Choi Kyu-sun Lobbied for Pres. Kim`s Nobel Peace Prize

Choi Kyu-sun, a jailed businessman, is reported to have engaged himself in the lobbying activity to help President Kim Dae-jung win the Nobel Peace Prize from 1998 to 1999, when he worked as an aide to the chairman of the National Congress for New Politics, now defunct political party.

According to the Korean edition of Newsweek, Choi prepared two documents titled, `M Project` and `Blue Carpet Project` in May, 1998. In these documents, Choi proposed that if President Kim is to win the Nobel Peace Prize, it is necessary to run a voluntary organization represented by a foreigner and to target the five-member committee that selects recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

The weekly magazine reports that Choi formed a contract for consulting in April, 1998 with Dr. Kalid Abdula Tarig Almansor, chief attorney of prince Al Walid of Saudi Arabia and former Harvard law professor in order to earnestly push ahead with the project to bring the Nobel Peace Prize to President Kim. Dr. Almansor is in a close acquaintance with Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations.

According to the contract with Choi, Dr. Almansor recommended in a detailed plan that President Kim deserved at least three to four human rights awards when he visited the US. The plan was delivered to Choi in April 20.

In response, Choi said in another report to the presidential office of Chung Wa Dae, "Dr. Almansor made contacts with Secretary-General Annan and his representatives in April, 1998 in a bid to help President Kim win the Nobel Peace Prize. Then Mr. Annan delivered a message that the UN Human Rights Committee would get things done in time President Kim visited the US."

President Kim met Kofi Annan in New York and received the Human Rights Award by the UN International League for Human Rights in June, 1998.

According to Newsweek, Choi contacted William Bandon Huble, chairman of the Roosevelt Foundation to help President Kim win the fourth Freedom Award by the foundation in early 1999. Choi reported the process to Park Jie-won, then presidential press secretary. Newsweek released related documents including a copy of facsimile Choi sent to Park in April, 1999.

Seung-Ryun Kim Seung-Heon Lee srkim@donga.com ddr@donga.com