Reagan Faces Korea: Alliance Politics and Quiet Diplomacy

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Springer Nature, Nov 13, 2019 - Political Science - 278 pages
This is a unique and definitive study to reassess the complex dynamics of US-Korea diplomatic relations during the Reagan presidency. It examines the goals, methods, and legacy of Reagan’s policy toward Korea with emphasis on the realities of alliance politics and the tactics of quiet diplomacy. It questions a widely held view that Reagan showed simplistic, inattentive, and rigid approaches toward foreign affairs, arguing that his actual policy, as demonstrated in the Korea case, was more sophisticated, nuanced, and pragmatic than commonly assumed. Based on a vast amount of confidential diplomatic documents, especially in Korean, and interviews the author has conducted with US and Korean leaders, Lee sheds new light on Reagan's role in promoting democratization in South Korea as well as his engagement with North Korea.
 

Contents

Introduction Ronald Reagans Foreign Policy
1
Embracing the Primacy of Alliance and Stability
15
Dealing with Tragedies and Crises in Korea
58
Kim Dae Jung Exile in America and Its Aftermath
105
Protests Succession Struggles and Economic Relations
155
In Pursuit of Democratization and Engagement
197
Conclusion The Legacy of Reagans Korea Policy
257
Appendix
269
Index
272
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About the author (2019)

Chae-Jin Lee is Bank of America Professor of Pacific Basin Studies and Professor of Government (Emeritus) at Claremont McKenna College, USA.