home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- THE WEEK, Page 15WORLDSeoul Survivor
-
-
- A fierce South Korean race puts an ex-dissident in the Blue
- House
-
-
- This was a special election for Koreans, one that may well
- mark the completion of a long march from dictatorship to
- democracy. By electing former dissident Kim Young Sam, 65, as
- President, they have put into the Blue House, Korea's
- presidential residence, the first civilian in more than 30 years.
-
- Two years ago, Kim, a perennial opponent of South Korean
- dictators, merged his opposition party with that of outgoing
- President Roh Tae Woo. The move surprised many but proved to be
- politically savvy. Running as the candidate of the predominant
- Democratic Liberal Party, Kim beat his longtime rival, the fiery
- populist Kim Dae Jung, 67, by 42% to 34%. He was helped by the
- poor showing of Chung Ju Yung, 77, the former chairman of the
- Hyundai conglomerate and his main competitor among conservative
- and middle-class voters, who received only 16% of the vote. Kim,
- campaigning for "change with stability," was the safe choice for
- citizens rattled by the country's sputtering economy.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-