The Korean Peninsula

This book addresses the issue that is whether the new Eas and West atmosphere of detente and arms reduction can smother the sparks of conflict on the Korean peninsula and perhaps illuminate the path to a Korea reunified as a democratic state.

William J. Taylor, Jr, is vice-president for public policy programs at CSIS. A retired U.S. army colonel, Taylor is the author or editor of numerous books and articles on U.S. defense policy, including many on ROK-U.S. security relations. Taylor is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Cha Young-Koo, director of policy planning at KIDA, is a graduate of the Korea Military Academy and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Paris. Cha is an adviser to the Korean National Unification Board and a former visiting fellow at CSIS. John Q. Blodgett is a fellow in international security studies at CSIS. As a career foreign service officer, he specialized in economic, military, and political affairs serving at nine overseas posts in Europe, Asia, and Africa for 32 years. He also served as deputy director of plans for policy, U.S. Air Force Staff.

Introduction and Overview -- The Global New Detente and the Korean Peninsula -- Global New Detente: Historical Perspectives -- U.S. Global Strategy in the New Era of Detente -- Global Detente and North Korea's Strategic Relations -- Neo-Detente and North Korean Relations with China and the Soviet Union -- The Context for Arms Reduction -- The Balance of Power in the Western Pacific -- The Military Balance on the Korean Peninsula -- The Future of ROK-U.S. Military Relations -- The Future of ROK-U.S. Security Ties -- Soviet Foreign Policy and Its Implications for Peace and Security in Northeast Asia -- Sino-Soviet Rivalry in Korea -- Arms Control in Korea: Issues and Prospects -- Military Talks in Korea: An Overview -- Inter-Korean Military Negotiations and U.S.-South Korean Security Cooperation -- Operational Arms Control in Europe: Implications for Security Negotiations in Korea -- Lessons for Korea from Conventional Arms Control Talks in Europe -- The Unthinkable Thinking about the Korean Peninsula -- Conclusions and Policy Implications