평화를 목적으로 갈등의 자리 마련하기 -분쟁의 관점에서 바라보는 남북관계- 󰠏

Abstract

This paper proposes a shift in perspective on inter-Korean relations, moving away from a view that aims for unification as an inevitability based on division, and instead advocating for a conflictual perspective that focuses on the conflicts between the two Koreas. To transform this conflict into a peaceful state, we must rethink our approach to North Korea and unification. This can only be achieved when the peace perspective is based not on security but on mutual respect, which fosters the possibility of coexistence. In national discourse, unification is often presented as a symbol of peace in Northeast Asia, but that peace remains stuck in a security-centered mindset, rooted in national growth and military power derived from historical contexts. The South Korean government's view of unification aims to induce changes in North Korea through inter-Korean dialogue to achieve unification. However, this unification policy has a fundamental problem: the legitimacy and legal basis of each state's establishment are rooted in hostility towards each other, and each seeks unification based on its own system. As long as this unification policy persists, inter-Korean dialogue alone cannot lead to peace. It is now time to shift away from the conventional view that peace and unification on the Korean Peninsula are imperative, and instead view inter-Korean relations as a conflict between two states and consider various ways to resolve it peacefully. If division is based on the memory that the Korean Peninsula was once one, then a conflictual perspective focuses on solving current problems and learning how to create peace even in a relationship between two states. It is time for a change in education that addresses more realistic discussions on inter-Korean relations, reflecting the conflicts and changes on the Korean Peninsula, thereby promoting diverse perspectives and positions surrounding inter-Korean conflicts.