| Publication |
2010.
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| Summary/Abstract |
As a result of the policy followed regarding North Korea by presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun, two inter-Korean summits were held and a substantial breakthrough made in inter-Korean economic cooperation. The steps to expand this cooperation adopted at the second inter-Korean summit could bring North and South appreciably closer and be of great material benefit to them. Lee Myung-bak's accession to power, however, and his harsher approach to North Korea have nullified a not inconsiderable portion of the efforts of his two predecessors. The inter-Korean dialogue has been terminated, the implementation of new economic plans has been frozen, and already existing projects have begun to show losses. At the same time, despite the tension in official inter-Korean relations, South Korean business continues to develop its own activities in North Korea. In August 2009, North Korea's tactic of escalating economic demands to the point where they could not be met was replaced by expectations of proposals from the South.
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