Russia`s Policy towards the Korean Peninsula at the close of XX: beginning of XXI centuries = Russia`s Policy towards the Korean Peninsula at the close of XX: beginning of XXI centuries

국문 초록 (Abstract)

남북한 모두에 대한 러시아의 실용적 접근은 전략적 과정의 통합된 부분이며, 지난 60년간의 기본 이해관계와 연속된 목표를 반영하고 있다. 1991년부터 러시아는 남북한을 동반자로 간주해왔다. 러시아는 북한의 핵무기 보유가 세계 비확산 체제를 유지하는 목표뿐 아니라 자국의 안보 이익에 근본적으로 배치된다고 견지에서 한반도 비핵화를 확고히 지지한다. 동시에 러시아의 최우선적 요구는 한반도의 평화와 안전, 안정을 유지하는 것이다. 러시아정부는 북한과의 국경을 맞대고 있는 까닭에 어떠한 무력분쟁도 러시아의 안보에 커다란 손실을 끼칠 것으로 보고 있다. 핵무기 제거를 위해 북한에 대한 군사행동을 지지할 것인지 아니면 한반도의 평화 유지를 위해 행동할 것인지 선택의 기로에 빠진다면 러시아 지도부는 분명 후자를 택할 것이다. 러시아는 북한의 비핵화에 확고한 입장을 가지지만 그것은 오직 평화적 수단에 의한 것이어야 한다. 한반도 통일에 대한 러시아의 접근 역시 평화적이고 자주적인 기반의 통일에 목적을 둔 한국민의 의지와 열망을 지지하는 것이다.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Russia’s pragmatic and calculating approach towards the Republic of Korea and the DPRK as well as towards the Korean Peninsula in general is an integral part of the strategic course and reflects its fundamental interests and constant goal during at least last 60 years. Beginning from 1991 Moscow regards both Korean states as partners. Their relationships have independent value to Moscow and rest on principles of good neighborly interaction and cooperation. Moscow enjoys mature multilateral comprehensive cooperation with Seoul. Suffice it to underline the achieved level of bilateral trade volume of $ 32,5 billion, amount of South Korea investments about $ 2,6 billion in 2013 and two countries citizens visa-free travel status. Russia maintains a firm and genuine stand in favor of nuclear-free status of the Korean Peninsula and proceeds from understanding that the North Korean possession of nuclear weapons stands in fundamental contradiction to its national security interests as well as goals of sustaining the global nonproliferation regime. At the same time, Russia’s first priority is and will be the goal of maintaining peace, security, and stability on the Korean peninsula. Moscow believes that due to sharing a common border with North Korea, any Korean armed conflict will unavoidably inflict heavy damage to the military-and-political, economic, environmental, humanitarian, demographic, etc. security of Russia. In this way, in a hypothetical situation whereupon Russian leadership was facing a dilemma whether to support military action against North Korea aimed at elimination of its nuclear weapons or act towards preserving peace on the Korean peninsula, Moscow will opt for the second path. In other words, Russia is firmly committed to the nuclear disarmament of North Korea but exclusively by peaceful diplomatic means. Russia’s approach towards the Korea reunification perspective can be described by the same characteristics -Moscow strongly support Korea people will and aspiration aimed at the unification but only on the peaceful and voluntary basis.