The Future of the Korean Peninsula: Korea 2032 and Beyond

From the publisher’s website:

This book considers both Koreas – North Korea and South Korea – to examine possible pathways for the years leading up to 2032 and beyond, thus offering a composite picture of Korea and its strategic relevance in Asia and the world at large.

Through a combined South-North Olympic team and an effort of jointly hosting the Games, Republic of Korea president Moon Jae-in has marked the year 2032 as special in the future of the Korean Peninsula. Although the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has expressed scepticism about a combined hosting of the Games, the expectation in Korea is that this event will underline the shared destiny of the people inhabiting the peninsula and realign two states still caught in an ideologically fraught civil conflict that is one of the last vestiges of the Cold War. Chapters begin with a brief historical review and analysis of the present, before moving to consider how these will shape the next decade, drawing comparative and complementary analyses. No matter how contrasting the contemporary trajectories of both North and South Korea might appear, ‘Korea’ as a singular entity is an old concept still containing great possibilities. As the ongoing inter-Korean reconciliation process underscores, the futures of North and South Korea can be found in a complementary singular Korea, which would again represent an important political, strategic, cultural, and social space in Asia.

An evaluation of the future trajectory, social awareness and perception of the Koreas, this book offers a valuable contribution to the study of North and South Korea and Asian Politics.

About the editors

Mason Richey is Associate Professor of International Politics at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Seoul, South Korea.

Jagannath P. Panda is a Research Fellow and Centre Head for East Asia at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, India.

David A. Tizzard is Assistant Professor at Seoul Women’s University, South Korea.

Contents

Introduction—Prelude to Korea 2032 | MASON RICHEY, JAGANNATH P. PANDA, AND DAVID A. TIZZARD

PART I: The Contemporary Korean Peninsula

1. Promise and Peril: Korea in Northeast Asia | MASON RICHEY AND LEIF-ERIC EASLEY
2. Ideas Matter in Inter-Korean Relations: Shifts in South Korea’s Foreign Policy Interests and Behavior Vis-à-Vis North Korea | KADIR JUN AYHAN AND KIM YUREE
3. The Status Quo and Its Discontents: The Legacy of Donald Trump’s “America First” and the Future of the US-Korea Relationship | ROB YORK

PART II: Korea’s Role in Regional and Global Affairs

4. Troubling Neighborhood: Japan’s Perspective on the Korean Peninsula | ALEXANDRA SAKAKI
5. China-Korea Relations in 2032: The Race for Eco-Political Dominance | THÉO CLÉMENT
6. Nuclear Issues on the Korean Peninsula | DUYEON KIM
7. Between Accords and Discords: Korea in United Nations Discourse | MAHIMA N. DUGGAL AND JAGANNATH P. PANDA

PART III: Economy, Politics, and Socio-Culture on the Korean Peninsula

8. A Unified Korean Peninsula Economy: Benefits for Both Sides of the 38^th Parallel | RANDALL JONES
9. Future Acts of Past Forgetting: Symbolism, Political Consciousness, and Ethno-Nationalism in Korean Reunification | DAVID A. TIZZARD
10. Separation and Coming Together: Problems and Prospects for the Korean Peninsula | VYJAYANTI RAGHAVAN
11. The Wilsonian State: Korea in Modern World History | YOUNGJUN KIM