Die Entwicklung der deutsch-koreanischen Parlamentariergruppe als diplomatischer Mesoakteur (1965–2025)Hannes B. Mosler

ASIEN – Nr. 174/175 (2025) pp. 75–107

Abstract:
This study examines the historical evolution and diplomatic significance of the German-Korean Parliamentary Friendship Group (DKPG) over a six-decade span from 1965 to 2025. Conceptualizing parliamentary friendship groups as „diplomatic meso-actors“ that operate flexibly between formal executive diplomacy and diffuse public diplomacy, the paper evaluates the group’s institutional impact across three analytical dimensions: structure, function, and content. Historically, the analysis is divided into two distinct periods. The first phase (1965–1990) explores how the group served as a vital communication channel and „safety valve“ to secure economic and security interests between two frontline states of the Cold War, notably mitigating deep bilateral tensions during the 1967 East Berlin Affair. The second phase (1990–2025) details the group’s consolidation following German reunification and the opening of diplomatic ties with North Korea in 2001. During this era, prominent parliamentary actors leveraged personal networks and dense institutional links with civil society to position the DKPG as an „honest broker“ capable of facilitating alternative information transfers and subtle inter-Korean dialogue when official executive channels stalled. Drawing on extensive archival materials, interviews with former chairs, and media reports, the study demonstrates that despite structural limitations – such as financial constraints and dependency on domestic election cycles – the group has carved out a highly resilient diplomatic niche. Ultimately, the paper provides a comprehensive longitudinal assessment of how parliamentary diplomacy successfully supplements state-level foreign policy, offering valuable insights into the dynamics of values-based partnerships amid shifting global orders and systemic rivalries.

Keywords: Parlamentarische Diplomatie, Mesoakteur, Deutsch-koreanische Beziehungen, Kalter Krieg, Wertepartnerschaft