ABSTRACT
The intense international rivalry between the two Koreas has extended far beyond the realm of formal diplomacy. Their efforts to achieve wider recognition of their legitimacy and to gain greater international support for their positions in the North-South confrontation have given a political tinge to almost all of their relations with foreign countries. South Koreans speak with great confidence of their large and growing economic lead over North Korea, particularly in foreign trade. In 1984 South Korea's external trade reached $60 billion, compared to North Korea's $2.7 billion. The disparity in trade, large as it is, falls far short of reflecting the difference in trade-related contacts abroad. During the past twenty years South Korean construction firms have become known throughout the world for the low cost, speed, and reliability of their work. Overseas construction began in 1965 with a highway project in Thailand, followed by various projects in Vietnam, financed by the United States.
