SEOUL, South Korea (CNN) -- Fifty-six year-old Roh Moo-hyun is from the same political party as 77 year-old outgoing president Kim Dae-jung.

CNN: Roh ringing in the changes

"It is truly infantile to regard 1, 500 years of exchanges and cooperation as insignificant because of unfortunate periods that totaled fewer than 50 years, " Korean President Kim Dae Jung told the Japanese parliament in his gracious acceptance of the apology.

CNN: SPARKS IN THE DARKNESS

President Kim Dae Jung, architect of the Big Deals in which chaebol are to trade businesses as a first step toward reining in the industrial overcapacity that is afflicting several big industries ( see box ), headed to the U.S. on July 2 for a summit with President Bill Clinton.

CNN: THE BIG DEAL THAT FAILED

In the New York Times interview, South Korea's Kim Dae Jung reiterated that he would like relations to improve between North Korea and the United States, as well as between North Korea and the European Union and Japan.

CNN: North Korea reportedly backs U.S military presence