Study On Russia-Korean Peninsula Policy After The Cold War

Russia, as s traditional power in Northeast Asia, has important geopolitical strategic interests in Korean Peninsula. In Soviet times, Korea Peninsula is the eastern front for the military and political confrontation between the Soviet Union and the United States. Bounded by the thirty-eighth parallel in Korean Peninsula, there formed the two confronted military alliances, that is, with Soviet Union and North Korea on one side, and the United States and South Korea on the other side. After the disintegration of Soviet Union and after the Cold War, the international pattern in Northeast Asia and the situations in Korean Peninsula have undergone significant changes. The Russian Policy on Korean Peninsula has also had significant adjustments. In view of its geopolitical, economic and security interests in Northeast Asia, Russia gradually establishes the north-south balanced foreign policy in Korean Peninsula. Russia positively develops friendly relations with South Korea and simultaneously maintains the good-neighborly and friendly relations with North Korea. Russia takes an active part in the Six-party Talks on North Korean Nuclear Issue in Beijing, and plays a constructive role in easing the tensions on Korean Peninsula, maintaining the peace and stability in Northeast Asia. China and Russia have a lot in common in their policies on Korean Peninsula. Strengthening the coordination and cooperation between the two countries in resolving the North Korean Peninsula Issue is of great significance in achieving denuclearization of Korean Peninsula and promoting the peace and development in Northeast Asia.This dissertation applies the theory and method in geopolitics and international relations, systematically researches the development and change of the Russia Policy on Korean Peninsula, makes a thorough analysis of the political, economic and military relationships among Russia, North Korea and South Korea, makes an evaluation and outlook of the characteristics and trend of the Russian Policy on Korean Peninsula and finally discusses how to strengthen the coordination and cooperation on North Korean Nuclear Issue between China and Russia.The dissertation is divided into five chapters:The first chapter:"The Geopolitical Analysis of Russian Policy on Korean Peninsula". This chapter analyzes the changes in Russian geopolitical and its influences on Russian Policy on North Korean Peninsula after the Cold War mainly from geopolitical perspective. Russia is a country across the Eurasian continent, after the disintegration of Soviet Union, the Russian geopolitical center moves towards the east and Russia begins to turn to the Eurasian balanced geopolitical strategy. Asia has improved its status in the Russian geopolitical politics gradually. The main goal of the Russian policy on Asia is to maintain geopolitical security in its eastern region and promote social economic revitalization for Russia in Far East. Korean Peninsula is Russia's neighbor, thus Russia has important political, economic and security interests in Korean Peninsula. Due to the complex historical and geopolitical factors, Korea Peninsula is the intersection of strategic interests among countries in Northeast Asia. Such geopolitical characteristic decides that Korean Peninsula is an important aspect of the Russian foreign policy and the relations among Russia, North Korea and South Korea has become an important national relationship in northeast Asia. The second chapter:"The Russian Foreign Policy on the Korean Peninsula Policy". This chapter makes a longitudinal analysis of the Russian foreign policy on Korean Peninsula after the Cold War. The Russian Policy on Korean Peninsula has undergone significant adjustments. It takes the pro-North Korea but alienating South Korea policy in the Soviet period, adopts the pro-South Korea but alienating North Korea policy in the early Russian independent period and turns to the"north-south balance"foreign policy between North Korea and South Korea in the mid 1990s. Russia has abolished the traditional military alliance relationship with North Korea and they have established a new national relationship on the basis of"the Russia-North Korea Good-neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation"signed in 2000. Russia positively develops its relation and establishes strategic partner relationship with South Korea. Russia actively develops the political, economic, and military relations with North Korea and South Korea and conducts cooperation in various fields. On Korean Peninsula Issue, Russia supports the process of independent and peaceful reunification of both north and south of Korean Peninsula, insists on peacefully resolving Korean Nuclear Issue through negotiations in order to achieve denuclearization of North Korean Peninsula, maintain peace and security of Korean Peninsula, and achieve peace and stability in Northeast Asia.The third chapter:"The Russian Economic Policy on Korean Peninsula."This chapter mainly discusses the economic relationships among Russia, North Korea and South Korea. Russia has made significant adjustments in its economic policy on North Korea, namely, from economic aid policy in the Soviet Union period to developing economic and trade relations between the two countries according to the principle of market economy. However, the economic cooperation between the Russian Far East and North Korea is very active. Russia's economic and trade relations with South Korea develop continuously and the trade volume between the two countries has steady and rapid growth, so South Korea has become one of the main economic partners of Russia in Asia. Russia has been actively promoting the economic cooperation among the three parties of Russia, North Korea and South Korea. Russia plans to connect the Siberian railway and the North Korea-South Korea railway to form a strategic transportation passageway across the Eurasian continent. Meanwhile, it plans to open up a gas pipeline from Russia to North Korea and South Korea, opens a gas sales market from Russia to North Korea and South Korea. The three-party cooperation among Russia, North Korea and South Korea in the two fields has not only made some progress, but also faces serious obstacles, mainly due to the influence of the security situation in North Korean Peninsula.The fourth chapter:"The Russian Security Policy on Korean Peninsula". This chapter chiefly discusses the military security cooperation among Russia and North Korea and South Korea, studies the principle standpoint of Russia on the reunification of north and south of Korean Peninsula and North Korean Nuclear Issue. Russia is connected with Korean Peninsula whose tensions or conflicts pose direct threats to the peace and security in the Russian Far East. Russia positively develops military exchanges and carries out dialogue and cooperation in the field of security with North Korea and South Korea. Russia takes an active part in the Six-party Talks on North Korean Nuclear Issue in Beijing and conducts diplomatic coordination and consultation to solve the North Korean Nuclear Issue. Russia adheres to the principle of denuclearization of Korean Peninsula and holds that the Beijing Six-party talks are the only way to solve the North Korean Nuclear Issue.The fifth chapter:"The Russian Policy Trend towards North Korean Peninsula". This chapter makes an evaluation analysis of the Russian Policy on Korean Peninsula , discusses the characteristics and influences of the Russian Policy on Korean Peninsula, makes a predictive outlook of the Russian Policy trend towards Korean Peninsula and finally investigates the coordination and cooperation between China and Russia in resolving the Korean Peninsula Issue. The Russian Policy on Korean Peninsula has the"north-south balance"characteristics. Russia plays a positive and constructive role in maintaining the peace and stability of Korean Peninsula and successfully resolving North Korean Nuclear Issue through the negotiations. Russia will continue to implement the"north-south balance"foreign policy on Korean Peninsula, actively participate in resolving the Korean Peninsula issues and improve Russia's influence in Korean Peninsula affairs and in Northeast Asia. China and Russia have a lot in common in their North Korean Peninsula policies, therefore, strengthening the coordination and cooperation between China and Russia is of great significance in maintaining the peace and stability in Korean Peninsula and promoting the peace and development in Northeast Asia.