Forces that influence United States policy on the Korean peninsula: The factors that have brought change in the land of the morning calm

This dissertation examines five key factors that have influenced United States policy regarding the Korean peninsula in the 1990s---particularly since 1993. The five key factors include the influence of the Korean diaspora in the United States. Non-governmental and Private Voluntary organizations (NGOs and PVOs), bi-lateral and tri-lateral relationships, the government in North Korea and the United States military.; The conclusions reached in this dissertation were based on research conducted by examining transcripts from conferences and symposiums. Conclusions were also reached based on an analysis of speeches given by policy makers on both sides of the Pacific, as well US and South Korean government reports, while papers and legislative testimony. In addition, a study was conducted of papers, reports and special releases by think tanks, government agencies, public policy institutes and universities. This research was used to determine the role of Korean diaspora, NGOs and PVOs, bi-lateral and trilateral relationships (involving nations with important interests in Northeast Asia and the Korean Peninsula), the North Korean government and the United States military in influencing policy in Washington toward the Korean peninsula. Further examination of the five factors just mentioned was done by surveying 12 Korean American organizations to gain their insights on the role diaspora have played in affecting American policy since the early 1990s. A comparative study on the military force readiness and capabilities of the two Korean militaries was done to provide further evidence about the effects and importance of the five key factors studied during this dissertation.; This dissertation makes a contribution to the National Security Studies field by using the research methodologies described above to show that the five key factors articulated have played a major role in influencing US policy toward the Korean peninsula since the early 1990s---and probably well into the 21st century. By addressing these five key factors in the research for this dissertation, national security policy analysts will be aided in determining how future policy issues should be addressed when dealing with the two Koreas, and eventually, a unified Korea. Korean reunification issues have been examined extensively by national security policy analysts during the past five to seven years, but never in the context of addressing the set of key factors examined in this dissertation.