Across Asia: Republic of Korea

Kim back on respirator

Former ROK President Kim Dae-jung, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for brokering the first summit between leaders of the rival Koreas, is back in intensive care and on a respirator, a hospital official said yesterday. Kim, 85, a former political prisoner, is best known worldwide for his 2000 meeting in Pyongyang with Democratic People's Republic of Korea leader Kim Jong-il which helped warm ties between the two states that have not yet officially ended their 1950-53 war.

"Kim's vitals have been returning to normal ," the hospital spokesman said, "but the respirator has not been removed."