Explaining Korean Problem - Division and Engagement -

1
Explaining Korean Problem- Division and
Engagement -

• June 14, 2006
• HCU Peace Studies
• Sung Chull Kim
• Hiroshima Peace Institute
• sckim_at_peace.hiroshima-cu.ac.jp

2
Preliminary questions

• Why was Korea divided? What is the impact of
  division of Korea?
• Why does South Korea try to engage with North
  Korea?
• What does the two Koreas mean to Northeast Asia,
  particularly Japan?
• (see table of content, p. 36)

3
The Korean peninsula
4
Flags of ROK and DPRK
5
Two Koreas in Northeast Asia Facts
Country Space (1,000 km2) Population (Million) Capital GDP (Million US dollars) GDP/capita (US dollars)
Japan 378 130.0 Tokyo 4,326,400 34,010
China 9,597 1,300.0 Beijing 1,130,984 890
North Korea 121 22.6 Pyongyang 22,260 1,000
South Korea 99 47.4 Seoul 447,698 9,400
6
Division and its impact (sum)

• Division of Korea
• Korean peninsula as the last remaining Cold War
  zone
• Division of Korea and Korean War
• - division by international agreement (Germany,
  Korea, and Vietnam)
• - experience of war (Korea and Vietnam)
• Divergent development path and competition in the
  Cold War era
• - North socialist and autarchic economy,
  father-son monolithic power
• - South export-oriented market economy,
  dependence on US, democratization
• WMD development by North Korea in the Post-Cold
  War era
• - end of regime competition between two Koreas
• - two nuclear developments (1994-1994 and
  2002-present)

7
Koreans celebrating the liberation (1945)
8
Division of Korea (documentary)

• For the comments, see separate sheet.

9
State Building in the North

• Soviet influence for the early establishment of
  leadership
• - Selection of the leader Kim Il Sung
• - Why Kim? (1) no experience of engagement in
  the factional division in communist movement in
  Korea in 1920s and 1930s (2) Soviets
  familiarity with Kim who served in the Far
  Eastern Russia army
• - Soviet helped Kim by blocking of entry of
  armed forces from foreign territory, especially
  from China
• In addition to Soviet influence, there were other
  factors for the rapid formation of state,
  centered around Kim Il Sung
• - existence of segments of communists in Korea
  during the Japanese colonial rule
• - ideological similarity among the factions
  after arrest of nationalists

10
North Korean leader, Kim Il Sung (1945)
11
State Building in the South

• Strong US influence and support for Rhee Syngman,
  but relatively confrontational process in the
  state formation
• - Despite no allowance of political
  organizations by the Military Government led by
  US forces, there were severe confrontations among
  political factions of different ideological
  orientations.
• - The factions included communists,
  nationalists, Shanghai interim government
  leaders, and social democrats.
• - With the oppression made by the Military
  Government, the communist escaped to the North,
  and interim government faction and social
  democrats were driven out from the political
  scene.
• - In the end, Rhee Syngman prevailed in politics.

12
South Korean leader, Rhee Syngman (1948)
13
Origins of Korean War (1950-53)

• Theories on the origin of the war
• - Kim Il Sungs initiative
• - Stalins rollback strategy
• - internal war between two conflicting
  communities (North and South Koreas)
• The Korean War, mixture of domestic and
  international factors.
• - Rhee Syngman's unification through marching
  to the North vs. Kim Il Sungs complete
  domination based on democratic base in the North
• - Severe military conflicts around the 38th
  parallel since June 1949.
• - It was not all-out struggle, but the war
  started a year ago.
• - international support by the Soviet union and
  China, on the one hand, and the United States, on
  the other hand.

14
Consequences of the Korean War

• Total death toll reached around 2,500,000
• - 1,316,579 North Korean soldiers and civilians
• - 595,000 South Korean soldiers and civilians
• - 36,940 US soldiers
• - 500,000 Chinese soldiers
• The human disaster of the Korean War outnumbered
  that of the Vietnam War (death toll 1,900,000).
• Unlike the nominal goal of unification,
  presented by the two Koreas, the Korean War
  contributed to the consolidation of the division.
• - increase in armed forces 600,000 in the South
  vs. 1,100,000 in the North
• - emergence of dictatorship Rhee and Park in
  the South vs. Kim and his son, Kim Jong-il, in
  the North
• - divergent path of development Souths
  reliance on the United States vs. Norths
  self-reliance

15
Korean War (1950-53)
16
Autocratic Rule in the South

• Rhee Syngmans autocratic rule
• - In the midst of Korean War, Rhee adopted the
  direct presidential election in 1952.
• - Two years later, he illicitly passed a
  constitutional amendment permitting lifelong
  presidency.
• - In 1960, the election fraud connected with his
  campaign for a fourth presidential term brought
  about a massive demonstration. He resigned and
  fled to Hawaii, where he lived in exile.

17
Autocratic rule in the South, continue

• Park Chung-hees authoritarian rule
• - Park took power through military coup in May
  1961.
• - During the period of military government
  between 1961 and 1963, Park introduced the law
  banning political activities of the old
  politicians and established Korean Central
  Intelligence Agency (KCIA) and the Economic
  Planning Board. These two organizations became
  the pillars of power and legitimacy.
• - After promulgation of Yushin in October 1972,
  Park strengthened the authoritarian rule over the
  society through presidential measures, weakening
  of power of the legislative body, and press
  censorship.
• - Yushin collapsed with the assassination of
  president Park by his associate, KCIA director,
  Kim Jae-kyu on October 26, 1979.

18
Park Chung-hee after military coup (1961)
19
Monolithic rule in the North

• The Korean War (1950-1953) and its aftermath
  contributed to Kim Il Sungs consolidation of
  power base.
• - Kim defeated South-origin communists right
  after the war broke out.
• - He expelled Soviet and Chinese factions from
  the party in the mid-1950s.
• The tool for the monolithic rule was Juche
  ideology. Juche means self-reliance or
  independence.
• The emergence of Kim Jong-il is attributable to
  his political skills as well as the preparation
  of power succession for twenty years.
• - Kim Jong-il successfully presented himself as
  the authoritative interpreter of the Juche
  ideology. He promulgated his father Kim Il Sung
  idea as Kimilsungism. Also he publicized Ten
  Principles for the Establishment of the
  Monolithic Idea in 1974.
• - Kim Jong-il became a party secretary in charge
  of the Organization Department as well as of
  Department of Propaganda and Agitation in 1973.
  He began to be deeply involved in the personnel
  affairs.

20
Power Structure after Kim Il Sungs death

• president
• - In the preface of the new constitution of
  1998, Kim Il Sung is named as eternal president
  of North Korea.
• - The office of state president was abolished.
• National Defense Committee (NDC)
• - The NDC became the highest guiding organ of
  the military and the managing organ of the
  military affairs.
• - The Chairman of the NDC, Kim Jong-il, is in
  firm control of all the armed forces and in
  charge of all political economic matters as well.
• status of military
• - Kim, in December 1996, was quoted as saying
  that The partys morale is so degraded that
  party cadres would benefit from getting an
  ideological education from political officers of
  the military.
• - Also militarys role in the economic affairs
  is distinctive, especially in the fields of
  construction and agriculture, as well as in
  military industry.

21
Inter-Korean relations from confrontation to
engagement

• Confrontation, 1950s-1960s
• - anti-communism vs. military adventurism
• Competition, 1970s-1980s
• - July 4th Joint Declaration
• - regime competition accompanied by several
  conflicts
• Gradual engagement, 1990s-present
• - Basic Agreement in 1991
• - 1st nuclear crisis in 1993-4
• - Kim Dae-jungs Sunshine Policy for engagement
  with the North
• - 2nd nuclear crisis since 2002

22
Inter-Korean relations confrontation in
1950s-1960s

• South Korea
• The military regime, led by ex-general Park
  Chung-hee, took an intense anti-communism policy
  for obtaining legitimacy from the United States.
• - Law for Anti-Communism passed in 1961
• - The law prohibits not only association with
  communists but also aids to them. This is a kind
  of special law of the existing National Security
  Law that defines general anti-national
  activities.
• North Korea
• In the process of the consolidation of Kims
  power and the implementation of self-reliance
  policy, the status of military rose, and in turn,
  this resulted in an adventurism provoking to the
  South.
• - North Korean armed spy (special forces)
  infiltrations in 1968 targeting Blue House, South
  Korean presidential house.

23
Pueblo Incident (1968)

• Inter-Korean confrontation heightened by the
  abduction of US spy ship, Pueblo, in January 1968
• - The crew members were detained in North Korea
  for 11 months and returned in December 1968.

24
Inter-Korean relations competition in
1970s-1980s

• regime competition instead of confrontation,
  because of changes in international environment
  and domestic needs
• - July 4th Joint Declaration for inter-Korean
  reconciliation
• Background (1) international environment changes
• - changes in security environment in East Asia,
  particularly because of rapprochement of US-China
  and Japan-China relations
• - Feb. 1972, president Nixon visited China,
  Shanghai Joint Communiqué
• - Sept. 1972, Prime Minister Tanaka visited
  China, Tanaka-Cho Enlai Joint Declaration
• Background (2) domestic power consolidation and
  stability
• - in North Korea, preparation for father-to-son
  power transfer
• - Kimilsungism by Kim Jong-il in 1974
• - in South Korea, Parks ambition of prolonging
  his power
• - Yushin (literally meaning renovation) in
  October 1972

25
July 4th Joint Declaration in 1972

• The declaration was the culmination of
  inter-Korean reconciliatory gestures in this
  phase of regime competition.
• Main points
• 1. principle of unification independence, peace,
  grand national integration
• 2. end of denunciation and military provocation,
  and attempts for prevention of military conflict
• 3. multi-dimensional exchanges between two Koreas
• 4. facilitating of Red Cross meetings
• 5. establishment of hot line between Pyongyang
  and Seoul
• 6. operation of North-South Coordination
  Committee
• 7. swear for the full implementation of the
  agreements in front of all nation people

26
Inter-Korean regime competition accompanied by
severe conflicts
27
Gradual engagement, 1990-present

• Two Koreas joined UN at the same time in Sept.
  1991.
• - The first formal international recognition of
  two states in Korean Peninsula.
• - This was one of the most meaningful events
  that happened in the post-Cold War era.
• Basic Agreement between two Koreas in Dec. 1991
• - This agreement was followed by Joint
  Declaration of the Denuclearization of the Korean
  Peninsula in Feb. 1992.
• 1st nuclear crisis in 1993-4
• - Despite the two agreements between two Koreas,
  the disclosure of North Koreas nuclear weapon
  development represented that Korean peninsula was
  still in the age of Cold War.
• - Geneva Agreed Framework, signed by US and
  North Korea in Oct. 1994, for freezing the
  nuclear facilities ended the crisis.

28
Inter-Korean relations, 1989-1992
29
1994 and 2000
30
Engagement with the North Kim and Roh

• Kim Dae-jungs Sunshine Policy 1998-2003
• - buying peace with economy, or investment in
  the peace
• - collusive coalition between government and
  Hyundai cooperation for the 2000 summit
• Roh Moo-hyuns Peace and Prosperity Policy
  2003-present
• - institutionalization of economic exchanges
  (investment guarantee, double-taxation exemption,
  dispute arbitration, payment through South and
  North Korean banks)
• - construction of Kaesong Industrial Complex
  since 2000
• - factories started to produce products since
  2004
• 2nd nuclear crisis in 2002-present
• - North Koreas confession of developing of HEU
  project to US Assistant Secretary of the State
  Department James Kelly in Oct. 2002
• - 4th Six-Party Talks adopted Joint Declaration
  (dismantlement of North Korean nuclear
  development, denuclearization of Korean
  peninsula, economic assistance, U.S.-North Korea
  normalization)

31
Trend of inter-Korean trade
32
Trend of inter-Korean visits
33
Kaesong-Seoul
34
Kaesong Industrial Complex

• The first major industrial complex that was
  constructed by South Korean companies in North
  Korean territory
• Total 65.7 km2
• About 6,400 North Korean workers are employed by
  Korean factries, as of March 5, 2006.
• For the operation of factories, South Korean
  managing staff commutes the industrial complex by
  crossing the border (DMZ).

35
Conclusion

• The division of Korea and the establishment of
  two Koreas have become the central source of
  contradictions in the region, as well as the
  source of confrontation between two Koreas.
• - The division resulted in the war (the biggest
  one after the WWII) The Korean peninsula had
  been the locus of East-West confrontation in the
  region. (US, Japan, and South Korea vs. Russia,
  China, and North Korea)
• The Korean peninsula is the last remaining island
  of the Cold War See U.S.-North Korea and
  Japan-North Korea relations.
• It is necessary to find a solution to the
  division by peaceful coexistence between two
  Koreas.
• - The peaceful coexistence between two Koreas
  requires North Koreas dismantlement of nuclear
  weapons program and also needs the development of
  the relationship between the U.S. and North
  Korea. There are limitations in the South Koreas
  economic engagement policy toward North Korea.
• - The development of the U.S.-North Korea
  relationship will facilitate the normalized
  relationship between Japan and North Korea and
  will contribute to the solution of pending
  issues, including adduction issue.
• There is a vision for regional cooperation
  through the peaceful Korean peninsula.
• - in transportation (Trans-Siberian and
  Trans-Korean linkage to Japan) and energy (oil
  and gas Eastern Pipeline).

36
Table of content

• 3-5 introduction
• 6-8 division and its impacts
• 9-12 two Koreas
• 13-20 the Korean War and its impacts
• 21-20 inter-Korean relationship
• 30-34 South Koreas engagement policy
• 35 conclusion