South Korea’s Policy Toward North Korea, 1998–2003

Abstract

Abstract

Between 1998 and 2003, South Korea adopted a policy of reconciliation and peaceful cooperation with North Korea, known as the “Sunshine Policy.” It was a new type of policy toward North Korea introduced by President Kim Dae-jung upon assuming office on February 25, 1998, and carried out with restraint and patience until February 24, 2003, despite the North’s escalating military provocations and the international changes that challenged its implementation. The most prominent outcome of this policy was the first inter-Korean summit, held on June 15, 2000, after nearly 55 years of division.