|
|
|
|
|
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)
> Obviously this is a payback to the ruling class in China for being "Big Bother" to NK
I take this back. Yang was arrested by the Chinese for non-payment of taxes. Seems like a slap in the face to NK for NOT properly vetting the deal with the ruling class in China.
nyIMHOboy
Saturday, October 05, 2002 at 06:49:32 (PDT)
[24.90.59.127]
Most governments of the world treat their spies very well. For whatever reason, S. Korean government treated them like dirt. Those ex-spies are making a very valid and legitimate claims about how the government screwed them over. Just yesterday there was an article in the Korean newspaper, that the government ran a "comfort house" the way the Japanese used to run during WWII for it's spies. The very same scum of the earth are still in powerful positions throughout Korean society.
Of course it's very heartening that Kim Dae Jung is in power right now, even though his popularity is so low. Kim Dae Jung has accomplished a lot for Korea, but it's too bad that things are not turning out his way.
ka
Friday, October 04, 2002 at 09:14:20 (PDT)
[168.103.180.35]
> 200 South Korean ex-spies demonstrating
I read at least several positives from this. The old junta's boys network is broken down...meaning even the most recent insiders are now fending for themselves per market forces. The K society is changing really really fast. Korean marcantilistic democracy has come a long way baby.
nyIMHOboy
Tuesday, October 01, 2002 at 18:29:40 (PDT)
[24.90.59.127]
This has got to be the weirdest story I have ever read. Recently about 200 South Korean ex-spies who spied on North Korea held a public domestration to get unpaid bonus from the South Korean government. The domestration ended in a riot and 19 policemen were injured and 10 demonstrators were also injured.
The irony that I find is that ex secret agent would gather at a public demostration for pay issues. Can you image a bunch of James Bond type characters holding protest signs.
Hopefully with the Asian games...a more positive event will influence the future relationship between north and south korea.
AC Dropout
Monday, September 30, 2002 at 13:35:53 (PDT)
[24.90.98.143]
> Siuiju and the adjoining northwestern part of North Korea is now being run by a Chinese tycoon.
Obviously this is a payback to the ruling class in China for being "Big Bother" to NK; hopefully a decent portion of the cash flow will be diverted to the pockets of the ruling class of NK to help them ease the pain of loss from being the top dogs in NK - i.e. grease the NK transiton to market economy.
I hope that now the die is cast for Siuiju, that the Chinese tycoon turns it into the most extreme experiment of free enterprise and freedom...may be even at the cost of some decadence to counter balance the rest of the straight jacketed NK...more power to you...Chinaman.
nyIMHOboy
Friday, September 27, 2002 at 20:49:13 (PDT)
[24.90.59.127]
Namsung-
You are interpreting history in an interesting way. At that particular time in Korean history, can anyone truly say, "Korea" existed as a nation state? There were several different clans of people including the Chinese who would unify over time and develop into a unified Korean national consciousness. (Unless you think that the subsequent goguryo, paekche, and shilla kingdom had the same language, customs, etc etc, which is probably false.) Historically, Korea also influenced the political situation in China, helping to overthrow or sustain whatever friendly or hostile government that was there. So it's unfair to say China is doing all this to Korea based on history.
I do agree though, that Kim Jong Il should have focused on developing business along the DMZ, instead of giving it to a Chinese tycoon. But then again, considering he is the same man who did nothing in the past, I'll gladly take what I can get. let's just hope that he keeps on doing this even without Kim Dae Jung in the blue house.
ka
Wednesday, September 25, 2002 at 12:49:22 (PDT)
[168.103.180.35]
Siuiju and the adjoining northwestern part of North Korea is now being run by a Chinese tycoon.
This is a grave mistake as North Korea will soon fall into Chinese hands.
Take our history for example: Wiman, the Chinese general was also invited to rule or guard over a northwestern part of Chosun.
The result was that Korea was later ruled by the Han Dynasty for 400 years.
Korea will remain forever divided by inviting Chinese influence and interference.
namsung
Tuesday, September 24, 2002 at 13:14:25 (PDT)
[207.151.38.82]
ka,
Well I guess the "axil or evil" and the "attack iraq" propoganda war has had a positive effect on NK. It lit a fire under NK administrations butt to normalize relationships with other countries.
I do believe there is long road ahead until NK can become ready for unification. But it is showing some positive signs; allowing UN nuclear inspectors in, completing their half of the NK/SK railroad, admitting to international kidnapping.
I was reading some articles about those kidnapped Japanese. It seems most of them are dead now. A lot of the women had kids and their children are connecting with their Japanese relatives.
"North Korean government is booting out all the residents of that city and replacing them with ideologically pure people."
This is asia were talking about. Mass relocation of the populace is a common event.
Have you been to the Bronx lately. Bonfire of the Vanity is all about the class divide in the city.
AC Dropout
Tuesday, September 24, 2002 at 12:56:07 (PDT)
[24.90.98.143]
AC, that's an interesting point. Of course back in the 70's and even before then, the North Korean government was much more friendlier and supportive of Korean Japanese society. South Korean military government especially under Park Chung Hee, regarded Zainichis to be North Korean spies and treated them very badly; this in contrast to Pyong Yang who established Korean schools and even a college when the Japanese showed a lot of discrimination.
A lot of the Korean Americans that you see here in the U.S. actually has North Korean heritage. During the war a lot of them fled south away from the communist. Since they didnt' have family in the South, many opted to immigrate to other countries. On top of this U.S. immigration policies would generally favor people who are strongly enterprenerial, educated, rich, or well you get the idea. The point is most of these people would definitely not be left leaning.
Objectively things have changed a lot. I mean back in the 60's it would be a ludicrous argument to claim South Korea was somehow "better" than North Korea. But since the 1980's, North has become progressively worse while South has become better. To illustrate this, the new generation of Korean Japanese--Chochongryun, no longer have the same degree of ideological zealousness as their parents. Chochongryun schools no longer have pictures of Kim Jong Il in the classrooms.
I'm very hopeful of what is happening in North Korea lately, but I'm still skeptical. I mean, Siuiju has been declared a special economic zone in North Korea, but North Korean government is booting out all the residents of that city and replacing them with ideologically pure people. Can you just imagine if U.S. government one day said, "everyone in the Bronx, you must leave now, because we are going to replace you with GOP voters." If North Korea can't allow several hundred athlete's from North Korea walk around freely during the current Asian Games in Pusan, I wonder how North Korean government will deal with manage the great income divide that is already entrenched in China. Well I guess I can't complain since they are at least doing something as oppose to absolutely nothing before.
I mean unification aside, I hope one of these days Kim Jong Il will apologize to his constituents. It's a bit bitter sweet to hear him apolgize for a small group of Japanese people meanwhile he continues to inprison political prisoners in the North. Why can't he just send them south?
ka
Tuesday, September 24, 2002 at 11:50:28 (PDT)
[168.103.180.35]
AC Dropout,
Kim In sung is basicaly - a spoiled, rich first son, brat, playboy - who accidentally got a tiger by the tail and wishes he were somewhere else...anywhere but the head of 20 million starving nation of people.
The dumb f*** is just too ignorant, undereducated and so is the rest of the leadership . Thys are still stuck in the early cold war mindset...and simply cannot get their body to move to the right tune to dance with the rest of us.
nyIMHOboy
Monday, September 23, 2002 at 20:46:02 (PDT)
[24.90.59.127]
kimchi duhvil
don't forget that it was the cowboys that first made The West safe for the settlers, its the cowboys that usually lead the charge...Kim Il Sung is as cowpoke as they come...all he is missing is a hat and bowlegs...its take one cowboy to stare down another one...all the NK have been doing is engaging us in a pissing match...they know GW is calling their bluff...
nyhoeboy
Monday, September 23, 2002 at 20:38:58 (PDT)
[24.90.59.127]
Well NJHomeboy, there's goes crackpot Adolf Bush again... Now he's talking about some kinda "strike first doctrine" and maintaining military supremacy and all that schtuff. We may very well see some kinda war on the corean pennisula sooner than we want, if this nut keeps it up. After all, as long as it's coreans who lose their lives, Americano's won't care. This guy is getting a wee bit outta control, me thinks. And to think that there once was another guy with alzheimer's and a lil' red button in his bedroom. "What's this lil' red button doing here?, why hallo there!"
Congress is gonna have to show some balls and put this branch of the government in its place.
I sense turbulent times ahead otherwise.
kimchi devil
Friday, September 20, 2002 at 22:12:30 (PDT)
[64.12.96.47]
ka,
You know what I find interesting the Korean in Japan are very pro-NK and the Korean in the USA are very pro-SK.
Oh well as long as progress is being made on the unification front in Korea. One cannot complain too much.
Didn't the NK government kidnap a famous SK director and actress in Hong Kong a while back. All in the name of making movies he likes. One weird character.
AC Dropout
Friday, September 20, 2002 at 11:23:02 (PDT)
[24.90.98.143]
Ka,
The pace of change in NK will be excruciatingly slow, unfortunately the NK leadership and power structure is so Stalinistic, unskilled and ignorant.
I do think by now even the NK leadership accept the inevitable and know what must be done...and that nothing can stop the spread of democracy and capitalism...eventually The Light will reach even the most remote corners.
But it is very painful watching their pathetic simpleton and ignorant actions when the answers and solutions are in plain sight. Its like a blind man who refuses to be cured b/c he's afraid of what he might see.
NYhmboy
Thursday, September 19, 2002 at 19:13:34 (PDT)
[24.90.59.127]
Kim Jong Il has finally done something that is very impressive--admitting the fact that his government was responsible for the kidnapping of several Japanese civillians for espionage purposes. On top of this, they have actually restarted the railroad project.
Kim Jong Il has very little time left until now to the next Korean election time, to show merits of Kim Dae Jung's Sunshine policy. If he fails to show consistency in fulfilling his part of the agreements, Kim Dae Jung will no doubt face a tough South Korean stance. Already the vast majority of South Koreans have become tired of Northern response.
I hope North Korea can show some more initiative than allowing 100 or so separated families to meet.
Objectively speaking, very little was accomplished in real physical terms; but the fact that Kim Jong Il is capable of admitting past errors suggests that perhaps even he is capable of redemptive human qualities.
It's too bad that Japanese public is lashing against Korean people, because of Kim Jong Il's admission of facts. Especially since the Japanese kidnapped an entire generation of Koreans and spread them out from Sakhalin to Okinawa. When the Japanese say, "Go back to your country" to Zainichi Koreans in Japan, the descendents of those who were dragged to Japan, it makes me angry.
ka
Wednesday, September 18, 2002 at 10:45:44 (PDT)
[168.103.180.35]
NEWEST COMMENTS |
EARLIER COMMENTS
|