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ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
Impact of Corean Unification
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:52:44 PM)
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.]
I Ching,
Been following the news. Now America is willing to talk but NK is refusing. Also, apparently any U.N. economic sanctions will be considered an act of war. Looks like NK is going to war against the United Nations now. China's got to be embarassed as hell being associated with these nuts. You can tell by subtle differences in their diplomatic releases.
NK should separate its domestic propaganda from the crap it gives the rest of the world. Recycling the same stuff makes them look dumber everyday.
According to NK, WWIII is just around the corner. Sounds like a little child crying because they aren't getting what they want.
Also, it's nice to see that SK veterans are holding rallies in support of US troops. I guess they still remember how those peace loving NKs killed so many of their friends and family in 1950. What SK youth needs is a good war to show them who's with them and who's against them.
Ever notice how communism always targets youth, not the level headed older populace? I bet in about 10 years these anti-Americans will suddenly turn pro-American.
huu76
Saturday, January 11, 2003 at 07:01:50 (PST)
[207.164.88.163]
I Ching
"It ended centuries of feudalism, folk customs, superstitions, false religions, and sexual inequalities in a heartbeat."
Hence, the point of easily malleable minds. Would you not argue that the minds of the Chinese people were changed in a short manner of time? Would this not indicate that the minds were easily changed.
Lucky Strike
Friday, January 10, 2003 at 22:22:47 (PST)
[68.14.109.217]
I Ching
Welcome back. I see you are hard to converted - yet. From your past posts I knwo that there is always a kernel of truth in your arguemetns but it get lost your insistance that K are soon to be China's lap dogs.
> History has proven the minds of the Koreans are easily malleable.
Koreans are perhaps one of most marcantilistic culture. Ks takes a licking and keep on ticking - like no body else.
You are obviously very educated and intelligent - posting from China to boot. But... you are missing that one little thing...individualism is based on Judeo-Chiritian ethos and capitalism is based on individualism. So now waht will China do?
If you insist taht China can get there anotehr way, well that'll be a nice contribution....but what way is that?
Do you care to elaborate?
Ny^+^boy
Friday, January 10, 2003 at 22:13:34 (PST)
[24.90.48.98]
I Ching,
"By the time all this mess is sorted out, there will be a new political order in East Asia, and the U.S. Congress will be doing a congressional hearing about “Who lost the Koreas?”
If we tried to impeach Clinton because he got head in the oval office. What should we do to Bush Jr. for having no head in the oval office?
Kim is no joke. This guy sees right through the BS of Bush Jr. Fight a two front war in different countries....jeez is this the action of a 1 term president or what?
Bush Jr. had no choice but to call on China today for advise.
ka,
"I suggest you get to know some real Koreans to get a better sense of what we are like"
The NK are like hermit. I've never even seen one in all my years of travel. The SK are either too into money or religon.
The only level headed Koreans I've ever met were the ethnic Koreans in Northeastern China. They don't have too much baggage with occupation and what not.
By the late Ching dynasty they gave up on the Great Wall. It was one of those overly expensive military defenses to up keep. Like the missle defense plan.
Instead China practiced great diplomacy with foreign neighboring nations. But unfortunately like everything else the white man touches, it tried to carve up and destroy China.
Get those 37,000 USA troops outta there. They are only going to die a senseless death when the s*** really hits the fan. If USA is not an imperial power, it should listen to the wishes of the SK people.
AC Dropout
Friday, January 10, 2003 at 12:54:36 (PST)
[24.136.115.189]
N & S Corea Unite!!
Any non Asian country would feel a threat when a Military nation like N.Corea and a economic nation like S.Corea mearge together.
The younger Coreans know that in the long term a United Corea will be stronger both militaristically and economically despite what everyone is bickering about.
The younger generation of Coreans want to live to see a united Corea rebuild, redefine and revolutionize the political landscape of Asia.
Corea has a right to have the Nuke, and it has a right to be a sovern nation that makes its own decisions. To be able to be free from foriegn influences it must have a powerful economy and military, which is very well possible if the two nations unite.
The U.S. invested a lot of money in S.Korea, and proteacts it with a military force. The U.S. acts in it's own interest and speaks on behalf of it's own when it comes to the N S Corea issues. The Corean people, history and culture are not of U.S. concern.
dhsin
yellowdotz@yahoo.com
Friday, January 10, 2003 at 11:53:57 (PST)
[64.249.89.157]
"Although this is off-topic, but since you brought it up first, the Cultural Revolution actually made China the most socially progressive nation in the world."
You call thirty million starved to death and a black hole in economics progressive?
"It ended centuries of feudalism, folk customs, superstitions, false religions, and sexual inequalities in a heartbeat."
And you can also add millions of dead Chinese to that list.
"Today, China is now the only nation in the world not enslaved by religion, depending on the truth of science instead."
Yes again at the expense of millions of lives and poor economic conditions. Besides, religion is what partly defines a culture. Although I myself am an atheist, it's due to my freedom of choice. Take that away and we've a problem, take that away in China you've got yourself 1.3 billion problems. Besides if China wanted to abolish religion and rely strictly on science, did it really need to starve and kill off so many of her own?
"In contrast, Koreans are ruled by either the cult of Kim or that of Jesus."
The same way Chinese are still ruled by the cult of the CCP huh?
Moon
Friday, January 10, 2003 at 09:30:29 (PST)
[138.23.59.133]
ka,
To set the record straight, North Korea in 1948 (maybe earlier unofficially) became communist before China. In fact, Koreans are partly to blame for making China communist because Kim Il-Sung sent considerable armies and equipment to China to assist Mao Zedong in conquering Nationalist China in 1949. Later, Mao was asked by Kim Il-Sung to save his nation when he was close to defeat in late-1950. All of this is, of course, way in the past, before my time. What matters is today. China’s relationship with the U.S. is at a 14-year high. China is communist by name only, and China is a member of the WTO, proof that it is a free-market economy. China is now America’s partner in the War Against Terrorism, and China has a new photogenic President, Hu Jintao. In contrast, the South Korea’s relationship with the U.S. is at a 57-year low. The person elected to succeed Kim Dae Jung as president of South Korea is the ‘evil-commie’ Roh Mu Hyun, the most left-leaning of half a dozen contenders for the presidency, who married the daughter of a man who had died in prison for his Communist sympathies. His ‘commie’ mentality notwithstanding, Roh, an ex-judge from a poor and humble background, may turn out to be South Korea’s first clean and honest President. The Commies are clearly now in control of the Korean peninsula, now that Roh has pledged to give North Korea the ‘sweet carrot’ with the Sunshine Policy even before negotiation has started. Now, hundred of thousands of Koreans in both North and South turn out in anti-American demonstrations. Thus, the Korean people, pound for pound, are the most anti-American and pro-Communist of all East Asian people. Any more of this, and somebody in America is going to make an ad claiming that buying Korean cars will aid nuclear proliferation!
I Ching
Friday, January 10, 2003 at 00:36:54 (PST)
[206.217.6.36]
Lucky Strike,
Although this is off-topic, but since you brought it up first, the Cultural Revolution actually made China the most socially progressive nation in the world. It ended centuries of feudalism, folk customs, superstitions, false religions, and sexual inequalities in a heartbeat. Today, China is now the only nation in the world not enslaved by religion, depending on the truth of science instead. In contrast, Koreans are ruled by either the cult of Kim or that of Jesus.
I Ching
Friday, January 10, 2003 at 00:14:23 (PST)
[206.217.6.36]
huu76,
Your take on the recent dramatic events in the Korean Peninsula is twisted. Kim Jong-Il is not bluffing; he is for real and this kid got balls. He kicked out the nuclear inspectors, fired up his reactors, turned off the cameras, and backed out of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. The only person that was bluffing was George W. He called George W’s bluff, and Kim is making George W. eat his words on his earlier refusal to talk. Kim is winning big time because he knows the American could not realistically attack North Korea without a lot of collateral damage to the 37,000 U.S. troops, Japan, and South Korea. All of this diplomatic mess started after North Korea was named as a member of the “Axis of Evil” in order to show that George W. was not singling out the Arabs. Folks, it’s going to get even worse in the Korean Peninsula before it is going to get better; it’s time to unload your Korean portfolio. By the time all this mess is sorted out, there will be a new political order in East Asia, and the U.S. Congress will be doing a congressional hearing about “Who lost the Koreas?”
I Ching
Friday, January 10, 2003 at 00:10:00 (PST)
[206.217.6.36]
AC,
Looks like America called Elvis' bluff. Now NK doesn't want to talk after the U.S. agreed to sit down and talk about the 1994 agreement that the North broke. Right into Jr.'s hands. The United States now has the precedent to use force since they can declare that diplomacy didn't work.
As it's beginning to look more and more everyday, force is the only way to liberate the North and free it from poverty. Welfare cheques from the south will only reach as far as Dear Leader's bank account.
I'd like to know what the SKs are smoking if they still side with the north who keeps on repeating nuclear war is around the corner. The only nukes that'll get dropped will be on the SKs.
huu76
Thursday, January 09, 2003 at 03:33:15 (PST)
[65.95.192.234]
I Ching
(psst) Mao's Cultural Revolution...easily malleable minds..remember?
Lucky Strike
Thursday, January 09, 2003 at 01:33:45 (PST)
[68.14.109.217]
AC,
China plays pacifist because it isn't strong enough to stand up to the United States.
Both China and the U.S. would like to see a United Corea who's friendly to them, the only difference is that a U.S. friendly Corea will be wealthy while a China friendly Corea will be poor.
Everyone expects the United States to pay for everything because they know the United States is one of the few countries who actually tries to follow U.N. dictates by looking for peaceful resolutions.
I noticed SK is crying because they've lost 5 billion on the nuclear reactors the U.S. has refused to complete. That's chump change to America. Maybe SK's will realize that if they try hard enough, they can be just as poor as NK by making the Americans bleed them to death.
Bush names the axis of evil. NK and Iran have begun work on atomic projects that have little ability to meet their domestic needs. Looks like Bush and the CIA aren't as inept as everyone thinks.
By the way, who's bluffing? The United States would prefer to NOT talk. NK keeps on screaming that the sky is about to fall and that war is near. Maybe they're planning an invasion soon?
Mr. Moo smart? Takes a lot of brains to bow to the will of a 5th world nation. Sounds more like a lefty weakling.
huu76
Wednesday, January 08, 2003 at 19:34:52 (PST)
[65.95.192.28]
I Ching,
I'm so glad you are back, because I was getting bored with reading the usual load of c$#p on the Korea Unification forum. You said, "The history of the Korean people is one of playing the role of a fanatically loyal follower to whoever is the controlling power."
I find this rather amusing, because using your warped sense of history I can also generalize chinese history by saying this:
"The history of the Chinese people is one where they are constantly invaded and conquered by superior foreign forces." How many Chinese dynasties is ethnic "Han" government? Who conquered China? Mongols, Manchus, and a horde of other "barbarians." The Great Wall, obviously didn't work too well. Weren't the Chinese losing to the European colonizers and also to the Japanese?
Obviously I'm giving you a very warped and skewed interpretation of Chinese history as you are doing about Korean history.
Indeed many Koreans who sided with the Japanese during WWII joined in the horrible atrocities. But you make it seem like the Chinese people are some sort of victims and Koreans were out to get the Chinese. North Koreans wouldnt' be starving now if the Chinese "volunteer" forces never crossed the Dumen river. And I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but your ideological servants--north korean communist elite--despise teh Chinese as much as they despise everyone else. Why? Because the Chinese have abandoned the communism, established diplomatic ties with North Korea's top 3 enemies--S Korea, US, and Japan. On top of this, the Chinese have reduced military support.
Indeed South Korean government caused heinous atrocities--but this pales in comparison to North Korean government atrocities--which pretty much compares with Mao Ze Dong's "Great Leap Forward" created famines.
I suggest you read other sources of news besides the People's Daily, because bro, that's seriously screwing up your head.
It is not healthy for you to learn about the world only from reading People's Daily and communist history textbooks. I suggest you get to know some real Koreans to get a better sense of what we are like. China is a mighty big place, but there are tons of Koreans in Beijing and Shanghai--if that's where you are writing from.
And as for mentioning "Moonies", I wonder what you think of Falun Gong. Case closed.
ka
Wednesday, January 08, 2003 at 09:08:44 (PST)
[168.103.180.35]
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