With the coming 2nd historical summit between North and South Korea, it is the good time to collect mains facts about

INTER-KOREA RELATIONS

I will put articles on the current events and recall old facts

But, before the Kim Jong-il and Roh Moo-Hyun summit we have to remember that the June 2000 Kim Dae-jung Kim Jong-il summit was a trick. The South president had payed a lot for that meeting that betrayed all the world.

2nd September 2007

The south Korea president and US are in conflict about how to deal with North Korea.

Roh Moo-hyun, as his predecessor Kim Dae-jung are promoting a soft approch in the relations with the North and is blaming US for a too much hardline with the North.

So, the US are worried on what the South could concede to the North on the next inter-Korean summit
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/II01Dg01.html

How is the next 2nd summit meeting saw in South Korea ?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6936946.stm

Second inter-Korea summit is rescheduled for October 2-4
http://www.kois.go.kr/News/Issues/issueView.asp?issue_no=106

On the coming second inter-Korea summit, one thing is sure. The reunifiction question will be just mentioned as a principle
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/4CE26332-CE3F-405D-AB3E- A654E98F1F0F.htm

Here are the key points of the joint ddeclaration signed on 4 October 2007 by the leaders of North and South Korea after the Roh-Kim summit (2-4 October 2007)

Nowhere the word "reunification" is mentioned
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7027336.stm <br><br>Post edited by: Jacques, at: 2007/10/04 12:52

United Nations general Assembly supports inter-Korean dialogue
http://news.monstersandcritics.com/asiapacific/news/ article_1370279.php/UN_General_Assembly_supports_inter- Korean_dialogue
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/308949/1/ .html<br><br>Post edited by: Jacques, at: 2007/11/01 01:45

South Korea has a living level comparable to Europe, whereas North Korea is suffering a fierce poverty. They are living in 2 different worlds, people are thinking in different way.

On North side, the reunion will certainly cause a drastic increase of material desire in North Korea, where there the normal people have no political consciousness, and where the corruption is silently accepted as a normal pratice. Again, North Korea could be even worse than China today in terms of social unstability, despite assistance that they could have from South.

On South side, from the contact with business people in South Korea, I have impression that they consider the North rather as a burden. And this is more cherity to ex-compatriot than political and economical reunion, because Koreans are quite nationalist. Still, are South people ready to accept the turbulence on the fragile labor market already under the influence of China?

I have to say, I know nothing about politics, and I am not really interested, but I have always been puzzling on this subject. It is really hard to imagin what whickest thing could happen on this peninsula in the shedow of US and China/Russia. For me, this case is another example of &quot;politics is a dirty game&quot;.

i'm nut sure for this time

Maybe it'll be done in several years.