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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)
A reunification of the two Koreas at this stage would devastate South Korea. For the South Koreans it would be almost as destabilizing as a full scale war.
Look at how long it took Germany to recover after reunification. The North Koreans are in MUCH worse shape than the East Germans. The Koreans also have fought a brutal war AGAINST each other and for decades both sides were active in public education and propaganda against the other. Also Koreans have very strong regional biases. South Korean politics / military actions have been profoundly influenced by this regionalism. Every five years you can see it in action during the presidential campaigns. The military "actions"/ massacres in Kwang-Ju and Chejudo were profoundly influenced by inter-regional conflicts and biases. Now think about how this society would respond to reunification with a poor / backward / ex communist / "funny talking" / work for nothing and take my job away NORTH Korean.
The social and economic upheaval would be tremendous. I would guess that it would take 10-15 years before Korea returns to its prior economic status.
KA in Seoul
Tuesday, August 13, 2002 at 13:23:45 (PDT)
ka
u don't get it,
i got a good source cluing me that AC was ace debater at BxSci HS - now he just continuing to practice his art - he ain't gonna give you the satisfaction.
NYhomboy
Tuesday, August 06, 2002 at 19:59:23 (PDT)
ka,
China in every instance bowed to international pressure and let the NK refugees that ran illegally into every foriegn ministry in Beijing go to SK thru a third country.
The Japanese of WWII were better. Oh my you are losing it. If you didn't notice the Japanese practice human medical experiments and indenture prostitution. If that's the case why not ask the Japanese to reoccupy SK and NK. That's unification also.
The Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are not monarchies? Well they are not figure head monarchies like Europe. Those princes and royalities actually govern their countries if you haven't been paying attention.
Let's look at the USA vs. Iraq. If it wasn't our interest in the oil, do you think we would have attacked Iraq. Of course it was all in our interest. The free-rides are people who just support USA imperialism.
I am your enemy? Please face realities the enemies are your elected leaders in the Blue House. I wasn't even around on the planet when the Soviets and USA split up Korea. Go project you hatered on the people in power who can actually influence the outcome.
PRC human rights issue. What are you talking about? PRC was removed from the UN list of human rights abusers in 2002. It is the USA who is probably going to make it on the UN human rights abusers list in 2003.
"Or maybe you think that amnesty international is an organization of "crackers" who's ethnocentric tendencies demonize the struggling 3rd world progress"
Took the words right out of my mouth. Don't forget to toss in Greenpeace, WTO, and IMF into the mix also.
Your point my aunt is a product of rape and 1/2 Japanese. She is the key to international problems in Korea.
AC Dropout
Tuesday, August 06, 2002 at 12:50:13 (PDT)
AC--
My point is that other countries free-ride on America's initiatives. i.e.Japan, Western Europe, etc etc. And despite what you write, you fail to impress upon me that Japan pays her "fair share" for world's security issues. Thank you for your research on the figures.
I wrote about Iraq and US to point out to you, that you have a tendency to make every war in the world to be U.S. vs. World. You again marginalize Kuwaitis--because I can only assume you think that the political will of the Kuwaiti people are secondary to the political will of Iraqi people. But where you got it on the dot to claim that Saudis or Kuwaitis are living under monarchy, your claim that Iraqis live under democracy is rather funny. I guess you would also call apartheid South Africa democracy and pre-civil rights America, democracy.
I love how you have this tendency to mitigate the abhorrent public policies of some of these nations and always blame it on their poverty-level. Where I can certainly understand that developing world will have bumps along the way, I think it's absolutely abhorrent when leaders start to justify their own mistakes on poverty-level. I think it is you who swallowed whole the propaganda these folks routinely dish out to justify their corrupt regime.
I doubt NK intentions from watching NK's policies. You apparently do not. You are absolutely unqualified to assess North Korea, considering you don't follow any news related to North Korea. I urge you to educate yourself and go to Amnesty website and read upon it's human rights violations. Or maybe you think that amnesty international is an organization of "crackers" who's ethnocentric tendencies demonize the struggling 3rd world progress. I'm so happy for you that you took some time to get the figures for us, japan, china. I hope that you will use this enthusiasm to further research NK past policies.
islands of indonesia isn't the only place on earth to have violent history. Your defeatist mentality is absolutely appalling. I do agree that western media have a tendency to over demonize PRC army however--what I get angry about is your incistence that PRC human rights violations are justified and furthermore PRC treatment of North Korean refugees are justified. Due to these reasons, I personally regard you as my enemy.
AC, I think that you are getting out of touch with reality. SO I will change tactics and say something that hits closer to home. You said that your aunt was raped by Japanese mauraders during wwii. This is an absolute horror and I'm very sorry. Right now, North KOrean women who flee to China desperate for some food that they can send back to their families, these women are being routinely kidnapped in China by criminal organizations. Then they are repeatedly raped and shamed into forced prostitution. Some are "lucky" and sold into marriage. This is the type of activity that you are endorsing on this site, AC. These women, they are like your aunt, or my aunt, my mother, or your mother, or my sister, or yes, your sister. The reason why this exist is quite simple: 1.North Korea refuses to send these people to South KOrea. 2.China refuses to send these people to South Korea. These women being systematics raped is just one gross violation. The way I see it, the present day communists of China and North KOrea are WORSE then the Japanese imperial army of WWII. The Japanese at the very least, didn't systematically starve it's conquered subjects. AC, I'm simply asking you to see the utter horror of this region for what it is, and see beyond your biases.
ka
Tuesday, August 06, 2002 at 08:33:16 (PDT)
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