From Peaceful Unification to Two Koreas? Paradigm Shifts in Inter-Korean Relations скачать в хорошем качестве

From Peaceful Unification to Two Koreas? Paradigm Shifts in Inter-Korean Relations

[KEI is registered under the FARA as an agent of the KIEP, a public corporation established by the government of the Republic of Korea. Additional information is available at the U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC.] For decades, inter-Korean relations have oscillated between confrontation and cautious engagement, grounded in a shared yet contested aspiration of eventual peaceful unification. This aspiration, rooted in nationalist ideals and constitutional mandates on both sides of the 38th parallel, has shaped the political lexicon and security posture of both Seoul and Pyongyang throughout. Yet developments since the beginning of last year suggest that North Korea under Kim Jong Un is abandoning the peaceful reunification paradigm altogether. At the turn of 2024, Pyongyang publicly reframed the Republic of Korea not as a compatriot regime but as a separate, hostile state. Speaking at a session of the country’s rubber-stamp parliament, Kim issued orders to reify that political decision in the country’s society, military, and economy. The pivot marks a potentially irreversible rupture in inter-Korean relations — one with consequences not only for the Korean Peninsula but also for regional geopolitics. This article explores three interrelated dimensions of that apparently transformative policy turn. First, it examines the nature, drivers, and implementation of North Korea’s paradigm shift on unification and reconciliation. Second, it analyzes the spectrum of South Korean political responses, from government policy to public sentiment. Finally, it reflects on the potential long-term implications of this shift for the future of the peninsula and the broader security environment in Northeast Asia.