Editing History of South Korea (section)

===Kim Dae-jung 1998–2003===
{{Main|Kim Dae-jung}}
[[File:Kim Dae-jung presidential portrait.jpg|thumb|upright|President [[Kim Dae-jung]], the 2000 [[Nobel Peace Prize]] recipient for advancing democracy and human rights in South Korea and East Asia and for reconciliation with North Korea, was sometimes called the "[[Nelson Mandela]] of Asia."<ref name="auto1">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/aug/18/obituary-kim-dae-jung |title=Kim Dae-jung |date=18 August 2009 |newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref>]]
In February 1998, Kim Dae-jung was officially inaugurated.<ref>{{cite news |title=CNN - Opposition boycott shadows South Korea's new president - February 25, 1998 |url=http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/9802/24/s.korea.wrap/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030502142332/http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/9802/24/s.korea.wrap/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 May 2003 |work=CNN}}</ref> South Korea had maintained its commitment to democratize its political processes and this was the first transfer of the government between parties by peaceful means. Kim's government faced the daunting task of overcoming the economic crisis, but with the joint efforts of the government's aggressive pursuit of foreign investment, cooperation from the industrial sector, and the citizen's gold-collecting campaign, the country was able to come out of the crisis in a relatively short period of time.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/analysis/47496.stm Koreans give up their gold to help their country], BBC News, 14 January 1998. Retrieved 7 July 2010</ref><ref name="admin dj doosan">{{in lang|ko}} [http://100.naver.com/100.nhn?docid=700061 The administration of Kim Dae-jung] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210212225823/http://100.naver.com/100.nhn?docid=700061 |date=12 February 2021 }} at [[Doosan Encyclopedia]]</ref><ref name="lhh dj">Lee Hyun-hee (2005, pp 620–626)</ref>

Industrial reconstruction of the big conglomerate ''[[chaebol]]s'' was pursued, a [[Pension fund|national pension system]] was established in 1998, educational reforms were carried out, government support for the [[Information technology|IT field]] was increased, and notable cultural properties were registered as [[World Heritage Site|UNESCO Cultural Heritage sites]].<ref name="lhh dj" /> The [[2002 FIFA World Cup]], co-hosted with Japan, was a major cultural event where millions of supporters gathered to cheer in public places.<ref>{{in lang|ko}} [http://100.naver.com/100.nhn?docid=755611 2002 World Cup] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210212225805/http://100.naver.com/100.nhn?docid=755611 |date=12 February 2021 }} at [[Doosan Encyclopedia]]</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=FIFA World Cup: When South Korea created history in 2002 {{!}} Goal.com |url=https://www.goal.com/en/news/fifa-world-cup-2002-south-korea-history-semifinal/blt7b0eedc7838c3dc9 |work=www.goal.com}}</ref>

In diplomacy, Kim Dae-jung pursued the "[[Sunshine Policy]]", a series of efforts to reconcile with North Korea.<ref name="bluth sunshine policy">Christoph Bluth (2007, pp 92–103)</ref> This culminated in reunions of the separated families of the [[Korean War]] and a summit talk with North Korean leader [[Kim Jong Il]].<ref>{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |title=North and South Korean leaders meet |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2000/jun/13/northkorea1 |work=the Guardian |date=13 June 2000 |language=en}}</ref> For these efforts, Kim Dae-jung was awarded the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] in 2000.<ref>[http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2000/dae-jung.html Nobel Prize in Peace 2000], Nobel Prize Organization</ref>