ABSTRACT
It is now more than a half a century since the Korean Peninsula was divided into the Republíc of Korea (ROK or South Korea) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea). Inter-Korean relations are still characterized by mutual distrust, animosity, a lack of mutual co-operation and conflicting ideologies. The Cold War system on the Korean Peninsula still continues, and thus it needs to be dismantled. The ROK government put forth a new policy toward the North, while North Korea under Kim long-il has decided its policy of limited opening to South Korea, particularly in the economic field. The main objectives of this chapter are fourfold, namely to: discuss the security environment in Northeast Asia as an obstacle to the regional integration process; evaluate the current situation in North Korea under Kim ]ong-il; discuss Kim Dae-jung's new policy toward North Korea; and analyse key issues between the two Koreas.
