S Korea's former President Kim Dae-jung dies

SEOUL, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung died at the age of 85 at 1:42 p.m. (0442 GMT) Tuesday, Seoul's Severance Hospital said.

South Korean President Kim Dae-jung speaks at a news conference at the presidential Blue House in Seoul in this Jan. 11, 2001 file photo.(Xinhua/Reuters, File Photo)

Kim was rushed to the hospital on July 13 as he showed symptoms of pneumonia.

He was once taken off a respirator with signs of improvement, but was later put back on the life-support device.