Seek from Different Dream to Common Ground: The July Fourth Joint Declaration and South-North Korea Cooperation

The South-North Korea Joint Declaration, which was held on July 4, 1972, was based on the three principles of independence, peace, and great national unity. It is significant, because it was the first agreement between the South and the North since the division of the Korean peninsula. It served as an occasion for the South and the North to negotiate and mutually resolve hostile situations. This also influenced the South-North Basic Agreement, which is an agreement about reconciliation, nonaggression, exchange, and cooperation between the South and the North, that was announced in 1992. The South-North Joint Declaration was issued by the heads of state of the South and the North in June 2000, and the South-North Summit Declaration was issued on October 4, 2007. The 50th anniversary in 2022, which reflects about the significance of the July 4, 1972 Joint Declaration, will also be meaningful in regard to preparing for a future orientated method for South-North cooperation. As a result, it is necessary to evaluate the historical significance of the July 4, 1972 Joint Declaration from various angles as well as seek and practice new relations that are in line with the times. It is emphasized in this paper how to materialize the methodology of the common ground by going one step further, which is in view of the fact that the South and the North had a different dream aspect in regard to their respective domestic and international environments, in order to explore this type of solution. This is due to the significance of the July 4, 1972 Joint Declaration, which can still be taken as a starting point for the movement for the reunification of the Korean peninsula.