The Korean Odyssey

* Citizens Discussing Peace and Unification on the Korean Peninsula Il Young Jeong Senior Research Fellow_Institute of Social Science_Sogang University With the inauguration of the Lee Jae-myung administration in South Korea, the Ministry of Unification has been rebuilt. One of the most notable aspects of the recent organizational restructuring of the Ministry is the large-scale introduction of social dialogue mechanisms and public – private cooperation bodies. This article seeks to propose key considerations that should be addressed in Social Dialogue 2.0 on the Korean Peninsula being pursued by the South Korean government and civil society.   The Rise of Social Dialogue During the 22nd presidential election, President Lee Jae-myung pledged to promote the “activation of social dialogue” on North Korea and unification policy. Minister of Unification Chung Dong-young has also emphasized a “people-sovereign North Korea policy,” stating that citizens — the sovereign power holders ...

* The Newly Inaugurated Lee Jae-myung Administration,  @ Office of the President of the Republic of Korea Il Young Jeong Research Professor_Institute of Social Science_Sogang University With the inauguration of the Lee Jae-myung administration in South Korea, the propaganda broadcasts that once echoed across the inter-Korean border have come to a halt. This is perhaps one of the most dramatic signs of the change brought about by the shift in power. Encouraged by North Korea’s active response, the South Korean government is now cautiously exploring ways to resume inter-Korean dialogue. Recently, the Lee administration launched the National Policy Planning Committee, chaired by Lee Han-joo, and has begun the process of formulating policy tasks across various sectors. This article proposes steps the government should take to restore procedural democracy and realize participatory democracy in the formulation and implementation of its North Korea and unification policies.   An ...