The end of the Cold War has undergone fundamental changes throughout the world. However, Northeast Asia is still a special area because the major issues in the region such as national unity, prevention of nuclear proliferation, national reconciliation, and ideological confrontation have plagued the region for twenty years or even longer, almost without any progress, and until now there are no constructive solutions. The issue of reconciliation has become a thorny issue in the new century. Historical issues brought difficulties to the East Asian countries, but these issues among China, Korea and Japan will not be solved as expected by the three countries respectively. Today, in East Asia, obstacles to reconciliation come not only from history, and the meaning of reconciliation in this region is also different from the past. In the long run, regionalism in this region should be the starting point for national reconciliation. The future of the region eventually lies in the result of mutual concessions concerning many different interests and tendencies.

• 赵立新(延边大学人文学院国际政治专业)