South Korea holds state funeral for Kim Dae-jung

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(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-08-23 15:46

A man mourns during the funeral for the late South Korean President Kim Dae-jung in Seoul August 23, 2009. [Agencies]

He traveled to Pyongyang in 2000 for a historic summit with Kim Jong-il - a first between leaders from the two Koreas. Raising their hands aloft in a sight that would have been unimaginable just years earlier, the two Kims pledged to embark on a new era of peace on the Korean peninsula.

The following years saw a flowering of reconciliation projects, including the emotional reunions of thousands of Koreans separated from family members during the Korean War, the restoration of a cross-border cargo train and inter-Korean business ventures.

But ties have been tense since Lee abandoned the Sunshine Policy when he took office insisting DPRK must prove its commitment to international nuclear disarmament pacts before it can expect aid.

Pyongyang, in response, abandoned the reconciliation talks and most of the inter-Korean projects. The DPRK also has been locked in an international standoff with the US and other nations over its atomic ambitions after launching a rocket, test-firing missiles and conducting an underground nuclear test.

A man holds up a sign featuring a picture of the late President Kim Dae-jung (far R) and the late President Roh Moo-hyun at a memorial altar during the funeral for Kim in Seoul August 23, 2009. [Agencies]

However, there have been signs of an easing of tensions on the Korean peninsula in recent days. After welcoming former US President Bill Clinton during his mission to secure the release of two jailed American reporters, the DPRK freed a South Korean citizen held for four months.

Kim Dae-jung's death, however, prompted condolences from Kim Jong-il, who dispatched a high-level delegation of six to pay their respects - the first time the DPRK has sent officials to mourn a former South Korean president.

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