Diplomacy beyond boundaries: South Korean NGOs and informal disaster diplomacy during the North Korean famine

The North Korean famine of the mid-1990s presented a complex humanitarian crisis and an unexpected opportunity for inter-Korean engagement. While official inter-Korean relations remained strained, South Korean non-governmental organizations (NGOs) emerged as crucial actors in informal disaster diplomacy. This study examines how these NGOs navigated the challenging terrain between humanitarian aid and political influence, revealing both their vital contributions and the constraints imposed by government control over aid policy. Despite a burgeoning civil society and growing public calls for engagement, the South Korean government maintained a tight grip on aid to the North. This bureaucratic hurdle limited the scope and impact of NGO efforts, despite their commitment to cooperation and alleviating suffering. Through this case study, we analyze the interplay of social and political forces that shaped inter-Korean relations during the famine and its aftermath (1995-2010), offering insights into the ongoing challenges and potential of non-state actors in disaster diplomacy and the tangled dynamics that shaped inter-Korean interactions throughout this critical period.