Recent Books

Peacemaker

Lim Dong-won; Joongang Books; 748 pp., 25,000 won

Notorious North Korean leader Kim Jong-il enjoys Web surfing and South Korean films and the reclusive state fears invasion.

Former Unification Minister Lim Dong-won tells of what lies behind the 2000 South-North summit and provides anecdotes about Kim and former President Kim Dae-jung in his published memoirs ``Peacemaker.'' The book details his experiences as a special presidential envoy while helping design the ``Sunshine Policy'' of engaging North Korea and coordinating policies with the former Clinton government.

It also introduces what Seoul and Washington discussed to prepare for the U.S.-North Korea summit in 2000 and efforts to solve the North Korea nuclear issue.

The memoirs include how the Bush administration's hawkish policies toward the Stalinist state have affected inter-Korean relations for the past six years.

Lim particularly describes a process of reconciliation between the two Koreas through the June 15 Joint Declaration which was adopted by former President Kim and the North Korean leader during the first-ever inter-Korean summit in 2000.

- Kim Sue-young