Statement by Kofi Annan on the death of former President of South Korea and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kim Dae-Jung
“It is with profound sadness that I have learned of the death of former President of South Korea and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kim Dae-Jung.
The loss of a leader of such stature as Kim Dae-Jung is felt very deeply.
Throughout my term as UN Secretary-General, I had the privilege of interacting with President Kim Dae-Jung on numerous occasions. I had the greatest respect for his intellectual capacity, his endless efforts for peace and his struggle for freedom and democracy.
His initiative to unfreeze the relations between North and South Korea which culminated in an historical meeting in Pyongyang with North Korea’s leader Kim Jon IL in 2000 was a remarkable example of his commitment to reconcile the divided peninsula.
The world has lost a man of dialogue and peace but his legacy and influence will live on.”
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