Portrait of Kim Dae Jung
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Kim Dae Jung on Bill Clinton

Respected ally (strong)

TL;DR

Kim Dae Jung viewed Bill Clinton as a deeply respected friend and highly effective President who strongly supported his Sunshine Policy.

Key Points

  • He recalled a very good first encounter with Clinton in Los Angeles in 1992 while both were campaigning for the presidency.

  • The US president explicitly stated his support for Kim Dae Jung's Sunshine Policy, promising to back him if he faced confrontation with North Korea.

  • Kim Dae Jung offered Clinton private encouragement during the latter's domestic scandal, stating that history would remember him as a great President.

Summary

Kim Dae Jung regarded Bill Clinton with significant respect, viewing him as an inspiration and a highly successful President who enjoyed global admiration and achieved domestic fiscal success. Their relationship, which began before Clinton's presidency in 1992, developed into a close friendship characterized by mutual respect and admiration, cemented by seven official meetings during Kim's term. A key element of their bond was Clinton's strong endorsement of the Sunshine Policy, with the American president pledging support, promising to back Kim from behind if he encountered confrontation with North Korea.

This mutual respect extended to policy coordination, particularly regarding North Korea, where Kim Dae Jung felt their cooperation went very well, establishing full agreement and trust on issues like nuclear concerns and the economic crisis facing South Korea. Kim even offered personal encouragement to Clinton during his domestic scandal, advising him to focus on his presidential achievements, which the former US President later cited as very helpful. Kim Dae Jung consistently contrasted the successful cooperation under the Clinton administration with the difficulties encountered later under the subsequent Bush administration, whose policy towards North Korea he felt reversed the positive trajectory established during the Clinton years.

Key Quotes

This is my third meeting with President Clinton, and our third meeting in less than 2 years, and this clearly demonstrates the closeness of the bilateral relations between Korea and the United States.

if they don't change, they simply have no future

Frequently Asked Questions

Kim Dae Jung considered Bill Clinton to be a very successful President who made a great contribution by elevating the international profile of the United States and resolving domestic financial deficits. He believed Clinton was loved by world people and would be remembered positively in U.S. history. Kim Dae Jung also expressed admiration for Clinton's skillful speech delivery, noting a standing ovation from Congress during a State of the Union address.

The two leaders maintained close consultation on all aspects of Korean peninsula matters, achieving full agreement and trust regarding North Korea's nuclear issues. Kim Dae Jung's ideas were reflected in the Perry Report, and he felt the US cooperation went very well during his term. Kim Dae Jung asserted that they had no mistrust at all between their governments concerning North Korea during the Clinton years.

Kim Dae Jung maintained a positive view of Bill Clinton even after both men left office, meeting him again after their retirements as good friends. He felt the successful diplomacy under Clinton concerning North Korea was reversed by his successor's hard-line policy, leading to significant challenges. Kim Dae Jung expressed his honor in documenting his relationship with his 'dear and respected friend' for future generations.

Sources6

* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.