Inter-Korean Relations: Factors and Prospects

Inter-Korean relations have stagnated since the US-North Korea summit in Hanoi in 2019, primarily due to South Korea's prioritization of its ties with the United States and increased dependence on it. This shift has hindered the implementation of the Sunshine policy, such as reopening the Kaesong Industrial Complex and Mount Kumgang tourism zone. Additionally, linking inter-Korean economic cooperation to North Korea's denuclearization has further strained relations. The deterioration in June 2020 indicates that Pyongyang is more interested in engaging with the United States than Seoul, especially given the deadlock in US-North Korean nuclear negotiations. The study analyzes these dynamics from 1998 to 2020, highlighting how geopolitical tensions, particularly between China and the United States, could exacerbate inter-Korean relations and complicate a political settlement on the Korean Peninsula.

Pugacheva, O. S. (2021). Inter-Korean Relations: Factors and Prospects. Outlines of Global Transformations: Politics, Economics, Law, 14(1), 151–175. https://doi.org/10.23932/2542-0240-2021-14-1-8