南韓反對黨候選人金大中在第十五屆總統選舉中，以不到百分之二的些 微差距，擊敗執政黨候選人李會昌，成為有史以來第一位贏得總統寶座的在野黨領導人，此 舉對南韓的政治民主化發展具有重大的歷史意義，而且對東亞諸國的民主政治亦具有啟示作 用。金大中時運不佳，就任總統時正逢南韓面臨建政以來最嚴重的政經危機，未來其所遭遇 的挑戰主要來自以下幾個方面：第一、整頓總體經濟，破除官商勾結惡習，解決金融危機， 振興國家經濟重建國民信心；第二、國會「朝小野大」的局面已造成金大中新政府行政跛腳 的困境，如何化解朝野歧見順利推動政務，是南韓政治運作的最大挑戰；第三、南韓地域對 立情結，在這次大選中再度暴露無遺，新政府需以更大的耐心與誠意化解地域情結，促進全 民的團結與和諧；第四、重開南北韓之間協商大門，緩和朝鮮半島緊張對峙情勢，共謀南北 韓問題的和平解決。

　　　　　Last December, Kim Dae Jung Was elected as the 15th president of South Korea, representing a victory for democracy in Korea, as he was expected to edge out Lee Hoi Chang, the ruling party candidate, by only 2 percent. At the same time, it marks the rare elevation of a prominent Asian dissident to a position of power. It is, in fact, the first time an opposition candidate has been elected in the Republic of Korea. Kim Dae Jung comes to power at a time when the economy is in deep decline and financial crisis. He faces perhaps the most serious challenge of his life. First, almost everyone agrees that South Korea must reform it economy. Second, the opposition Grand National Party will hold a majority in the Notional Assembly until the next election in 2000. Kim thus needs to pursue a better relationship with the opposition party. Third, one of his important campaign promises was to bring the country together for what he termed grand national harmony. Fourth, He will need to lead the country at a critical time in relations with North Korea.