Former President Kim Dae-jung says poverty provides the biggest breeding ground for terrorism.

Kim made the remark Tuesday during the opening ceremony of the 5th World Knowledge Forum in Seoul.

The ex-head of state said that the underprivileged of the world struggling with poverty are inevitably gripped with frustration and anger when they see through the media the lives of people in well-off nations.

Citing the widening wealth gap among social classes as well as nations, the president warned that such emotions could eventually breed terrorism.