The Right Turn in the ROK's Politics: the Current State and Prospects of Inter-Korean Relations

The conservatives of the Republic of Korea (ROK) returned to power in the presidential elections of 2007. Since the inauguration of a conservative President on February 25, 2008 a right turn in the political life of the ROK has begun. It is accompanied by significant changes in the political and economic life, as well as the foreign policy of the country. South Korea's military and political alliance with the United States has strengthened. Payments from the ROK's budget for the costs of the American troops stationed in the country have increased. The implementation of the agreement reached under President Roh Moo-Hyun concerning the OpCom's transfer to the South Koreans in 2012 has been postponed indefinitely. The right turn in the South Korean politics has had a particularly noticeable impact on the inter-Korean relations. President Lee Myung-Bak bet on the absorption of the DPRK. The consequence of this policy was almost complete cancellation of all the agreements achieved under presidents Kim Dae-Jun and Roh Moo-Hyun, inter-Korean on the normalization of inter-Korean relations and large-scale cooperation. Sinking of Corvette "Chonan" in the Yellow sea in March 2010 led to imposing comprehensive sanctions by the ROK against the DPRK on May 24, 2010, which resulted in the almost complete curtailment of trade and cooperation between them. In recent years, inter-Korean relations have been often characterized by the escalation of tensions accompanied by military buildup by both countries and strengthening of the DPRK's nuclear potential. Numerous initiatives on inter-Korean relations by President Park Geun-Hye have not yield any adequate practical results. Apparently, there are no prospects for a breakthrough in inter-Korean relations until the change of administrations in the United States and the ROK.