SEOUL - FORMER South Korean president Kim Dae-Jung on Thursday accused current conservative leader Lee Myung-Bak of trying to reverse progress made in relations with North Korea over the past decade.

Mr Kim, the architect of a 'sunshine' engagement policy, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for holding the first inter-Korean summit.

At a meeting with officials of the opposition Democratic Labor Party (DLP), Mr Kim warned President Lee's government not to follow what he called the 'failed' line adopted by the Bush administration.

The Lee government 'is seeking to roll back (progress in inter-Korean reconciliation),' the ex-president's spokesman quoted him as telling the DLP delegation.

Inter-Korean ties have worsened since Mr Lee took office in February. In contrast to his liberal predecessors, he linked major economic aid to progress in de-nuclearisation.

'The Bush administration made a great mistake in its first six years, which resulted in North Korea's nuclear development. The Lee government's policy is a repetition of the failed policy of President Bush,' Mr Kim was quoted as saying.

He said economic sanctions had not prevented the North from going nuclear and Washington had been forced to engage in dialogue with the North by holding six-party talks.

'The Sunshine Policy is a win-win policy,' Mr Kim was quoted as saying. 'We almost got there before President Bush wrecked it. We lost six years of priceless time.' The North says it will severely restrict border crossings from next Monday in protest at what it says is Seoul's confrontational policy.

Mr Kim said North Korea's greatest diplomatic goal is to improve ties with the US. 'You cannot eat nuclear bombs for a meal and you cannot use missiles to build houses,' he said.

He said the incoming government of Barack Obama was likely to engage in direct talks with the North to improve ties.

'The Lee administration will never be able to swim against this tide,' he said. -- AFP