In the Korea Times, the Asia Foundation’s Scott Snyder takes a look at the upcoming intra-Korean summit. Here’s a sample:
The ROK government has occasionally gone beyond what the South Korean public has been willing to support or has not been transparent regarding the total bill for economic and cultural exchange.
Roh may offer, but South Korea’s next leader should not be obligated to pay for North Korea’s economic development without a return on investment.
The sooner Kim is placed in harness to South Korean public opinion, the sooner a more reciprocal inter-Korean relationship will be realized. In this respect, the timing of the summit could not be better.
Roh faces a structural constraint on how far he can go to please North Korea without risking public backlash and damaging progressive chances to maintain power, but a successful summit in the eyes of South Koreans will enhance progressive chances and constrain his successor.
Read the rest on your own.
