| BUSINESSWEEK ONLINE : JUNE 14, 1999 ISSUE | ||||||||
| ||||||||
| INTERNATIONAL -- ASIAN COVER STORY
Kim Dae Jung, President, South Korea (int'l edition) IN THE 16 MONTHS SINCE he took office, President Kim Dae Jung has pulled off what few thought possible. He has opened up South Korea's economy and made his nation the front-runner in Asia's dash for recovery--no mean feat in a country that less than two years ago had to go begging to the International Monetary Fund. Brandishing reformist credentials, former democracy crusader Kim has wooed foreign investors in record numbers--a major mind-shift for traditionally insular Koreans. He has cleaned up the tottering banking system and tackled corruption. President Kim, 73, also has made strides on the diplomatic front, vigorously pursuing engagement with old enemy North Korea. He still has more work ahead of him: placating labor unions, reforming the chaebol, and dealing with record unemployment. Now the question is, how far can he go? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ |
![]() The Stars of Asia INTERACT E-Mail to Business Week Online | |||||||