Such powerful leaders like Kim Dae-jung pay a price for standing up for what they believe in. He was "subjected to frequent political persecution and even targeted for assassination attempts". Through his devotion and criticism of an unfair government he was "sentenced to death on a false charge" which was later relieved through the United States. He still had to suffer by staying in jail for four years where he was under partial solitary confinement. Kim Dae-jung, undeterred, took advantage of his jail time to reflect and recharge. He worked through all the obstacles the government enforced such as "being exiled to the United States" and "prohibited from engaging in political activities". Kim Dae-jung would not have the reputation of a fierce and one of the many great leaders if he had not kept fighting as he did. He ran for presidency three times and finally was elected in 1997 "marking the first time an opposition party candidate had won a presidential election in South Korea".