The Peaceful Use of the Korean DMZ Area: Transnational Interactions and South Korea’s Policy Development (1990-2009)

This study describes the characteristics of the transnational interactions among multiple actors for the peaceful use of the Korean DMZ area from 1990-2009, and discusses how these characteristics have influenced the development of official South Korean policies. In particular, this study focuses on the communicative interactions among the government and other actors, the political relationships of which have gradually transformed and brought about the overall policy development. Based on research on the principal actors, major international conferences, and the development of official policies and projects at both the central and local governmental levels, this study provides a chronological timetable regarding these activities for a meaningful understanding and analysis of the issue. This study also indicates how the international policy networks were formulated and how the policies for the conservation of natural resources and the projects for a peace park have emerged as central agendas of this issue.