Former South Korean president Kim Dae Jung dies

Kim Dae Jung

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate died at 1:42 pm (0442 GMT), after battling pneumonia and "related complications," Seoul's Severance Hospital said. He had been hospitalized since July 13 and underwent surgery in late July.

South Korea's president from 1998 to 2003, Kim was crucial in promoting the country's "Sunshine Policy" aiming at a detente with North Korea. In 2000, he participated in the first North-South summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. 

He received the Nobel Peace Prize for his work for democracy, human rights and reconciliation with North Korea. 

The former opposition leader and dissident was also credited with stabilising the Asian country's democracy after years of authoritarian rule and military dictatorship. 

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who is currently visiting his home country, is planning to pay his respects to Kim at the hospital. 

"Secretary General Ban plans to pay his condolences there before his departure," a UN official accompanying Ban said. 

Kim is the second former South Korean president to die this year, following the suicide of his successor in office, Roh Moo Hyun. Roh, 62, jumped to his death from a rock in May. 

South Korea's space agency said it may postpone the country's first space rocket launch scheduled for Wednesday because of Kim's death.