북핵문제에 대한 일본 안보정책의 제약과 기회 고찰: 북한의 NPT가입 및 탈퇴 시기(1989-1993) 사례

Abstract

As regards its security policy towards the North Korean nuclear issue, the initial cooperative position (1989-1991) taken by Japan subsequently transformed into a firm position, resulting from a change in Japans partnership with the USA. In other words, Japan proclaimed positive diplomacy for region stability in the context of a global partnership with the USA. The main principle of this global partnership is a separation of political and military issues between Japan and the USA, respectively. As such, the USA takes charge of military security through its military bases in the Asia-Pacific region, while Japan tries to resolve political questions through positive diplomacy, thereby discarding past constraints and establishing a new position for itself through security diplomacy in the post-cold war era. However, as a result of this policy, Japan recently drove North Korea into a comer by linking the nuclear issue with political questions, for example, diplomatic normalization issues with mutual inspections, and economic cooperation with nuclear issues etc. Therefore, insofar as the USA is calling for a proactive role from Japan as its global partner in East Asia, a corresponding influence is also needed in the future from Japan.

The cooperation between the USA, Japan, and South Korea through KEDO can be analyzed as follows; the USA dominates the East- Asian military, order, while Japan takes charge of the politico-economic support. Accordingly, to a certain degree the Japanese role can be interpreted as supporting American world military strategy, while also strengthening Japans position in East-Asian affairs. Consequently, it is difficult to deny that Japan"s role is contributing to the formation of a new world order centering on the USA.