Korean unification

Posted: 2005/05/31  By: Dr Hwang (Views:2662)

Wanting it doesn't make it so View

Observer, 2005/05/31 18:24  

After watching the fall of the Berlin Wall, the reunification of Germany, and the
reintegration of Eastern Europe into the EU, it is understandable that Koreans became envious
and wanted to enjoy the same fate. Certainly the division of the Korean peninsula cannot last
forever. Unfortunately Korea did not quicky follow the European pattern of reunification after
the fall of Communism in the old Soviet block. Internal reform did not occur in North Korea,
nor was its leadership overthrown.

Many in South Korea started to feel as if somehow they had been cheated by history. Why, if
the cold war was over, was the Korean peninsula still divided? Why did it still have to have
air-raid drills on the 15th of every month? And the thought started to creep into the minds of
many in the South that the US secretly wanted the division of the peninsula to be permanent as
an excuse for the basing of US troops here over the long term to deter the growing power China.

George Bush's "axis of evil" labeling of North Korea, and his lack of cooperation with Kim
Dae Jung was not seen as incompetence on the part of the new American administration, but as
part of a sinister plot to thwart Koreas efforts at reconciliation.

The truth is, however, that Bush is not that smart. When he took office in 2001, he didn't
fully understand what was going on in Korea. He probably hadn't even heard of the summit in
Pyongyang the year before. That's how ill-informed a president he is. The man hardly has the IQ
to try to pull off something as cunning as the prevention of reconciliation between the Koreas.

Kim Jung il made a great PR move (and earned some cash from Hyundai-Asan in the process) by
inviting Kim Dae Jung to Pyongyang. Everyone who witnessed the reunion was very hopeful at the
time. Unfortunately, Kim Jung il never followed up with a visit to Seoul. Nor did he withdrawl
his troops or artilery from the DMZ. Neither did he stop sending his own people to prison for
politican crimes. Kim Jung-il sits by while he lets our Korean brothers die of starvation.

It seems that people in the South are ignoring this fact. Kim Jung-il is doing nothing to
promote unification other than taking South Korean aid. He does nothing to reciprocate the
generocity he has received. But it seems easier to blame the Americans than Kim Jung il. The
truth is Kim Jung il is far more afraid of reunification than any Pentagon strategist. If the
US loses Korea as a place for US troops, it can move them to Japan or some other ally in Asia.
It would be a loss for the US military, but not a big one.

For Kim Jung-il, however, reunification would probably mean the end of his existence. The
North Korean people, once they come to know just how much the suffered due to his leadership
will probably not rest until they see him executed. For proof of this, witness the comments
made by refugees from the North. Kim Jung-il is feared and hated, not loved. They will want his
head if they have the chance. In a reunified Korea, they most likely will have that chance.

There are many patriots in the South of the peninsula, though, who want reunification so
badly they have become blind to Kim Jung-il's faults. They fail to see that so long as he is in
power, he will do whatever he can to cling onto that power. He doesn't want to stop being the
king in his kingdom even if it is only half of Korea. At least he is king in half a country. If
Korea is reunited he would be just an ordinary man... maybe a prisoner... or maybe even on
death row. So why would he ever want to reunify with the South?

Between the incompetent Bush and the clever Kim Jung-il, who do you think has more motivation
to prevent reunification? Think about it. Bush will be out of power anyway in less than 4
years. But Kim Jung-il? I'm not so sure.

It's time to realize that just because we dream of unity, doesn't make it so. The reality is
there is a man in the North who doesn't want it to happen. Can we ever be honest enough with
ourselves to admit this? Or is it easier just to blame the bungling US?