ABSTRACT
North Korea has been a "hermit kingdom" attempting to stand steadfastly against the tides of change, and the peninsula remains a potential flashpoint for conflict, as no formal peace treaty was signed after the Korean War. The Chinese have tended to consider North Korea a kind of little brother, because Korean soldiers fought alongside the People's Liberation Army in the Korean War. Japan welcomes improved inter-Korean relations because it considers the Republic of Korea as a buffer against communism, and fears a communist Korea would not only threaten Japanese security and economic interests, but also sharpen the conflict between leftwing and rightwing political groups within Japan. America's interest in Korea mirrors its interests in the region and can be viewed from economic, strategic, moral, and political viewpoints, with the last two being more important than commonly understood. Japan, Russia, and China all seem to want a United States presence in South Korea.
