Kim Dae Jung Appears on South Korean TV for First Time Since 1980

Opposition leader Kim Dae Jung appeared on South Korea’s state-run television network Friday for the first time since 1980, when President Chun Doo Hwan sent him to prison.

Kim’s appearance was dramatic evidence of the freedom recently extended to the mass media here, and it contrasted sharply with the suppression a week ago of two important magazines.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Chung In Yong reported that settlements have been reached in all but 50 of the 3,256 strikes that have broken out since July 1, when Chun promised democratic reforms.

But at Hyundai Motor Co., where employees had ended a strike last month, the workers walked out again. And at the same time, two airlines--Northwest Airlines and Japan Air Lines--reported labor problems. Northwest announced that it is suspending flights to Seoul because of labor troubles, and JAL said it will reduce such flights.

Opposition Candidate in 1971

Kim Dae Jung, the opposition leader, was convicted in 1980 of sedition. His name virtually disappeared from the government-controlled mass media until July 9 of this year, when President Chun restored his civil rights. Kim had been the opposition candidate for president in 1971, the last direct election for president.

When Kim appeared for a seven-minute interview Friday on the Korean Broadcasting System’s widely watched 9 p.m. news program, he was welcomed by the anchorman, Park Sung Bum, who said:

“I’m glad to have a chance to talk with you on TV after such a long time.”

Jailed and Vilified

Kim replied: “I’m glad, too. Let me take this opportunity to thank the people for their support and concern given to me all this time.”

Kim, 63, who over the past 16 years has not only been imprisoned but vilified by the military leaders and on one occasion abducted, defended the series of campaign-like tours he has undertaken recently.

“A presidential candidate,” he said, “should be somebody who has policy ideas that are supported by the people. This can be done only by going out among the people and speaking with them. It is wrong to deprive the people of the right to listen and judge a candidate.”

This remark appeared to be aimed at his chief rival, Kim Young Sam, 58, president of the opposition Reunification Democratic Party, who has declined to make speaking tours at this stage. Later today, Kim Dae Jung is to make his third trip out of Seoul, this time to the port city of Inchon, where his aides said they expect a crowd of half a million people.

Kim Dae Jung repeated a pledge he made Monday along with Kim Young Sam to decide by the end of the month which of the two will be the opposition candidate in the presidential election scheduled for no later than Dec. 20.

“Since we have four or five days left, I will meet Kim Young Sam at a proper time and discuss the issue with sincerity,” he said.

Asked why he thought he should be president, he replied: “My idea is that if the people want me, I should honestly ask myself whether I would serve people better at this time than anybody else. Then I should decide whether to run.”

It is widely believed that if Kim Dae Jung is nominated, it will precipitate another military coup. Only two months ago, Chun’s army chief of staff commented privately that a Kim Dae Jung candidacy would trigger an “unhappy event.”

Wage Increase Rejected

On the labor front, Hyundai Motor workers walked off the job Friday after their union council voted 170 to 7 to reject a management offer of a 14.5% wage increase. The union scheduled a meeting for early today to continue debate on the issue.

Northwest Airlines workers have been on strike since Sept. 8, and the airline announced Friday that it is canceling all flights to and from Seoul for the time being. Only Seattle- and Los Angeles-bound flights will be maintained for the next three days beginning today, the airline said. It has rejected demands that it hire as full-time employees about 30 workers now on the payroll as subcontractors.

Japan Air Lines workers are also on strike, demanding higher wages. JAL said it will suspend all flights linking Seoul with Japanese cities except for one flight a day between Seoul and Tokyo and one a day between Seoul and Osaka. The airline said normal service will be maintained to and from Pusan, South Korea’s second-largest city.

Deputy Prime Minister Chung told Chun, in a monthly briefing on the economy, that production lost as a result of the labor strife will reduce economic growth by 2% to 3% in the second half of the year, compared to the 10% growth that had been forecast. In the first half of the year, growth amounted to 15.6%.

Chung said that production in August declined by 1.4%, compared to August of last year--the first such setback since 1980.

He said the government will reject a U.S. suggestion that South Korea increase the relative value of its currency. Treasury Secretary James A. Baker III, seeking to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with South Korea, sent a letter to his South Korean counterpart last week complaining about a halt in the won’s appreciation since July 1. The South Korean currency’s relative value increased by 6% in the first half of the year.

Other South Korean officials have said that the won’s value will be frozen to avoid adding appreciation costs to the higher wages that must now be paid by employers who export their products.

On Thursday, the government announced a 1988 budget that it said had been put together on the assumption that the currency will not increase in value by more than 1% next year.