ABSTRACT
Government change across opposite ends of the political spectrum can lead to dramatic foreign policy deviations despite the absence of structural changes in the security environment. This chapter analyzes the extent to which shifts between conservative and progressive administrations in South Korea have changed the country’s foreign policy interests and behaviors vis-à-vis North Korea. It explores whether South Korea’s North Korea policy fluctuations can be accounted for by structural changes on the Korean peninsula, by stimuli originating from North Korea or by external pressure from the United States. It then analyzes how the ideas of progressive and conservative governments have shaped South Korea’s strategies in relation to the North. The chapter uses primary archival sources, including Unification White Papers, policy papers and presidential speeches. The timeframe of the research is from 1998 to 2018, representing two changes across opposite ends of the established political spectrum in South Korea, along with rather minimal structural changes. The chapter finds that ideas have played a significant role in the radical changes South Korea has made to its North Korea policies, and that these ideas correspond perfectly with its democratic regime changes.
