Kim Dae-jung and Kim Young-sam have been each others' biggest rivals for life, except when they fought against dictators.
The two ex-presidents, often called by their initials DJ and YS, are still spiritual leaders of the left-of-center and right-of-center ideological groups, which are currently splitting Korea in two. So, their reconciliation will be good for not only them but the country. That is, if it is possible while they are alive.
Their latest clash came last week over the government's North Korea policy. DJ criticized the Lee Myung-bak administration as ``intentionally driving inter-Korean relations into rupture" for political reasons. He also attacked Lee as running counter to the nation's democratic accomplishments by returning to high-handed politics, calling for liberal solidarity against the government.
It is not difficult to figure out what made the retired politician, known for his prudence in acts and words, so angry ― the near total loss of his ``sunshine policy'' seeking peace and reconciliation with North Korea, as well as Korea's democratization.
Even angrier were the responses from the governing Grand National Party and conservative media outlets, however, as if the octogenarian leader had stirred up a hornets' nest. They accused DJ of unilaterally siding with Pyongyang and instigating an anti-governmental struggle, going way over the line as a former chief executive.
The governing camp's criticism of DJ is in part agreeable. The former president went a little too far in both expressions and interpretation of the situation. Still, governing camp officials should try to understand the true intention of the old politician instead of tripping the ex-leader up with his words.
Most regrettable was the comment from YS, who used such harsh expressions as (DJ was) ``acting like a spokesman of Kim Jong-il'' and ``stirring up anti-governmental protests for fear his crimes committed against the nation over the past decade would be discovered.''
DJ's aides struck back, saying, ``YS should remain silent, as he was the very man who nearly threw the nation into a war and brought about the 1997-98 financial crisis."
Both DJ and YS are great politicians but not without their own problems. YS joined hands with dictatorial remnants to take power, but eliminated room for military intervention in politics for good. He also ``revolutionized'' the financial industry by obligating real names in all transactions. YS caused the so-called IMF crisis, but somehow, it could be regarded as the result of three decades of breakneck growth, exploded by YS's hasty liberalization.
DJ's diplomatic and economic accomplishments also overshadow his suspected behind-the-scenes deal with Pyongyang, while his credit card fiasco was somewhat inevitable to get out of the financial crisis as early as possible.
The time has long past for the two most influential politicians and their followers ― including the incumbent president and his immediate predecessor ― to stop vilifying each other and finding faults with their rivals while turning a blind eye to their merits.
Aides of the two Kims are reportedly seeking to reconcile their bosses by restoring their one-time friendship in the pre-democratization days of two decades ago.
Korea has been divided for six decades into South and North. If the South remains divided into East and West, as it is now, the country will be retrogressing to the Three Kingdom Era of more than a millennium ago.