Why does South Korea want to 'warm up' inter-Korean relations?

TWO YEARS OF UPS AND DOWNS

Pyongyang Joint Declarationis an agreement signed by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in on September 19, 2018, during the inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang. Although not all, some of the thorny issues between the two countries were resolved in the agreement. The two sides agreed to implement the Panmunjom Declaration signed in April of that year and agreed to communicate more closely to prevent military clashes along the demilitarized zone (DMZ).

The Pyongyang Joint Declaration is an agreement signed by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in on September 19, 2018 in Pyongyang. Photo: Yonhap

Economic cooperation was also part of the agenda, with both countries agreeing to develop the Kaesong Industrial Complex, located near the border, and the Geumgang Tourism Project, located on North Korean territory, with the aim of creating a special joint tourist zone. The two sides also agreed to promote workreunite separated familiesafter the Korean War with the establishment of a permanent facility in the Geumgang area, to facilitate reunions of separated families.

The agreement also focused on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, with North Korea agreeing to permanently dismantle its Dongchang-ri missile engine test site. At the time, Pyongyang also offered additional measures, including permanently dismantling its nuclear facilities in Yeongbyeon.

At the time, the North Korean leader called it an agreement to end “the tragic history of confrontation and hostility that has existed for decades.” However, since the US and North Koreano agreementDuring the second summit in 2019, many inter-Korean summit agreements were stalled. Recently, bilateral relations have been strained after North Korea cut off all inter-Korean communication and blew up the joint liaison office in protest against the South's anti-Pyongyang leaflets.

Maintaining reunions of families separated by the Korean War is part of the 2018 inter-Korean agreement. Photo: Yonhap

The seeds sown in history will surely bear fruit...”.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in

Exactly two years after the historic event, while Pyongyang has been “silent”, Seoul officials have made statements and taken goodwill actions to resume the terms of the agreement. In a message posted on Facebook, the South Korean President pledged to implement the signed agreement despite obstacles at home and abroad. He emphasized: “Our commitment to peace is firm. The September 19 inter-Korean agreement will be successfully implemented. The seeds sown in history will surely bear fruit...”. Meanwhile, new South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook and South Korean Unification Minister Lee In-young both highlighted the role of the inter-Korean agreement and called for cooperation between the two countries.

DETERMINED TO BREAK THE DEADLINE

Celebrate2 years of agreementThe historic inter-Korean summit is seen as an opportunity for South Korea to convey its message and goodwill to North Korea in “reviving” the agreement that both sides have been waiting for. There are many signs that President Moon Jae-in’s administration is trying to break the deadlock in inter-Korean relations by shifting the focus from the US-North Korea to inter-Korean.

In June 2020, North Korea blew up an inter-Korean liaison office building in Kaesong, marking an escalation of tensions between the two sides. AP photo

At the end of July, President Moon Jae-in approved the appointment of Mr. Lee In-young as the Minister of Unification of South Korea. Mr. Lee is considered a moderate politician, and in particular, Pyongyang officials have no "antipathy" towards him. This is a very important factor in moving towards bilateral dialogue. In addition, the position of Minister of Defense of South Korea has also been recently replaced. Mr. Suh Wook - Chief of the General Staff of the South Korean army takes on this position.

In addition to his professional experience, Mr. Suh is also said to have a good understanding of President Moon's leadership views and a deep understanding of inter-Korean military relations. According to experts, it is clear that President Moon Jae-in is looking for changes in the government apparatus to help him realize his peace policies with North Korea.

In the second half of this year, South Korea will face many factors that will affect the fate of the Korean Peninsula.

With less than two years left in his presidential term, time is running out for Moon Jae-in to cultivate a “peace tree” with North Korea – one of the most important foreign policy goals expected since he took office. Meanwhile, in the second half of this year, South Korea will face many factors that will affect the fate of the Korean peninsula. Above all, theUS presidential electionin November will greatly affect the progress of the US-North Korea nuclear negotiations as well as future inter-Korean relations. It is difficult to make any progress in the US-North Korea dialogue at the present time before the US presidential election. Whether the incumbent President Donald Trump is re-elected or the Democratic Party's Joe Biden takes power, it is very difficult for US-North Korea relations to make any progress unless Pyongyang carries out complete denuclearization.

Unification Minister Lee In-young (center) during his first visit to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) on September 17. Photo: Yonhap

Clearly, in such a context, instead of waiting for the US-North Korea situation, it is time for South Korea to turn to inter-Korean cooperation, in the most appropriate directions. Seoul's political circles probably fully understand that North Korea's recent tension in inter-Korean relations is aimed at forcing South Korea to resume projects between the two sides to boost the economy. However, despite being the one who tries to bridge the gap between the two sides more than anyone else, South Korean President Moon Jae-in cannot "overcome" international sanctions or ignore Washington's principle: Inter-Korean economic cooperation must go hand in hand withdenuclearizationin Korea

But in the current situation, South Korea can only choose to build trust, goodwill and determination to implement the roadmap of the 2018 agreement with North Korea. Officials in Seoul have also pointed out that, in the immediate future, it could be small-scale exchanges of goods in the initial stage of cross-border economic cooperation, opening a representative office in Pyongyang, resuming reunions of separated families...

It seems that Seoul has the determination, the question is how Pyongyang will accept and act. If both sides can overcome the obstacles “at home and abroad”, the historic agreement of 2018 can continue on the right track and reach the right destination of peace on the Korean Peninsula.