From kingmaker to peacemaker, Winston Peters has held many important positions within New Zealand politics over the last four decades.
Among them, arguably none were more important than his 2007 visit to North Korea to meet his counterpart Pak Vi Chun.
The two-day visit was seen as an opportunity to express New Zealand's wish for peace in the region.
According to Pak Vi Chun, it was an opportunity for North Korea to demonstrate its desire to open up to the rest of the world. It came after North Korea's first nuclear test in 2006, which saw missiles land in the Sea of Japan.
Peters touched down in The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, (DPRK) with other New Zealand Asia ambassadors and One News reporter Francesa Mold.
During the visit, there were restrictions on what news crews could film, with a mostly positive side of life on display.
Peters met with president chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly Kim Yong-Nam; Foreign Minister Pak Ui-Chun; the Ministers of Trade and Agriculture, and the head of the committee for relations with foreign countries.
On his tour, Peters was treated to a tribute performance by young children to their leader, Pyongyang's many monuments, and a farm and garment factory on the outskirts of the capital.
The farm had been devastated by floods, standing in stark contrast to the money spent on the spectacular monuments of the city.
Although North Korea wanted to open up to the world, some elements still showed the distrust of the rest of the world. A state newspaper from that time accused the US of using nuclear talks as a "screen, while in reality, it's planning a preemptive military strike".
However, the US nuclear experts staying in the area told One News that the dismantling of a nearby nuclear reactor was going well.
Peters said he believed the rhetoric had softened and believed that he could play a role as a peacemaker. "We've got what they call cred on this matter. We don't have a vicarious or a secondary or secret message ours is straight up front."
He attempted to strike an economic aid agreement if North Korea ceased activity on its nuclear weapons.
Peters felt it was worth taking time over, saying: "I did remind them once of the great tragedies of history, is a failure to understand the other person's point of view."
But when One News reporter Mold followed up with, "You could be accused of having a too softly, softly approach though too", Peters fired back.
“No one has ever accused Winston Peters of having a too softly, softly approach.
While denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula was his main goal, human rights was still a topic that was touched on.
Although warned not to meddle, Peters said, "We made our perspective very clear that in New Zealand, the human rights of people are judged by those at the bottom of the chain, not the top."
The New Zealand Government at the time was considering investment in industries like agriculture, but as reporter Mold had been told privately, it would be the type of funding that could be switched off if things were to turn sour.
Peters, careful not to make threats, said: "We're in the persuasion business and it's a big prize here and we're not going to take our eyes off it and so in that sense, it's wise to be cautious rather than to turn people off with your criticism."
Still very much focused on peacemaking in the region, Peters said: "I'll tell you what the most important human rights issue is here and that is to ensure that no one loses their human rights by nuclear conflagration."
On his way back to New Zealand, Peters visited the US, where he met with both the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff.
Peters had a working lunch with Rice, where pork chops were served. Peters delivered a message of hope regarding North Korea's nuclear programme and discussed the US-New Zealand relationship.
Although the attempt at denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula in return for economic aid was seen as unsuccessful, Peters is still one of only a handful of Western leaders to have visited North Korea.
With tension still in the Asia region, there has been speculation as to whether Peters may again become called upon as peacemaker, but before any of that, the nation waits on the special votes with baited breath to see if he’s kingmaker.
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