Kim rumored to win Nobel Peace Prize

As the announcement of this year¡¯s Nobel Peace Prize winner, slated for Oct. 13, draws nearer, AFP reported Tuesday from Oslo, Norway that ¡°it is rumored that President Kim is leading the candidates for the prize.¡±

The news agency said, ¡°President Kim, who has played a key role in alleviating the Cold War tensions between the two Koreas sustained ever since the Korean War, is emerging a most promising prize winner.¡±

Noting the great strides made in the relations between the two Koreas after the historic June 15th inter-Korea Summit Talks, AFP reported ¡°Some are viewing that the chance of President Kim winning the Nobel Peace Prize is raised as he won the human rights award on Sept. 28, which was presented by the "Professor Thorolf Rafto Foundation for Human Rights," a foundation based in Norway.

The news agency, however, said, ¡°Some analysts are worried that President Kim¡¯s winning the Nobel Peace Prize could give rise to a delicate diplomatic conflict, as there is only a slim chance that North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il, another axis leading to the rapprochement between the two Koreas, will be awarded the prize.¡± But it added, ¡°Others predict any candidate could win the prize, since there is no candidate far and away in front.¡±