The Korean conflict that began shortly after World War II remains
unresolved to the present day despite the development of highly
effective conflict resolution theories and practices. Initiatives to
achieve conflict resolution are impacted by the political agendas of
many nations, which has added a crippling complexity. Nonetheless,
initiatives have been undertaken over the years that have made inroads
into the problem, although not without repeated, frustrating setbacks.
This work examines the history and context of the Korean conflict,
examines the formal and informal initiatives that have been undertaken
to resolve the conflict to date, and analyzes a number of modern
conflict resolution theories, particularly the potential roles of
Citizen Diplomacy and the Third Side theory of conflict resolution, to
determine if they provide a usable structure for ultimately achieving
peace on the Korean peninsula. Scholars and practitioners will find this
work useful in conflict analysis and policy development.