서강대학교

초록/요약

Lee Myoung Bak administration foreign policy towards N. Korea has things in common with that of Kim Young Sam administration in the past. Firstly, both administrations consider N. Korea nuclear issue as the top priority to deal with when it comes to foreign policy towards the North. Secondly, they all chose the linkage approach to tackle this issue. Lastly, Kim and Lee administrations are positive to adopting punitive measures for the provocative action of the North as international community placed them. There is another similarity. In a broad sense, both administrations meet with nearly alike situation. N. Korea nuclear issue is once again calling for the solution. Since N. Korea took a step of going opposite way to denuclearization by missile launch and second underground nuclear test in 2009. Though there had been talks designed to deal with N. Korea nuclear issue, the direct talks between the U.S and N. Korea are relatively the effective one in the past and present. Moreover, the end of Cold War changed the posture of S. Korea. The S. Korea government needs to stop nuclear development of the North and at the same time it should improve relations with the North. Considering these similarities between two administrations, it is worthwhile to review Kim Young Sam administration foreign policy towards N. Korea in order to extract implications for Lee Myoung Bak administration. According to my research, there are three points. The first point is that Lee administration needs to clarify how much would be acceptable for the South to resume the economic assistance and inter-Korea Summit. President Lee did not designate the degree or level of dismantlement of nuclear program and facilities while he uses the term of Grand Bargain. The second point is that Lee administration should not assume that inter-Korea relations no doubt improve when the North gives up nuclear development. It is always possible that the North put S. Korea government in trouble by devising unpleasant incidents. The last point is that Lee administration needs to develop idea how to convince people that the foreign policy towards N. Korea is not the cause of bad inter-Korea relations, if President Lee wants to maintain current foreign policy towards N. Korea.