The relations between South and North Korea have repeated reconciliation and conflict, so it is not easy to seek for the time and methods of unification even for the present. However, preparing and analyzing issues related integrations in every field ...
The relations between South and North Korea have repeated reconciliation and conflict, so it is not easy to seek for the time and methods of unification even for the present. However, preparing and analyzing issues related integrations in every field for the realization of unification as a national task will minimize the confusion caused by unification which could be realized one day.
In this study, it was dealt with the issue of legal integration, specifically the succession of treaties which each one of South and North Koreas concluded with the third countries, in case of the realization of unification of South and North Koreas. The succession of treaties seems to be a very important matter internationally as well as domestically, because its contents will be variable according to the forms of unification and it is directly related to the interests of the third countries.
In relation to the state succession of treaties, 'Vienna Convention on Succession of States in Respect of Treaties' was adopted in 1978 after making efforts of putting it in a statutory form. This convention has a meaning of international norm which can be a criterion of settling down the problem of succession of treaties.
However, the member countries of the convention are few and its contents include some provisions which cannot be regarded as international customary laws. So a majority opinion regards some of its provisions as not reflecting international customary laws. On the other hand, the provision of state integration which is related to the unification of South and North Koreas cannot separately prescribe the absorptive integration of which character is different from other methods of integration, thus causing much criticism for its defect.
Because of this, the examination of national customary practices is necessary all the more. In this vein, the investigator examined the national customary practices of other countries through the cases of state integration, separation and unification. The results of examination show that some countries' national customary practices observe the Vienna Convention of 1978, whereas some countries like Germany which achieved absorptive integration exclude the convention from their handling of treaties. On the other hand, it is remarkable that each state takes flexible approaches in their handling of treaties by reason of situational changes of state integration, separation or unification based on invoking the principle of situational changes under international laws.
The primary aim of this study was to apply the above discussions to the unification of South and North Koreas. For this, the investigator examined the results of the succession of treaties according to unification forms which have been raised by both South and North Koreas so far. Of course, the scope or extent of succession of treaties will be different according to the attempt of concrete classification, but its general results are anticipated as follows:
First, if such an integration as the type of confederation or federation is realized, the effectiveness of treaties can be maintained within each country's territorial area on the basis of the Article 31 of Vienna Convention. And regarding the concrete conclusion of treaties, the principle of situational changes can be invoked. If an absorptive integration is realized by the lead of South Korea, German case will be a good guidance. In this case, the Article 31 of Vienna Convention is excluded and according to moving treaty-frontiers rule the treaties of South Korea will be extended to North Korea. However, the principle of situational changes can be applied in this case too.
If the actual status of conclusion of treaties in South and North Koreas is discussed on the assumption that this kind of absorptive unification is realized, a more concrete and practical discussion will be achieved. In this case, it will be tried to increase the national benefits of the unified Korea without any violations of the principle of international laws. Also, the issue related succession of national border treaty or human right treaty must be approached and settled in this light.
Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to estimate advantages and disadvantages of national border treaties which North Korea concluded with China and Russia each to the unified Korea, and to analyze new treaties that North Korea has Joined. But it is difficult to grasp the treaties North Korea has concluded so far, because North Korean system is closed. And there are short of studies based on concrete treaties. So I expect more studies about this to be carried out hereafter.