The Sunshine Policy - Report Example

Impact of the sunshine policy. Introduction. The sunshine policy was introduced in 1998 with the sole aim of improving relations between North and South Korea. Levin et al (121) say that Kim Dae Jung the then president of South Korea was the brains behind this policy. The policy was aimed at improving relations between the two Koreas. It also had one eye on the almost impossible task of reuniting North and South Korea. While the policy received its fair share of criticism, it also had its successes as well as drawbacks. The most visible success was no doubt the increased economic activity between the two states and family reunion of family members who were separated by the break up of the two states. The policy was largely criticized due to its failure to condemn and prevent human rights abuses in the North. Content of the Sunshine policy At the heart of the sunshine policy was the current and future relation between North and South Korea both “militarily and in economic cooperation”. (Buzo 79) The policy paid close attention to characteristics and strengths of the two neighbors. For instance it recognized North Korea’s thirst for military supremacy and the economic prowess of the South. Thus the sunshine policy stipulated that any military activity by North Korea would henceforth not be acceptable nor pursued. On the other side South Korea would “flex its hand of mercy by allowing private investors to invest in the North and also drop its thirst for regime change across the border”. (86) There was also an agreement that in future, politics and the economy between the two countries would take the “parallel lines route”. (Kongbogwan 18). Better put the two should not mix hence complicating relations between the two countries. The deal would also see South Korea direct humanitarian aid to the North and a host of other economic incentives. According to international relations experts, the sunshine policy was perhaps the best bet to lasting peace and cooperation between North Korea and South Korea. Fears of a long term war which would suck the two countries allies would also be averted courtesy of this policy. According to Kim, experts reasoned that no amount of external pressure and economic sanctions would break the reign of Kim-Jong’s and his thirst for military superiority in the region (111). Although the sunshine policy was articulated by Kim Dae Jung, it received quite support from Japan and the United States who had considerable interest in the stability of South Korea and also check the North’s military ambitions especially its intent to be nuclear armed. Collapse of the Sunshine policy. “On paper, the sunshine policy looked quite good and even got a thumbs up from a number of pessimists who doubted the success of the policy at the formulation stage”.(Kongbogwan 78 The deal soon got unto troubled waters when it became clear that North Korea was still pursuing its military ambitions albeit in a more subtle manner. The South raised the red flag and changed tune. It demanded the creation of a center where families separated during the war would reunite. This would be in exchange of economic aid a theory which was flatly rejected North Korea. From this point onwards, it was clear that the sunshine policy had reached a dead end and it was a matter of when the entire deal would collapse. South Korea tried to rescue the now in a disarray policy by stating that it would engage in flexible reciprocity. It would provide aid and other economic benefits without expecting anything in return in the short term from the North. The deal took a completely different twist in 2001 when the then US president George Bush named North Korea as part of the axis of evil. South Korea a naturally friendly state to the US did not condemn this statement and thus the North pulled out of the sunshine policy and resumed its military building effort. On the other hand a tougher talking South Korean president Lee Myung-bak took over and he threw a spanner into the work. He clearly stated relations with the North would strictly be based on reciprocity. This effectively marked the end of the sunshine policy and today North Korea has even tested a nuclear weapon. The impact of the sunshine policy Bleiker says that “even the harshest critics agree that the sunshine policy had its fair share of successes”. (201). This fact notwithstanding, to the average observer the policy was a failure if what it was supposed to achieve is used as the benchmark of measuring its success or failure. The most visible impact of the sunshine policy is no doubt on the economic front. Increased trade between North and South Korea. The introduction of the sunshine policy by former president Kim Dae Jung saw high levels of business activity between the two countries. Thus North Korea significantly benefited from the policy and helped to rescue its ailing economy. Bleiker points out that at least “70 business giants from South Korea now operate in North Korea”. “This business venture has created over 30,000 employment opportunities in the local market”. (121) Trade between the two countries hit an all time high of 1.8 billion dollars. This high level of trade was rare before the sunshine policy took effect and it accounts for a huge chunk of North Korea’s total external trade. The increased trade coupled with humanitarian has been crucial to jumpstarting the ailing North Korean economy. Increased humanitarian aid South Korea has spent big when it comes to aid especially at the start of the sunshine policy. In the year 2005 alone, South Korea gave humanitarian aid amounting to over 320 million dollars to its neighbor in the North. More interaction among citizens “On social grounds there has been increased interaction between relatives and citizens of the two countries”. (Kihl 91). Separated relatives were reunited when the sunshine policy came to effect. Tourism between the two countries blossomed as a result of this policy. Even today, South Korea citizens cross over the border to visit scenic sites such as the Diamond Mountains and also to interact with their friends and business contacts across the border. Political contact Although it did not meet the objectives set, the sunshine policy greatly helped in increasing political contact between the two countries. It also helped to persuade the North to drop its nuclear ambitions and pursue economic and political reforms in the country. The sunshine policy is also credited with ensuring continued peace in the Korean Peninsula. (Levin 221) Human right abuses On a controversial note, the sunshine policy was accused of ignoring human rights abuses and other evils committed by North Korea. (Edson, 36) The failure by the policy to increase democratic space in the North was also seen as one of its major failures. Conclusion. The sunshine policy was advocated by South Korea and quietly backed by other nations when it dawned to world leaders that military might may not be the most effective means of containing North Korea. While the ultimate goal of re-unification may not have been achieved, the policy was successful in ensuring peace in the Korean Peninsula and increasing economic prosperity in the two countries Bibliography Bleiker, Roland. Divided Korea: toward a culture of reconciliation. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota press, 2005 Buzo, Andrian. Making of modern Korea. London: Routledge, 2001 Edson, Michael. Korea’s twentieth century odyssey. London: McGraw Hill, 2002 Kongbogwan, Haeoe. Handbook of Korea. Michigan: University of Michigan press, 2004 Kim, Samuel. The two Koreas and the great powers. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2006 Kihl, Young W. Transforming Korean politics: democracy, reform and culture. New York: M.E Sharp, 2004 Levin, Norman, D. Han, Young S. Had, Young. Sunshine in Korea: the South Korean debate over policies toward North Korea. New York: Rand Corporation, 2002 Read More