DONALD TRUMP’S U.S. PRESIDENTIAL LEADERSHIP AND THE PROSPECT OF PEACEFUL REUNIFICATION IN THE KOREAN PENINSULA: A PRELIMINARY STUDY

Abstract

This thesis sought to see the role of Donald Trump‘s U.S. presidential leadership in leading the prospect of Korean reunification. This topic is critical because of the strategic position of the Korean Peninsula and the increasing prominence of individual leadership in International Relations. Using qualitative research methodology, the author is based on constructivism and theory of leadership, particularly by Joseph Nye and Burns. The study is limited to Trump‘s presidency from 2017 until 2018. Donald Trump‘s presidential leadership could be expressed using these two keywords: transactional and transformational. The former is evident in his tendency to threaten and utilize economic prowess. Meanwhile, the latter is expressed in his grandiose goal as implied in ‗America First‘ doctrine. In terms of reunification, there is a differing view between ROK and DPRK. ROK upholds freedom and democracy while DPRK based its approach on independence and national unity. The US president played both direct and indirect role which gave substantial impetus to PyeongChang Olympics, the Inter-Korean Summits and Singapore Summit. However, Trump‘s U.S. Presidential leadership brings no real incentive to the prospect of reunification between ROK and DPRK. Donald Trump took major part in the first two stages of Korean reunification in suspending DPRK‘s nuclear program and pushing forward dialogues on denuclearization between U.S., ROK and DPRK. However, Trump failed to build strong foundation to urge DPRK to decisively declare its denuclearization and to verify the process as the foremost and critical concluding step toward Korean reunification.