The idea of a unified Korea has been discussed openly by both sides for decades.
The latest
talks happened last October when close advisors to Kim Jong Un visited with South Korea’s
unification minister in Seoul.
However, nothing came from this and there is still tension between
the two nations.
So, is there any chance of reunifying North and South Korea?
The current lines dividing North and South Korea were drawn at the end of WWII by the
US
and the Soviet Union.
The border was meant to be temporary, but the Korean War cemented
the dividing line and the two nations have been separated ever since.
In 1972, North and South Korea made their first joint statement towards a peaceful
reunification, one brought upon without force or the influence of other countries.
No progress
was made and plans were dismissed by the following year.
This was followed up by meetings
between the two countries in 1990, 2000 and 2007.
Unification is something they’ve both
expressed interest in in the past, so why hasn’t it happened?
There is a chance that North Korea may not want to unify.
In fact, they may still see South
Korea as an enemy.
They allegedly sank a South Korean navy vessel and have fired artillery at
South Korea on more than one occasion.
Plus, Kim Jong Un may not be open to relinquishing
power, evident in the fact that he executed his only Uncle and top advisor in a possible
play to
eliminate challenges to his power, something that obviously does not sit well with South
Korea.
The economy is another big reason there may not be reunification.
A new report says that
it may cost South Korea 500 billion dollars to unify these nations.
And they would be forced to
take on North Korea’s much weaker economy.
In order for everything to work, North Korea’s
national income would have to be raised from from about $1,200 a year up to $10,00 a year.
This is having a toll on public opinion, and is the reason reunification has been pushed
in the
past.
A decade ago, a poll found that 92% of South Koreans thought of unification as necessary.
A follow up in 2007 saw this number shrink to 64%.
And a 2010 poll saw that only 49% of
South Koreans in their twenties saw unification as necessary.
The young population, the ones
who will eventually be in power, are weary of unifying the two countries, not only because
of
the money it will cost South Korea, but also because of how different these two cultures
have
become.
They recognize that North Korea has developed into a much different place than
modern day South Korea.
Despite all of these problems, there is still one way that reunification could become a
reality,
but it would involve the collapse of North Korea.
This would present the opportunity for South
Korea, with help from international allies like the United States and the UN, to take
over the
failed nation.
For insight on whether a North Korean collapse could even happen, check out our video
assessing how powerful they really are.
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