Ex S.Korean President, Kim Dae Jung passes away

Former South Korean president and Nobel Peace Prize receipient, Kim Dae Jung has passed away at the age of 85. Kim Dae Jung's death was announced this afternoon at 1.43pm on 18th August, by his representative at a local hospital. Kim Dae Jung, who was president from 1998-2003, had been admitted to hospital on 13th July with pneumonia and related complications. His heart started failing on the 18th at 1:35 pm and stopped minutes after despite best efforts from doctors. Kim Dae Jung's death means that South Korea loses another president in 2009 after Roh Moo Hyun had passed away earlier in May. Many Korean celebrities have also expressed their condolences after learning about their former president's death. Actor Lee Junki wrote on his Cyword, "2009, a year where big stars fall one after another", as he mourned the death of Kim Dae Jung. Lee Junki also expressed, "President Kim Dae Jung will always be remembered by Koreans in their hearts for his fight to bring democracy to Korea in his entire life." Kim Dae Jung was most famous for his Sunshine Policy that sought to bring South and North Korea closer together, although that has been stopped since Lee Myung Bak became president in 2008. Kim Dae Jung's untimely death will mean the interruption of certain regular programs by MBC, SBS and KBS as they play special programs in it's place.