The summit meeting between the two Korean heads of state, which took place in Pyongyang in June 2000, constitutes a major turning point in the peninsula's history. As the effects of the meeting are gradually unfolding, a period of detente no longer seems impossible. But major difficulties remain unsolved and Korea will continue to be one of the world's most volatile areas. The task of this essay is to identify and analyse some of the entrenched political patterns that will challenge policy-makers in the years ahead. To do so it is necessary to portray the conflict in Korea not only in conventional ideological and geopolitical terms, but also, and primarily, as a question of identity. From such a vantage-point two components are essential in the search for a more peaceful peninsula. Substantial progress has recently been made in the first realm, the need to approach security problems, no matter how volatile they seem. in a cooperative and dialogical, rather than merely a coercive manner. The second less accepted but perhaps more important factor, revolves around the necessity to recognize that dialogue has its limits, that the party on the other side of the DMZ cannot always be accommodated or subsumed into compromise. Needed is an ethics of difference: a willingness to accept that the other's sense of identity and politics may be inherently incompatible with one's own.

Identity and security in Korea

Depuis soixante ans la Coree est un pays divise entre deux Etats, la Republique populaire democratique de Coree au nord et la Republique de Coree au sud. On trouve des traces de la civilisation coreenne des la prehistoire dans la peninsule. La nation coreenne va par la suite se developper progressivement pour aboutir a l'unite. C'est en 1910 que la Coree est annexee par le Japon jusqu'en 1945 date a laquelle elle sera liberee par les troupes sovietiques au nord du 38eme parallele et par les troupes americaines au sud. Cette ligne de demarcation provisoire deviendra definitive suite a la creation de deux gouvernements differents et a l'occupation du Sud par les troupes americaines. La guerre de Coree de 1950 a 1953 aggravera le sentiment que chaque Etat est bien distinct l'un de l'autre, laissant un antagonisme perdurer jusqu'a maintenant aboutissant a des accrochages politiques et militaires recurrents. Face a cette division imposee de l'exterieur, les deux Etats coreens se sont rapproches pour cooperer dans certains domaines. La reunification semble etre compromise depuis que le gouvernement conservateur au Sud est de retour, n'acceptant pas une reunification dans le cadre d'une confederation, systeme propose par le Nord, le Sud preferant une reunification par absorption. Le probleme de la reunification depasse largement les frontieres de la peninsule. Il concerne en premier lieu la Chine et les Etats-Unis. Le Japon est egalement concerne. L'Europe est absente du debat. La Federation de Russie semble etre le seul Etat puissant a ne pas trouver d'inconvenient a la reunification de la peninsule coreenne.

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La question coréenne et le problème de la réunification

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Munich Security Report 2019: The Great Puzzle: Who Will Pick Up the Pieces?

For the past two decades relations between North Korea and the United States have become increasingly hostile. Pervasive and vociferous criticism of North Korea's dangerous and seemingly irrational behaviour has focused on Pyongyang's use of nuclear brinkmanship, violations of human rights and general disregard for the well-being of the North Korean people, as exemplified by its decision to develop a nuclear programme while the country suffered from widespread famine. However, an alternate view put forth by both American and South Korean experts on North Korea holds that Pyongyang's use of the nuclear wager primarily has been intended to demand Washington's attention in order to initiate bilateral talks and eventually normalise relations with the US. Certainly, Pyongyang's actions have been ham-fisted at times; however, its commitment to the goal of normalisation has been unwavering. The current controversy regarding North Korea's nuclear programme may serve as a necessary step to build trust between Wash...

North Korea's diplomacy to engage the United States

Seoul and Washington have conceded that Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) in South Korea cannot protect the capital region of Republic of Korea (ROK), including Seoul and Incheon, from No...

Abraham M. Halpern

Papers

The Future of the Korean Peninsula.

The Future of the Korean Peninsula