The Korean Odyssey

*In addition to the generality of international relations, the special characteristics of inter-Korean relations coexist on the Korean Peninsula.  T he north and south of Panmunjom.  ⓒ iStock   Il Young Jeong Research Professor_Institute of Social Sciences_Sogang University Inter-Korean relations are frozen. The rupture in inter-Korean relations is, in part, the result of the subordination of inter-Korean relations to the generality of international politics. Yet, inter-Korean relations clearly possess a special nature that does not cleanly fit into general international politics. However, inter-Korean relations as they are right now are neither special nor exceptional. With inter-Korean relations subordinated to general international relations, what exactly is the problem, and how do we solve it?   Inter-Korean Relations are Unique The South and the North acknowledge that "the relationship between the two sides is not a relationship between two countries, bu...

  * A digital platform for the Korean Peninsula would be an opportunity to transform inter-Korean relations for the digital age. ⓒ iStock   Il Young Jeong Research Professor_Institute of Social Sciences_Sogang University Inter-Korean relations are at a standstill. However, if you look around, this problem is not unique to the two Koreas. The world has yet to emerge from the stifling ‘tunnel’ it has entered since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. But a new world is opening up: the digital world. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digital network world, making the seeming distant future our new reality. In a crisis, there is opportunity. The coronavirus has spread around the world, but humans have opened up a new digital world in response. Inter-Korean relations should also move beyond the analog era and move into a new digital space.   Inter-Korean relations = face-to-face + fax machines + landlines? South Korea, which leads the fourth industrial revol...

  *In inter-Korean relations, the South Korean administration has exercised exclusive powers. ⓒ iStock   Il Young Jeong Research Professor_Institute of Social Sciences_Sogang University The Constitution of the Republic of Korea stipulates the separation of the three branches of government: legislative, judicial, and executive. However, when it comes to inter-Korean relations, this division of powers is completely overshadowed by the absolute power of the executive branch. Since the signing of the 7.4 Inter-Korean Joint Statement in 1972, inter-Korean relations have become the exclusive domain of the executive branch. Of course, this isn’t to say that there has been no inter-Korean dialogue with the National Assembly or Korean civil society. However, these conversations took place in a strictly limited capacity under government control. In this article, I will evaluate the government's monopoly on inter-Korean relations and re-assess the National Assembly’s role in inter-Ko...