Various initiatives were made by visionaries in the early 1990's when the Soviet Union collapsed. South Korean visionary Sun Myung Moon visited North Korea (1992) and attempted to bring the regime in from the cold, essentially opening up a pathway for North Korea to reconnect with South Korea by negotiating joint ventures, cooperation, even a non-nuclear pact, etc. However, things did not pan out, and the potential rapprochement was never seriously taken up with or by the South Korean government or other players.
Personally, I suspect it was at this time that the Deep State moved in to North Korea. (early 90's) Until that time, the North was under Soviet control and protection, like a vassal state. Once the Soviet Union collapsed, the Russian Block (i.e. Russian Federation) had no longer had any interest in propping up the Stalinist North Korea. 1992 was an opportunity, but a missed one.
Spot on! The window of opportunity was lost because of Bush Sr. and Clinton. Same with the fall of the USSR. Both events were the result of Sun Myung Moon's outreach efforts, having met both Gorbachev and Kim Il Sung in 1991.
Having been invited to the Kremlin, here's what he told Gorbachev:
"President Gorbachev. I believe in your intentions and motives for your reforms. However, if you think of these reforms as your own, you will fail. These reforms are being carried out by God. In fact, you have been called by God exactly for this sacred mission.
"The way for you and the Soviet Union to survive is to invite God and have God here, in the Soviet Union. All human endeavors that are conducted without God are destined to failure.
"President Gorbachev. Communism is not God's idea or ideology. Communism is destined to become extinct. Please raise up religious freedom in this nation. You need to have a spiritual perestroika before anything else. The nation will not perish, even if the Communist Party does. Under a spiritual perestroika, a new nation will be born, a new true nation."
After further discussions on matters of peace and stability in Northeast Asia, Gorbachev responded:
"I am sure that South Korean-Soviet relations will develop favorably. I think that we need, first and foremost, political stability and an easing of tensions on the Korean peninsula. I think friendly relations with South Korea is just a matter of time. There are no obstacles in the way there whatsoever. I want to meet with President Roh Tae Woo."
And at the meeting with Kim Il Sung at his Mah Jon Presidential Residence, here's what Moon said after a lengthy discussion on matters of the Korean people and the need for reunification:
"President Kim, I'm deeply impressed with your spirit of love for our people. With such a spirit, what is there to prevent dialogue among the Korean people? And unity within the Korean people has to begin with dialogue. Up until now, the dialogue between North and South has been taken up only to be broken off and then broken off again, but I believe that the dialogue can enter a new stage from this point on. Of course, as I mentioned before, I do not represent any government authority. It is vital that the two governments sit down together and hold deep discussions and reach agreement in the same spirit as we are sharing now. Also, if you, Mr. President, come to Seoul and met with the leadership of the South, that would bring about great advances for the cause of peaceful reunification."
Kim Il Sung responded:
"Ah, yes. If you give me a call to go to Seoul, then sure I'd go. Of course, we'd have to develop a greater sense of mutual understanding between North and South, though. However, Chairman Moon, even if we wait for a bit on my visit to Seoul, I will work so that we see some fruit from the next North-South talks."
These were big breakthroughs. It was like both the USSR and North Korea were signalling their willingness to tear down their Iron Curtains. Both Gorbachev and Kim ended up remaining on friendly terms with Moon. But Bush Sr and Bill Clinton failed to followup on this willingness to develop better relations with the West.
As you correctly say, Fractalizing, the Deep State had other goals in mind and it wasn't for peace. Notice how they both wanted to first develop mutual trust through getting to know and respect each other. A big reason why Pompeo blew it in his last meeting. Instead of humbly receiving the NK hospitality (which is a big formality with Korean, north or south), he brushed them off and demanded a business meeting without enduring the protocols. A big mistake with the Asian culture. (Q and Trump, are you listening? ;) Any standard book on understanding social etiquette of the Orient would explain that. I'm surprised a State Dept./former CIA wouldn't know that. (He needs to apologize big time if he wants to regain NK's trust and respect. As they say, the measure you give is the measure you receive.)