Kim Dae-jung gave a conclusive answer to this query: Addressing an audience in New York last September he listed four reasons: First, he said, the North Koreans had come to trust his Sunshine policy. Second, he mentioned the firm US position. Third, he said, the global public opinion called for inter-Korean dialogue. And, fourth, the most decisive reason was North Korea needed to overcome its economic difficulties.
The North-South-summit has laid the groundwork for a multitude of inter-Korean interactions in the fields of diplomacy, the economy, culture, the media and -- not to forget -- also the military.
Most progress has been achieved in the political and the economic fields. Much public attention has been directed at the two family reunions. Everyone agrees -- even the most apologetic government officials -- that very much remains to be done regarding inter-Korean relations.
Everyone knows it is still a long way before the relations between the two Koreas may be called normal in any sense of this term.
On the other hand, there should be no doubt, that an historic process has been initiated.
In spite of his enormous accomplishments in bringing North and South Koreans together after decades of division, the Nobel peace prize laureate remains modest regarding his plans for the rest of his term: "During my tenure, I would never seek unification. My objective is to prevent war on the Korean peninsula and to promote inter-Korean exchanges and contacts", he said shortly after the summit last summer.
The South Korean government deems it will take two to three decades before the two Koreas become one again.
This means not Kim Dae-jung but future leaders will bring to an end the process of reconciliation, and reunify the divided peninsula. Unlike the classical Greek drama, where the hero usually ends up in tragedy in the final act, President Kim deserves to be remembered in history as a political statesman with a great vision -- and (so far) a successful record of promoting it.
Dr Ronald Meinardus is the Resident Representative of the Friedrich-Naumann Foundation in Seoul and a commentator on Korean affairs.
RSS