Fear Factor

As South Korea's Dec. 19 presidential election draws near, Lee Hoi Chang is doing what most candidates do when they slip behind in the polls: he's changing his message. During a televised question-and-answer session with college students last week, the hawkish conservative told the audience he is "ready to meet" with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il in the spirit of reconciliation and cooperation. That's an unexpected disclosure from a politician who has been advocating that his countrymen take a tough stand against the nuclear ambitions of their northern neighbor. Lee isn't going soft on North Korea. "It's a show," says...