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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?
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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
(Updated
Wednesday, Jan 22, 2025, 06:38:55 AM)
AC Dropout,
However, each country knows what the other regards as the boundaries. Knowing this, they know what type of movement will likely antagonize their neighbor. It is true we do not know certain things like how deep the incursions were relative to SK or NK defined borders. However, I think it is not a far leap of imagination to think that the NK Navy knew that their actions had a good chance of soliciting a response from the SK Navy. I know you regard information from western news sources with some hesitation. Unfortunately, the end result is that SK and NK are once again alienated towards each other and another delay of talks is at hand.
KM, 25
Tuesday, July 09, 2002 at 17:51:09 (PDT)
Annapolis-Harvard LOw Grad:
I do not want to do any homework for YOU...
I feel that your manipulation of words and distortion of facts to support your subjunctive/biased standpoint is transparent. You are just too old or oblivious to come up with any delicacies. I have a homework assignment for you too...
Go look up:
1。目中无人
2。自命不凡
3。吹毛求疵
4。下笔千言 离题万里
and come back and write a paragraph using your new vocabs.These are Chinese proverbs that speaks wisely of people like you.
P.S...Yes It would be very pathetic if I am an AC DROPOUT undercover...but...lol...I assure you that we are separate entities. Your presumptions are...
Pathetic.
Young Hick/Chinese Girl
Monday, July 08, 2002 at 21:47:31 (PDT)
Annapolis-Harvard Law Grad,
First off I don't need to change my handle, as you commonly practice.
Why would I need to disguise myself for an unaccomplished mental midget like yourself. Please, don't flatter yourself.
The only one making any wild half bake assertions on this board is your insecure self.
Lashing out at other posters will not strengthen any of your claims.
AC Dropout
Monday, July 08, 2002 at 12:53:18 (PDT)
KM, 25
Well I think one of the issues is that NK/SK haven't agree to any naval borders in those waters.
SK thinks its 3km off the coast. NK thinks its 13 km off the coast. So that is one of the key issues right there why they've been clashing since 1998.
AC Dropout
Monday, July 08, 2002 at 12:46:36 (PDT)
Update on the NK-SK Navy situation...
The SK military analyzed the pattern of incursions by the NK Navy into the disputed border zone in the last two weeks. Apparently, 5 incursions in the past two weeks is much higher than the norm. An SK probe has interpreted this action as a possible way for the NK Navy to test the patterns and reactions of the SK Navy. It also interpreted this action as a way to provoke a response. This is not the first time the two navies have clashed. I got this off Yahoo but cannot find the article anymore. Anyone know how to find older articles on Yahoo? They get their articles from Reuters and AP but don't know which it is from.
KM, 25
Monday, July 08, 2002 at 09:48:03 (PDT)
Young Hick/Chinese Girl:
6'1". 195 lbs. In case you haven't been following the NY law versus PRC law dispute, as well as the consulting firm dispute, I have been refuting AC Clueless's wild assertions with fact. You are just too young or ignorant to understand to subtleties. Let me give you a homework assignment. Go look up:
jurisdiction
choice of law
contracts
restitution
arbitration
judgment (in the legal sense)
and come back and give me a report on what they mean and how it applies to the NY v PRC law debate on the other threads.
Of course, judging by your vehement defense of AC Clueless, you are probably him posting in another form.
Pathetic.
Annapolis-Harvard Law Grad
Sunday, July 07, 2002 at 18:20:53 (PDT)
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