Despite some of the drastic differences between North and South Korea, the goal of reunification looms large over both halves of the peninsula. We are already well aware of the political, economic, and cultural nature of these differences, and how a 60 year period of isolation has solidified them. What, according to the reading, are some of the different possibilities for reunification? Which ones seems more plausible? What are some of the items at stake?
It may help to think of other instances of reunification from history--consider Germany, and even the North and South United States to help you grasp the concept.
The article touches on the four processes of unification: by absorption, by force, by consensus, and by trusteeship. Like the article states, the first two are quite plausible knowing the strength of the South Korean side. However, the things at stake greatly affect the ability for this to happen. One of these is the cost and casualty factor, with the article stating that with just a preliminary plan set in 1994 to attack the North, casualties could top 1 million at the "early stages". And the second two aren't as easy either. The article mentions all of the obstacles the two countries must face during compromise, such as finding a common identity, etc. Overall it seems as if there are too many negative outcomes of reunifying Korea. If it hasn't happened in the past few decades, I doubt it will happen in the future, no matter which method is chosen.
ReplyDeleteThere are four different possibilities for reunification; by absorption, by force, by consensus, and by trusteeship. Unification by absorption is what the Germans did, unification by force occurred in the Vietnamese case, unification by consensus was used in the Yemen case, and unification by trusteeship was rejected by North and South Korea due to the prior happenstances when the U.S. and Soviet Union tried to unify based on trusteeship. Although hard to think about the easiest form of reunification would by force or absorption.The Germans effortlessly used force in order to obtain their power but if they used consensus it would have taken far too long. For example, what is happening in the Crimea is a source of unification by absorption. One item at stake is control and the lose of culture within a certain region due to the coming together of nations.
ReplyDeletefor the reunification of the korean peninsula it states mutual desire and agreement. however time has brought great differences in the korean cultures, ever since the north korean invasion the thought of mutual peace seemed to be lost. After decades mutually agreement is not seen, these counties view the world and themselves differently. the north is a oppressive and orderly country lacking of freedom and innovation. they are seen as destructive force unable to see the errors of their ways. while the south is a thriving republic blistering with life a sense of purpose in creating a better world through technology. mutual agreement and peace can not be achieved with these polar opposites.
ReplyDeleteReunification can be accomplished by absorption, by force, by consensus, and by trusteeship. According to the situation now, I think it might work with consensus. All the other options seem unrealistic to me because now North Korea is in a high tension situation with such exciting spirit (don't you see they are claiming attacking the US and South Korea)? When this situation happens, force is definitely not a good choice because it would cause more death and there will be no peace. Absorption might work but I don't think a dictator would want his people become other's people so it doesn't work. Trusteeship, in my opinion, it is another form of force, and I guess nobody will risk to do this. So the only possible option is consensus, but it needs time. One day when North Korea gets close to its doom, it may ask South Korea for help.
ReplyDeleteIt states in the article the four ways that reunification can be made possible, previously many have touched upon them but they are: absorption, force, consensus, and by trusteeship. In the article it states that for Korea, "unification by trusteeship has little prospect of approval on the Korean Peninsula." As a result the most plausable ways of reunification by absorption or force just like the Germans did. The Germans absorbed and forced people to come together and support the Nazi government. Although I do agree with Andrew that by using force to reunify Korea there will be more deaths and, or, no peace. Consesus I believe would take a lot of time to accomplish, while they already have wasted much time being split apart and in a dispute.
ReplyDeleteReunification as the article states can be possible by absorption, force, consensu and by trusteeship. The later in my opinion is the least plausible for this situation since after 6 decades, North Korea has not done anything to try and reunificate the Peninsula at all, plus there are so many differences between South and North Korea starting with the economy and government system and the mentalities of the population that it is almost if not impossible to try and reunify them by trusteeship. As well, consensus is related to this because to make a decision where everyone agrees, there have to be some similarities for instance the goals that both of the groups want to accomplish by reunifying the country. However they have such different mentalities and goals again so this is almost impossible as well.
ReplyDeleteThe other two, would be much moreplausible but the most plausible if I had to pick one would be by force. Unfortunately, it is sad to say so, but violence is usually the way where we get the more things and where the biggest number of goals are accomplished. Therefore this would be in my opinion the only that could happen. however, the amount of money needed for this is so so so big that I do not even think that nor North or South Korea are thinking on doing something to reunify the Peninsula because it could get to trillions of dollars.
The four possible processes of unification are by absorption, by force, by consensus, and by trusteeship. Absorption and force re the most plausible processes that could occur because at this point south korea would not want to willingly become apart of North korea and have to follow the dictatorship, and everyone in North korea thinks that their leader is the best in the world and would not want to do anythign differnent. Also with trusteeship, there do not seem to be any efforts at all that would possibly make this happen. The most plausiable outcome i think if it were to really happen would be force because the north has a large army that is very controlled, with millions of people all brainwashed in the north korean idea.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the articles, there are many ways of possible reunification. Reunification could be done by absorption, by force, by consensus, and by trusteeship. However, as a korean, I believe that reunification by force is not plausible. South Korea and North have had a very bad relationship with one another since the time of armistice. North Korean Army had been threathening the South by attracting civilian ships and sending spies. However, even though North Korea spent a lot of money just to build a nuclear bomb so that they can threathen the South and the United States, the reason why North Korean does not march into the South and show their dreams of conquering the world with communism is because they can't.
ReplyDeleteIt is politically proven that North Korean leaders does not want reunification, and that they know that If they did invade Korea, there is a possibility that they would get annihilated because the United States have much stronger army and navy compared to the North Korea and also United States have nuclear bomb as well.
The reunification of the Korean Peninsula is something that both sides desperatly want. (As seen in both the video and reading). For re-unification there are four different methods (two of which seem impossible) 1) reunification by absorption (which is similar to what was done by Germany), 2) Unification by force 3) Unification by by consensus and 4) unification by trusteeship. However, two of these methods are seen as almost impossible. If Korea were to try try and reunify themselves by military force the damages would be incredible. Outlandish because of the advanced weapons and bombs not to mention that it would also create lots of tension. The idea of reunification by trusteeship is also something that won't work as seen with the previous intervention of the US. The problem with unification is that the North and South have become so different. Their customs, beliefs, economy, and rules are completely different. South Korea is making an attempt to have a reunification by consensus and have tried to in a way transition to this by trying to support North Korea. Although I think it is unlikely that they will unify.
ReplyDeleteWell ever since North Korea invaded South Korea people have never really seen any possibility of reunification. This is because they both have there differences, and how North Korea has isolated themselves from the rest of the world. But the only way I see any possible reunification is if one of them uses force and invades the other. I believe this would be North Korea and they are simply trying to gain more territory and power. They think that since they have nuclear weapons that they are a force to be reckoned with. Don't get me wrong they definitely a force and people should fear them at times but there not the only ones with nukes.
ReplyDeleteThere are many possible ways of reunification. It could be done by absorption, by force, by consensus, and by trusteeship. Force probably doesn't work because opposition does not take kindly to force. North Korea probably wouldn't respond easily to force trying to combine SK and NK. Absorption usually happens when one territory has more power, and although NK might have more access to nuclear weapons, SK is not significantly weaker than NK, they also have powerful allies like the US that wouldn't allow NK to take power. But, NK does a good job of brainwashing it's citizens to believe in the communist party. Opposing sides still have to watch out for them as a credible threat because there are people that defend it's clause.
ReplyDeleteAs they are mentioned in the article, possibilities of different reunification can result in various consequences. One of them is absorption, the other one is consensus. Absorption means taking over the North in a quick and forceful way, which will be overwhelming for the South. Consensus is less expensive, but more time-consuming. Despite all these effort on reunification, it still seems impossible for these two country to reunify. North Korea's stubbornness and ignorance encumber the process of reunification.
ReplyDeleteThe are four possible ways to reunify the Korean peninsula, however the only one that South Korea is seeking is a gradual reunification through consensus. Previously, South Korea and the US have considered attacking the North and reuniting the Koreans by force. This idea was most popular during North Korea's weakest moments, when they were suffering from famine and economical decline. though this seemed to be a plausible option at the time, it was soon estimated that the US ans South Korea could lose as many as a million soldiers in such a war. The cost of the potential war would be astronomical, it was too high to estimate. Even just absorbing North Korea would cost up to three trillion dollars, and would likely lower the standard of living for many South Koreans. This is why South Korea pursued a consensual reunification. Though it would have to be gradual because of the stark differences between North and South Koreans.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Stefan, unification of Koreas is doable if both leaders show interests and maybe one of them is under some other crisis (economic or under attack). In stead of starting another attack when their competitor is the weakest, just unified the whole korea peninsula. I am sure they would be willing to do so since they are eventually the same ethnicity. In the reading, I mostly see the perspective of the south. It seems like the south had offered a really good deal called "coexistance". I can imagine, if this offer was made when north is in crisis they would be happy to accept it. However, this reading did not talk about what Korea think because we don't know what they are thinking. Also it is almost impossible to send spies into North Korea. In a conclusion, I see the Korea unification coming, sooner than China and Taiwan to be unified.
ReplyDeleteIn the readings there were four possible ways to reunify the Koreas. 1) Unification by absorption 2) Unification by force 3) Unification by by consensus and 4) Unification by trusteeship. I think that the most plausible way to reunite the peninsula would be by absorption or force. I think that out of these two fore would be the most plausible because South Korea would have a lot of allies because no one wants to deal with isolated North Korea anymore. I think that consensus is the least plausible way because they have been apart for so long and the North is so isolated that it would take forever to come to an agreement and unite.
ReplyDeleteThe four ways for reunification is either by force, consensus, trusteeship, or absorption, They all seem very plausible, however, under the very specific circumstances. For example, Germany was reunified with absorption, Vietnam with force, Yemen tried unsuccessfully to reunify with consensus, and trusteeship to unify the North and South during the Civil War. In the case of the current North/South Korean political status, the most ideal would not to unify at all as the costs to South Korea would be too great. If they wanted to, they would most likely find success if they attempted reunification with force (South Korea) as there would need to be a definite ruler to squash any thoughts of illegitimacy.
ReplyDeleteThere are many obstacles that both North and South Korea must go through in order to reunify, if ever. First of all, because North Korea's economy is substantially worse than South Korea's, South Korea would have to support North Korea economically for a long time until it can get back on its feet, if it ever does. Also North Korea has the idea that if there was ever a reunification they would want the South to become communist just like them, to create one big communist country. Overall, because the North and South have such different views on reunification, the pros and cons might outweigh each other, one of the only pros that the article talked about was if the two reunified, the country as a whole would have a much stronger army.
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