Business groups Kim battledsalute ex-president's vision

SEOUL: ROK business groups yesterday expressed deep grief over the death of former president Kim Dae-jung despite of bumpy relations with him due to his move for conglomerate reform.

The groups, including the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI), praised Kim for leadership, which enabled the ROK economy to step out of the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s.

"Former President Kim left a big mark in the history of democracy, and helped the economy swiftly rebound from the slump during the Asian Financial Crisis by taking a leading role in attracting foreign investment," the FKI said in a statement.