East Asian adj. & n. . South Korea is the first troubled Asian economy to hold a major election since the financial crisis erupted, and Kim's victory suggests some of the political repercussions repercussions npl → répercussions fpl repercussions npl → Auswirkungen pl of the economic turmoil. Kim was elected in part because of fury at economic mismanagement mis·man·age tr.v. mis·man·aged, mis·man·ag·ing, mis·man·ag·es To manage badly or carelessly. mis·man  age·ment n. by the
ruling party. But Kim also won because the ruling party splintered and
divided its vote.
While Kim Dae-jung is widely hailed as one of the most courageous campaigners for democracy in Asia, there are also widespread doubts among international investors about whether he is ready to carry out a far-reaching and painful economic restructuring. Kim immediately tried to reassure foreign investors - who have been profoundly alarmed by his populist instincts and by his closeness to labor unions - that he will adhere to adhere to verb 1. follow, keep, maintain, respect, observe, be true, fulfil, obey, heed, keep to, abide by, be loyal, mind, be constant, be faithful 2. the conditions of the International Monetary Fund bailout of South Korea this month. ``I will thoroughly implement a free-market economy free-market economy n → economía de libre mercado free-market economy n → économie f de marché free-market economy n , and I will resolutely open Korea's markets,'' Kim told a news conference this morning. ``I will make this nation a place where foreigners can invest with confidence.'' ``We will diligently carry out the terms of the IMF IMF See: International Monetary Fund IMF See International Monetary Fund (IMF). ,'' continued Kim, who had alarmed the markets during the campaign by calling for renegotiations of some of the terms. This morning he added, though, that within the framework of the IMF agreement, ``To minimize the large-scale unemployment and bankruptcies that we are worried about, we will continuously negotiate with the IMF concerning specific and minor problems.'' To reassure foreign investors, Kim is trying to arrange a hasty trip to the United States - particularly to Wall Street - to reiterate his commitment to the monetary-fund accord and to market economics. Aides have been planning the trip for several days, in anticipation of a victory, and they say Kim could leave as soon as this weekend. Final results showed Kim, whose name is pronounced Kim Day-joong, with 40.4 percent of the vote, compared to 38.6 percent for his main rival, Lee Hoi-chang, a former judge who symbolized the country's ruling elite. The rest of the vote was split among a handful of other candidates. It is difficult to exaggerate the historical resonance of the scenes Thursday morning, as Kim - the man who was nearly hanged as a traitor, the dissident whom American ambassadors used to shun for fear of annoying the dictators - stood before a forest of microphones and accepted the election to the presidency. Kim, 72, still limps from one botched botch tr.v. botched, botch·ing, botch·es 1. To ruin through clumsiness. 2. To make or perform clumsily; bungle. 3. To repair or mend clumsily. n. 1. attempt to kill him, and even in the past few years his telephones reportedly have been tapped and his supporters frequently have been subject to tax audits. Now he inherits this same powerful state apparatus that as recently as the 1980s was used to imprison im·pris·on tr.v. im·pris·oned, im·pris·on·ing, im·pris·ons To put in or as if in prison; confine. [Middle English emprisonen, from Old French emprisoner : en- him and nearly hang him as a traitor. ``Since the founding of our nation, this is the most historic, most radical day,'' Kim said somberly in his acceptance speech this morning. ``The Korean people made their choice and broke all the barriers, transferring power for the first time in our history. Democracy will take root and prosper.'' Kim's advisers hailed their candidate as the man who could transform their nation politically and economically. ``This change of government is significant, but the implications are even more significant,'' said an exultant Ra Jong-yil, a political scientist who is a close adviser to Kim, as he helped draft Kim's acceptance speech at the campaign headquarters. ``Our society is ready for change in every respect, including economics.'' Kim will take office in February from President Kim Young-sam, who by law was barred from seeking another term. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO (color) Kim Dae-jung Reassures investors |
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