This article’s purpose is to analyze Putin’s foreign policy toward the Korean peninsula. It opens with a brief review on the changes of Yeltsin’s foreign policy line and on his foreign policy toward the Korean peninsula. And the prospects for Putin’s foreign policy toward the Korean peninsula are presented. The transition process of Russia’s foreign policy line since late 1991 can be divided into three phases; pro-western foreign policy line from late 1991 to late 1992, Eurasian foreign policy line from late 1992 through mid-1996, multi-directional policy line since mid-1996. Putin is in succession of Yeltsin’s multidirectional policy line. Yeltsin’s foreign policy toward the Korean peninsula can be distinguished into two phases; pro-South Korea policy until the death of Kim Il Sung in July of 1994, balanced policy toward South and North Korea since that time. The Russia-South Korea relationship was re-adjusted by re-affirming a “Constructive and Mutually Complementary Partnership” at the summit in May of 1999 between Kim Dae-jung and Yeltsin. In the meanwhile, the transition process of Yeltsin’s foreign policy toward North Korea since the disintegration of the Soviet Union is to be differentiated in four phases: a period of aggravation until the first half of 1994, Russia’s search for improving its ties with North Korea until the second half of 1996, a period of stagnation from the first half of 1997 to the second half of 1999, and a period of re-adjustment since 2000. At present, Putin is carrying out a pragmatic and realistic foreign policy, which is based on more profits in the political and economic sense, while pursuing balanced policy toward South and North Korea as was in the second term of Yeltsin’s presidency. “Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation” approved by Putin in June of 2000 explains that “of greatest concern (in Asia) is the situation in the Korean Peninsula. Efforts will be focused on assuring Russian equitable participation in solving the Korean problem and on maintaining balanced relations with both Korean States.” Russia’s signing of a new “Treaty on Friendship, Good Neighborliness and Cooperation between Russia and North Korea” in February of 2000, Putin’s visits to North Korea in July of 2000 and to South Korea in February of 2001 can be understood in this context. In addition, the Russian government has been actively seeking the tripartite economic cooperation among South and North Korea and Russia in order to ensure substantial economic benefits. It is because the Russian economy showed a tendency of recovery in 2000 and on the Korean peninsula the reconciliation and cooperation between South and North Korea tended to extend after the inter-Korean summit. At present, Russia attaches great importance to the stability of the Korean peninsula, regarding its unification as a matter to some future occasion. Therefore, Putin is likely to maintain the established principles of the Russian policy that have balanced relations with South and North Korea, while continuing to pursue his pragmatic policy so that he may raise Russia’s voice in the Korean problems and obtain economic benefits. The second Russia-North Korea summit between Putin and Kim Jong-Il might be held just prior to the second inter-Korean summit

This article’s purpose is to analyze Putin’s foreign policy toward the Korean peninsula. It opens with a brief review on the changes of Yeltsin’s foreign policy line and on his foreign policy toward the Korean peninsula. And the prospects for Putin’s foreign policy toward the Korean peninsula are presented. The transition process of Russia’s foreign policy line since late 1991 can be divided into three phases; pro-western foreign policy line from late 1991 to late 1992, Eurasian foreign policy line from late 1992 through mid-1996, multi-directional policy line since mid-1996. Putin is in succession of Yeltsin’s multidirectional policy line. Yeltsin’s foreign policy toward the Korean peninsula can be distinguished into two phases; pro-South Korea policy until the death of Kim Il Sung in July of 1994, balanced policy toward South and North Korea since that time. The Russia-South Korea relationship was re-adjusted by re-affirming a “Constructive and Mutually Complementary Partnership” at the summit in May of 1999 between Kim Dae-jung and Yeltsin. In the meanwhile, the transition process of Yeltsin’s foreign policy toward North Korea since the disintegration of the Soviet Union is to be differentiated in four phases: a period of aggravation until the first half of 1994, Russia’s search for improving its ties with North Korea until the second half of 1996, a period of stagnation from the first half of 1997 to the second half of 1999, and a period of re-adjustment since 2000. At present, Putin is carrying out a pragmatic and realistic foreign policy, which is based on more profits in the political and economic sense, while pursuing balanced policy toward South and North Korea as was in the second term of Yeltsin’s presidency. “Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation” approved by Putin in June of 2000 explains that “of greatest concern (in Asia) is the situation in the Korean Peninsula. Efforts will be focused on assuring Russian equitable participation in solving the Korean problem and on maintaining balanced relations with both Korean States.” Russia’s signing of a new “Treaty on Friendship, Good Neighborliness and Cooperation between Russia and North Korea” in February of 2000, Putin’s visits to North Korea in July of 2000 and to South Korea in February of 2001 can be understood in this context. In addition, the Russian government has been actively seeking the tripartite economic cooperation among South and North Korea and Russia in order to ensure substantial economic benefits. It is because the Russian economy showed a tendency of recovery in 2000 and on the Korean peninsula the reconciliation and cooperation between South and North Korea tended to extend after the inter-Korean summit. At present, Russia attaches great importance to the stability of the Korean peninsula, regarding its unification as a matter to some future occasion. Therefore, Putin is likely to maintain the established principles of the Russian policy that have balanced relations with South and North Korea, while continuing to pursue his pragmatic policy so that he may raise Russia’s voice in the Korean problems and obtain economic benefits. The second Russia-North Korea summit between Putin and Kim Jong-Il might be held just prior to the second inter-Korean summit