The Year of the Poet VII October 2020

Foreword: Kim Dae-jung was President of South Korea from 1998 to 2003. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for his work for democracy and human rights in South Korea, and for peace and reconciliation with North Korea. He sought to lay the foundation of a peaceful reunification of north and south Korea, which had been in a state of war since 1950 by means of his "sunshine policy" of mutual understanding and friendliness. Kim Dae-jung was born on 6 January 1924 but had it changed to 3 December 1925 to avoid conscription under Japanese colonial rule. Kim was the second of seven children. There were many attempts to kill him for his opposition to military rulers in South Korea. Kim reflected on these events during his 2000 Nobel Peace Prize lecture: "I have lived, and continue to live, in the belief that God is always with me. I know this from experience. In August of 1973, while exiled in Japan, I was kidnapped from my hotel room in Tokyo by intelligence agents of the then military government of South Korea. The news of the incident startled the world. The agents took me to their boat at anchor along the seashore. They tied me up, blinded me, and stuffed my mouth. Just when they were about to throw me overboard, Jesus Christ appeared before me with such clarity. I clung to him and begged him to save me. At that very moment, an airplane was sent down from Heavens by the almighty God Himself to rescue me from the moment of death." At the age of 85 Kim died on 18 August 2009. Kim was a great leader at getting people and nations together. He brought people of India and Korea together by focusing on ancient stories that Princess Suriratna of Ayodhya got married to King Suro of Korea 2,000 years ago. Interestingly, Kim Dae-jung claimed his ancestry to the princess of India. Today, descendants of the couple number more than six million, which is roughly about 10% of the South Korean population. The tomb of the princess is located in city of Kimhae near Busan. Koreans have also preserved the rocks that are said to have been used by the princess during her sea voyage to Korea to keep her boat stable. Then in 2001, more than 100 historians and government representatives, including the North Korean ambassador to India, unveiled Queen Suriratna or Hwang-ok's (her Korean name) memorial on the west bank of the River Saryu in Ayodhya. This story inspired me to author a book of poems titled Mirror of Dreams which was launched by Counsel Generals of Korea and India in Vancouver in 2004. Ashok K. BhargavaFounder & President Writers International Network, Canada