Korea's Future: Pyongyang's Perspective

Abstract

THE RESOLUTION OF the Korean problem, despite its apparent intractability and elusiveness, continues to engage the minds of commentators as well as policy-makers. Their search for a peaceful settlement has led to the advocacy of certain proposals. The objective of the present paper is to shed some light on North Korean attitudes toward these proposals. The task, however, presupposes an understanding of the major principles and programs which North Korea itself has enunciated on the question of reunification because these provide a basis for projecting as well as understanding North Korea's positions on all proposals. The first portion of this paper is therefore devoted to a brief discussion of the unification policy. North Korean publications used to refer to two general guidelines or principles governing reunification-namely, independence (autonomy) and democracy. The first is interpreted to mean efforts by Koreans themselves, unhindered by external interference, that will follow the removal of all foreign troops. The second guideline relates to the requirement that reunification conform to the interests of the entire nation expressed by the free will of the masses. Peaceful means and national unity are often invoked concurrently with the above principles. In recent years North Koreans have come to speak frequently of three great principles of reunification, referring to a portion of the North-South joint communique of July 4, 1972.1 The three principles refer to (1) independent Korean efforts without external interference, (2) peaceful means, and (3) a great national unity, transcending differences in ideals, ideologies, and systems. North Koreans speak of two alternative methods distinct from the general principles previously mentioned. The first is a peaceful method. The North Koreans have affirmed repeatedly that their desire for and commitment to a peaceful method is sincere. Peaceful reunification is considered possible when a successful revolution in South Korea