Korea versus Korea: A Case of Contested Legitimacy addresses the historic course of diplomatic competition between the rival Koreas within the context of a changing international system from 1948 to the nuclear crisis of 1994. Focusing on the interaction between domestic and international political economies, this innovative study explores the political agendas that have informed the conduct of diplomacy in the region. This analysis stresses the importance of economic and political adaptability in determining success in international relations and, ultimately, in clearing the way for a unified Korean peninsula.