The Lee Administration Pragmatism On North Korea Policy Research

As the main actor to solve the problem of the Korean Peninsula, South Korea’s policy toward DPRK has a direct impact on the development of ROK-DPRK relations and the situation on the peninsula. Incumbent Lee Myung-Bak administration adjusted the inclusive policy paradigm of previous Kim Dae-Jung and Roh Moo-Hyun to the pragmatic one after its debut in2008. The government made the "co-existence and common prosperity" policy toward DPRK and set "nuclear-free, open,3000" as its policy means on the basis of "reciprocity" principles. Lee’s policy is the turning point and fracture of South Korean government’s policy toward DPRK since Kim Dae-Jung, which is influenced not only by the individual factor of President Lee Myung-Bak, but also by the conservative political forces in power,"South-South conflict" and conservative national public opinions inside South Korea. In addition, the balance of power between the two Koreas and South Korea’s understanding of North Korea’s threat level also have direct impact on the choice of the current government while external factors centering on the U.S. factor have the structural influence. Furthermore, U.S. plays a more special key role for Lee’s government’s policy toward DPRK. Lee Myung-Bak administration’s term is coming to an end after the2012presidential election. A review of the change of ROK-DPRK relations and the situation on the peninsula under Lee’s pragmatic policy toward DPRK proved the inevitability, necessity and reasonableness of the policy. However, Lee’s policy toward DPRK failed to obtain the expected effect because of the fundamental problem of pragmatism policy paradigm, the flaws of the specific policy and its implementation. In fact, Lee Myung-Bak government is to make more diplomatic efforts in order to ease ROK-DPRK relations and stabilize the situation on the peninsula before his term of office draws to a close. Considering that it is extremely unlikely for Lee Myung-Bak administration to change the pragmatism policy paradigm, the regulatory role of the pragmatism paradigm on its specific policy toward DPRK will continue to exist. The government will always adhere to the practical attitude and the "reciprocity" principle, and maintain a slight easing tone in the overall tough one regardless of how Lee Myung-Bak administration flexibly adjusts the specific methods and means against DPRK.