Wednesday, October 09, 2002
The tabloids here are full of speculation about the presidential contenders. Willt he 76-year old Kim Jong Pil throw in his lot with Lee Hoe Chang, someone else or will he run alone? Who will successfuly court World Cup soccer guru Chong Mong Jun? Who will be the last one standing after the dust settles? Sources tell me that even though the era of the "three Kims" is passing, Korean politics still is driven far more by regional affiliation, generational affinity, and charismatic personality (or the lack thereof) than by ideology.
