North and South Korea
stated that one reason why we pursue reunification is because ‘we are all Koreans, torn apart by politics’ . 16 Reunification would allow for families who have split, either through the Japanese colonial period or through the Korean war, to unite. It is estimated that nearly 10 million Korean families 17 that have been torn apart and denied the basic human rights of family reunification for over half a century. To put this into perspective, this is approximately one in every five South Koreans who have been separated from their kin, still unable to write to, call or even see each other. Additionally, taking a humanitarian stance, the amalgamation of Koreans would be a humane and noble goal. As well as reunifying families and joining one group of people together, reunification would provide assistance for millions of impoverished North Koreans who suffer under the restrictive communist regime. Along with other organisations, South Korea will be able to supply aid for those in starvation, medication for the sick who are unable to currently attain it, and liberty to those who are persecuted. Providing basic human rights to 25 million people living in one of the world’s most oppress ive country itself should be enough of a reason for reunification. Furthermore, by uniting the people, the Korean War would end. As only a cease-fire was signed to halt conflict, the war still officially continues, sustaining tension. Reunifying the two into one country would thus neutralize the threat of war and create both domestic and international peace. However, there is a lack of interest to pursue the ‘One Country, One People’ idea from the increasing younger South Korean generation. According to survey by the Korea Institute for National Unification, 71.2% of South Koreans in their 20s oppose reunification. 18 The reunification of families isn’t as important to them considering they are the second of third generation after the war, meaning they haven ’t even seen or heard of those they are related to. Therefore , they have no personal or emotional incentive to reunify with distant family members. Secondly, they are discouraged by the prospect of the immense economic repercussions. Even if the economy booms in the long run, they will directly have to take the brunt of the costs mainly through high taxes. This short-term period of a few decades for them is their whole working life, meaning they would prefer not to disrupt the status quo. To conclude, I believe that North and South Korea should reunite. While there is the tremendous economic cost that South Korea would have to bear, in the long run, a united Korea would be able to boom due to the combination of the North’s natural capital and the South’s de veloped technology. There will be foreign aid from a number of countries and further possible incentives from either China or the USA to support the reunification. Moreover, a complete Korea would reunify the Korean people who were unjustly spilt during the Cold War, creating a stronger sense of national identity, and provide basic human rights for nearly 25 million people.
16 Park I, The Past, Present, and Future of Korean Reunification: an interview with Kihl-Jae Ryoo, https://www.jstor.org/stable/26528688?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents [consulted 30/8/21]. 17 Boo D & Lee D, Divided Korean Families: why does it take so long to remedy the unhealed wounds? https://www.jstor.org/stable/43783259?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents [consulted 30/8/21] . 18 Choe S, Olympic Dreams of a United Korea? Many in South Say, ‘No, Thanks’, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/28/world/asia/koreas-olympics-reunification.html [consulted 3/9/21].
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