Responding to the crisis in North Korea

Abstract

As the Republic of Korea (ROK) prepares for presidential elections on 18 December, veteran opposition leader Kim Dae Jung has emerged as the most likely winner. Not only would this be the first such victory for the opposition, but it would also mark a further step in the military’s declining role in ROK politics. Two major challenges will face the new president – economic reform, and dealing with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the north. The ROK urgently needs to reform its economy to avoid the problems that have already beset South-east Asian countries. The South’s growing economic predicament coincides with a deepening and more fundamental crisis in North Korea, which has already caused malnutrition and famine in some parts of the country. International assistance is a temporary lifeline for the DPRK, but for stability on the Korean Peninsula to endure, Pyongyang will need to demonstrate an unprecedented willingness to embrace economic and political reform. This issue of Strategic Comments examines the challenges facing both North and South Korea.