|
|
|
|
|
GOLDSEA |
ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
Impact of Corean Unification
t's been over a decade since the Iron Curtain came crashing down in Europe. The Bamboo Curtain is little more than a quaint phrase. Yet the Cold War remains very much alive on the Corean peninsula.
Across a 186-mile DMZ glare opposing armies collectively totaling 1.7 million. By all reckoning the Pyongyang regime should have become ideological roadkill following the collapse of communism. Instead, it remains an impregnable roadblock to the economic integration of East Asia, the world's fastest-growing region.
How can an economic nonentity be such a roadblock?
Consider its location at what should have been the crossroads of East Asia. With 56% of the peninsula's land mass, North Corea separates on one side the world's greatest market and labor pool (China) and the biggest reserve of natural resources (Sibera) from, on the other, two of the world's leading technological and manufacturing nations (Japan and South Corea).
But for Pyongyang's intransigence Seoul would already be linked by railroads and superhighways to Beijing, Moscow, Berlin, Paris and London. All those cities would also be linked to Tokyo via a bridge across the 126-mile strait dividing Shimonoseki from Pusan. The savings in shipping cost and time alone could amount to tens of billions of dollars a year. Such a trans-Eurasian land link would accelerate the cultural and economic integration of not only East Asia, but the world. In the process, the Corean peninsula would shed the burden of financing the world's most heavily fortified frontier and become the center of the global economy.
That's the vision dancing before the eyes of farsighted statesmen and business leaders pushing for the political leaps of faith needed to keep Pyongyang taking its unsteady baby steps toward opening North Corea.
But skeptics and pessimists abound. Even a loose confederation with the North would only burden and destabilize South Corea's economy and political system, they argue. For decades to come the impact on the global economy would be entirely negative as investors and customers begin shunning the uncertainties, denying capital and trading partners to hundreds of world-class Corean manufacturers. The ultimate result, argue the naysayers, would be to throw a monkey wrench into an alignment that has allowed three decades of strong growth for East Asia.
What is the likely impact of Corean unification?
This interactive article is closed to new input.
Discussions posted during the past year remain available for browsing.
CONTACT US
|
ADVERTISING INFO
© 1996-2013 Asian Media Group Inc
No part of the contents of this site may be reproduced without prior written permission.
|
|
|
|
WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
(Updated
Wednesday, Jan 22, 2025, 06:38:55 AM)
"Where else can I listen to such comedy?"
One of the salve needed when discussing tragedy.
Do you think the Sunshine policy still has a chance after recent Naval events? Or will there need to be a cooling off period.
AC Dropout
Tuesday, July 02, 2002 at 16:05:34 (PDT)
ka,
"I guess you are very impressed by the phenomenal ability of Kim Jong Il to keep his power in place despite these problems."
Actually I'm very impressed. Neither you nor I will ever have the opportunity to wield that kind of power or responsibility. Let alone try to abuse it.
If you forget about the despotic tendencies history paints on these leaders like Hilter, Ceasar, Sadam, Khan, Mao, etc. They achieve quite a bit in their short lifetimes. While we are of age to buy a car, get married, or get a mortage. These people rose from the masses and lead nations to topple other nations. There impact on history is quite breathtaking to say the least.
But I digress.
AC Dropout
Tuesday, July 02, 2002 at 15:57:21 (PDT)
ka,
China never engaged in a prolong arms race with anyone...yet. Or better statement it never overinvested in their military in recent history. It only has 20 nukes. The government has been spending on it own economy for the past 2 decades. Which some experts feel is an artifical inflation of growth.
You may think it is ludicrious what 22 million people will support. But it is happening. Just like people of China support the cultural revoltution. Or USA supported slavery. Or SK support of a corrupt gov't. A government cannot remain in place without popular support. Revolutions occurs otherwise. Just because we individually may not condone the action of a government we indirectly support it if revolution doesn't occur.
Who knows. Maybe he did ask, was rejected by SK and it wasn't made public. It won't be the first time SK history has been censored by their government. Maybe he was pissed SK didn't get third in the World Cup. Maybe he thought they wouldn't go that far south. Maybe he actually thinks he will take over the world.
Let say Japan find on that secret boat that sank off the coast of China is correct. All NK civilian disguised boat have a missle on them. What were they planning to do blow up SK by sea?
Here my interpretation of events of that day. NK fisherman - hey, let's fish to feed ourselves. NK gov't - not unless your escorted by 2 ships, wouldn't want you to defect now. SK gov't - Damn commies cross that chalk line (which no one agreed to) in the water, bring over 7 ships. SK/NK gov't - Fire a warning shot. WTF did they just shoot at us?
But this is only based on the limited information I get from the news. Who knows maybe our spy plane and spy satelites got some key informations.
I just find the whole thing amiss. Would you start a military invasion with ships disguised as fishing boats with only 2 escorts?
AC Dropout
Tuesday, July 02, 2002 at 13:01:08 (PDT)
ROTC-Radcliff underGrad,
Their ROE? You mean USA ROE, you moron. Who dictates ROK's ROE, the USA you moron. It's the same group of moron who wrote the ROE to Afghanistan, which just kill 100 people at a wedding. God bless our ROE and the fact we are not accountable by the UN for military crime.
As for who shot first and what not. I think even a laymen can see that 7 ROK warship and 2 North Korean warship w/ a bunch of fishing vessels, something is a miss.
As for your claim Japan is not as war like. Tell that to the victims of Pearl Harbor and American soilders that died in the south Pacific. If you have time you can also consult the history book of Korea and China to built your claim that Japan has no propensity for war. You have a short attention span for history.
AC Dropout
Tuesday, July 02, 2002 at 12:27:52 (PDT)
NEWEST COMMENTS |
EARLIER COMMENTS
|