Korea Betrayed

This book recounts the rise of Kim Dae Jung from an oppressed region of Korea, beginning with his schooldays, his activities in the Korean War and his entry into politics and concluding with discussion of his Sunshine policy, his summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Il and his drive for the Nobel.

"As Don Kirk details, Kim [Dae Jung]'s presidency was a tragic disappointment. . . Korea Betrayed helps us better understand the manifold gifts and flaws of this extraordinary statesman." - The Washington Times

"The late Kim Dae Jung - the remarkable political dissident who rose tobe President of South Korea and to win the Nobel Prize for Peace - is revered internationally, but hisreputation in his native South Korea is muchmore controversial and contested. In this critical biography, Donald Kirk - a journalistic eminence whohas been covering Korea for more than 30 years - helps us understand why this could be so. Inhis fascinating book, Kirk not onlytracesKim Dae Jung'sgreat political rise, but also detailsthe moral and financial corruption thatcame to engulf,and permanently tarnish, the DJ Presidency. Korea Betrayed will be a welcome addition to the bookshelf of every student of modern Korea. Kirk's account of the failure of DJ's Sunshine Policy toward North Korea, furthermore,should be must reading forall American policymakers before they prepare to deal with Pyongyang." - Nicholas Eberstadt, Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy, The American Enterprise Institute

"Donald Kirk's Korea Betrayed is a comprehensive yet cogently written look at one of the most important figures in the past hundred years of Korean history. Brilliantly researched and equally well written, Kirk's newest book could not come at a more important time. Kirk's book reminds American and South Korean policy makers why decisions made in the past are so relevant for foreign affairs today - as Washington, Pyongyang, and Seoul are at a crossroads in foreign relations that will affect the security of Northeast Asia for many years to come." - Bruce E. Bechtol Jr., Professor of International Relations, Marine Corps Command and Staff College and author of Red Rogue: The Persistent Challenge of North Korea

DONALD KIRK is a journalist and author who has covered Korea for American newspapers and magazines as a Far East correspondent.