In the 1960s, the Cold War thwarted any efforts for inter-Korean talks. However, the arrival of Détente in the 1970s catalyzed dialogues between the two Koreas.

The very first dialogue between South and North Korea was held on Aug. 20, 1971, concerning the reunion of separated families. It was the meeting of dispatched agents from the Red Cross societies of each Korea. A total of seven South-North Korean Red Cross talks were held between August 1972 and July 1973. They discussed five agendas, including checking the address of separated families and confirming the life and death of family members.

After the representatives of the two Koreas had meetings in Seoul and Pyeongyang in May 1972, there was the announcement of the July 4 South-North Communiqué, the first document to be agreed upon by the two Koreas after the division of the Korean Peninsula. It included three principles of unification: independence, peace and nation-wide unity. It also included agreements such as not to slander or defame each other, not to undertake military provocations and to install a direct telephone line between Seoul and Pyeongyang. However, this could not lead to progress in the inter-Korean relationship, as the confrontation continued amid the global Cold War.

In the early 1980s, the inter-Korean relationship suffered a major setback.

However, in the mid-1980s, the crisis was followed by a period of revitalized talks between the South and the North, which came to encompass a wide array of areas including economy and sports.

South and North Korea continued to talk in the 1980s, despite a hostile relationship. During this time, the two sides successfully expanded dialogue channels, compared to previous periods. 

The end of the Cold War in the early 1990s spurred major developments in the inter-Korean relationship. The Inter-Korean High-Level Talk—the first inter-Korean ministerial meeting since the division—was held in September 1990. The two sides met for eight more high-level talks, which resulted in the promulgation of the Agreement on Reconciliation, Non-Aggression, and Exchanges and Cooperation between South and North Korea (Inter-Korean Basic Agreement) in February 1992.

In the agreement, the two sides reaffirmed the principles set forth in the July 4 South-North Communiqué and agreed to recognize and respect each other’s system of government and together try to transform the present state, the armistice, into a solid state of peace. Also, during high-level talks the two sides made agreements concerning reconciliation, non-aggression and exchanges & cooperation between South and North Korea, as well as making the Joint Declaration on Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.  

Moreover, the two sides agreed to hold the first Inter-Korean Summit. However, this plan fell through because of the sudden death of North Korean leader Kim Il Sung

In 2000, South and North Korea wrote history with their first Inter-Korean Summit since the division. During the summit, which was held in Pyeongyang from June 13 to 15, President Kim Dae-jung and Chairman of the National Defense Commission Kim Jong Il adopted the June 15 North–South Joint Declaration. In the declaration, the two leaders affirmed their commitment to joint efforts to reunite family members that were separated by the division and expand economic, social, and cultural exchange efforts.

The two leaders recognized the common element between the South’s concept of a confederation and the North’s formula for a loose form of federation, and agreed to promote reunification in that direction. This means that the two Koreas agreed to respect each other’s current systems of government, to coexist in a peaceful manner, and to realize reunification gradually, in stages, through exchanges and cooperation.

On August 8, 2007, South and North Korea respectively announced that a new Inter-Korean Summit would be held from August 28 to 30. However, on August 18, North Korea requested the summit to be postponed as it recovered from the catastrophic flood that swept the region. As a result, the Inter-Korean Summit was held in Pyeongyang from October 2 to 4, 2007.

In the summit, President Roh Moo-hyun and Chairman of the National Defense Commission Kim Jong Il affirmed their shared understanding of the need to end the current armistice regime and build a permanent peace regime. To this end, the two leaders agreed to work toward having the leaders of the three or four parties directly concerned to convene on the Peninsula and declare an end to the Korean War. The two sides also agreed to carry out joint programs across various fields including politics, military, economy, society and culture.

The summit saw the adoption of the Declaration on the Advancement of South–North Korean Relations, Peace and Prosperity (October 4 Declaration). The declaration detailed the measures for the agreements contained in the June 15 South–North Joint Declaration.

"We already know the road that leads to a peaceful Korean Peninsula. It is a return to the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration of 2000 and the October 4 Declaration of 2007. Through these two declarations, the South and the North clearly stated that we are the masters of inter-Korean issues and are committed to closely cooperating in easing tensions and guaranteeing peace on the Korean Peninsula. The two Koreas also promised to walk the path of common prosperity through cooperative projects in every sector of society, including in the economic field. The spirit of these agreements that were achieved on the foundation of mutual respect between the South and the North is still valid. The matter is urgent. We must return to that spirit where the South and the North worked together toward realizing a peaceful Peninsula."- President Moon Jae-in’s speech at the Körber Foundation, Germany, July 6, 2017-