한반도 신뢰프로세스와 남북관계 전망

Abstract

This paper is to examine Inter-Korean trust building process, proposed by President Park Geun-hye, and to evaluate its requirements and supplementary factors in order to embody this proposal to be an actual policy. Throughout the first half of 2013, President Park’s proposal could not have a chance to demonstrate its qualities, mainly due to the Korean crisis at the time. Fortunately several beneficial signals to activate the trust building process are emerging within and without Korean peninsula. To start the process, however, is too complicated to make an official inter-Korean meeting possible for resolving the existing issues. Inter-Korean trust building process is a design of formulating mutual trust based on national security through step-by-step confidence building measures, starting from a low standard. Given the fact that current inter-Korean relation is located in particularly low trust level, this proposal is highly realistic to apply. However, it could lose the qualities when confronting an apathetic response from North Korea or its systematic problems. Thus, this paper argues that it is necessary to have a strategic future vision, based on long-term consent, in order to enable continuous operation of the trust building process. It also suggests that North Korean internationalization should be considered as “the shadow of the future” in that this perspective could establish both inward and outward fundamentals for North Korea to be a normal agent in the international community. In addition, this paper emphasizes that South Korean governance structure should be mediated, grounded on ‘trust.’ In other words, rules and flexibility, criticism and support, and denuclearization and confidence building should be underscored in terms of policy toward North Korea. Furthermore, this paper discusses the necessity of preparation for peace agenda, as constructing multi-lateral architecture, such as the six-party talks. Above all, this paper emphasizes the President’s strategic vision to stress the need of trust building for peace and unification of Korean peninsular and that it is important to meet the mission of the times.