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Inter-Korean Dialogue, 1977-1980

 A collection of primary source documents obtained from the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Romanian archives on efforts to revive the inter-Korean dialogue and to begin a trilateral dialogue between the U.S., South Korea, and North Korea from 1977 through 1980. For collections focused on other chapters in the inter-Korean relationship, see Inter-Korean Relations after the War, 1954-1961; Inter-Korean Competition, 1961-1970; Inter-Korean Dialogue, 1971-1972; and Demise of Detente in Korea, 1973-1975.

Popular Documents

September 9, 1978

Cvijetin Mijatović’s Conversation with Kim Il Sung on September 9, 1978

Kim Il Sung discusses new developments in inter-Korean relations and his views on the Non-Aligned Movement.

February 6, 1978

Message from the President of the [Democratic] People's Republic of Korea and the Secretary General of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, Kim Il Sung, to the President of the [SF] Republic [of Yugoslavia], Josip Broz Tito.

Kim Il Sung criticizes Park Chung Hee and says the United States should "remove" him.

May 18, 1978

Letter to Park Chung Hee from Jimmy Carter

Carter writes to Park to ask for help to reduce tensions on the peninsula and facilitate the resumption of a serious North-South dialogue.

March 28, 1978

Response of the President of the [Socialist Federal] Republic [of Yugoslavia], J.B. Tito, to Kim Il Sung

During his visit to the United States, Tito stressed that relations between states should be based on equality and independence. Regarding the possibility of dialogue between the US and the DPRK, Yugoslavia could help with a low level trilateral dialogue.

June 15, 1978

Message from the Secretary General of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and the President of the People's Republic of Korea, Kim Il Sung, to the President of the [SF] Republic [of Yugoslavia], Josip Broz Tito.

Kim acknowledges Tito's full support for the reunification of Korean peninsula, and says that he is considering the proposal for low level talks between the United States, South Korea and the DPRK.