[KS] Re: Kim and Nobel

[Carlon Haas]

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> If Jina Kim would check out the following web-site,
> it would
> become clear that Kim Daejung was awarded the Nobel
> Peace
> Prize not only for his Sunshine Policy but also for
> the risks he has taken over the last 30 years to
> bring democracy to the Korean peninsula. I doubt
> even the most avid supporter of Kim Jongil would
> compare Kim Jongil to Nelson Mandela. 

First of all, let me say that I am not, by any means,
a fan of Kim Jong-il.  However, in the peace game, it
takes two to tango.  The "peace" initiatives on the
Korean penninsula would not be possible without Kim
Jong-il.  

I would not compare Kim Jong-il to Mandela, but what
about to FW DeClerk (sp) or Yasar Arafat?  Arafat was
awarded a share of the prize even though he was listed
as a terrorist for years, and with the current
situation in the Middle East, one has to admit that
getting a peace prize doesn't make one a peacemaker. 
Another peace prize winner of note might be Teddy
Roosevelt who negotiated an end to the Japan-Russian
War, thus sealing Korea's colonial fate.  

So, my point is that although Kim Jong-il might never
make humanitarian of the year, he does deserve some of
the credit for the peace talks, just the way other
"former" terrorists and authoritarian rulers have been
credited for their efforts.

As for awarding Kim DJ for his efforts to bring
democracy to Korea, I think that is a good thing, but
he was by no means the only one, or some might say not
even the main one. But that debate is for another
time.



=====
Carlon Haas

http://www.geocities.com/king_of_seoul

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