All for a reunited Korea, raise your hands

[jtmedli]

Nothing will come of this.

Just like nothing came of the time in the 90's when the DPRK dropped commandos via a minisub that got stranded off the coast.

Or the time they shot down a OH-58 that got lost and strayed into their territory.

Or the gunboat clashes they've had at the border.

Or the Pueblo.

So yeah, I'm going with jack and shit.

Agreed. Doing 'jack and shit' seems to be popular these days (read: Iran Nukes).

 

[gparks1989]

I think South Korea would be the one dealing with the majority of the refugees, not China - that would be a major drain on South Korea's economy for a long time, which would not be a bad thing for China.

Just because the regime collapses doesn't mean that the DMZ does. I imagine that the South Korean government watched the reunification of Germany with a great deal of dread. A flood of impoverished, starved citizens of a socialist state wouldn't fit in too well with a developed nation. The Yalu River is much less protected than the DMZ and it would be a whole lot easier for the North Koreans to blend into the Korean ethnic heavy border provinces of China vice the bright lights of Seoul. If nothing else, they'd sound different.

 

[exhelodrvr]

Just because the regime collapses doesn't mean that the DMZ does. I imagine that the South Korean government watched the reunification of Germany with a great deal of dread. A flood of impoverished, starved citizens of a socialist state wouldn't fit in too well with a developed nation. The Yalu River is much less protected than the DMZ and it would be a whole lot easier for the North Koreans to blend into the Korean ethnic heavy border provinces of China vice the bright lights of Seoul. If nothing else, they'd sound different.

There are a considerable amount of family connections between the North and the South, which would put a huge amount of political pressure on the South to provide significant aid to the North, and would also drastically limit the South's military options as far as limiting the refugees. China would not feel those same pressures, and would be much more willing to use force.

 

[gparks1989]

There are a considerable amount of family connections between the North and the South, which would put a huge amount of political pressure on the South to provide significant aid to the North, and would also drastically limit the South's military options as far as limiting the refugees. China would not feel those same pressures, and would be much more willing to use force.

Touche...but methinks South Korea wouldn't be going it alone thus negating a significant amount of the economic burdern. Also, China's far more likely to use force against its own citizens as opposed to outsiders (the press can snap more photos outside of China then in). Nonetheless, makes ya wonder how much South Korea actually wants reunification.

 

[BigRed389]

Touche...but methinks South Korea wouldn't be going it alone thus negating a significant amount of the economic burdern. Also, China's far more likely to use force against its own citizens as opposed to outsiders (the press can snap more photos outside of China then in). Nonetheless, makes ya wonder how much South Korea actually wants reunification.

The general population believe in reunification. To them it's not something to step back and analyze rationally, they view the division as something unnatural forced on them by outsiders and another result of Japanese occupation.

The government may look at it more rationally, but when the majority of the voting population feel that way...

 

[bunk22]

Having lived in SK for 10 months now, I don't how they function day to day, let alone unite two countries. This is truly the land of just not right. Korea would be great if it weren't for all the Koreans.

 

[eddie]

Having lived in SK for 10 months now, I don't how they function day to day, let alone unite two countries. This is truly the land of just not right. Korea would be great if it weren't for all the Koreans.

Maybe you don't want to elaborate it publically, but I for one, am always interested to hear rants about East Asian cultures one has lived among...

 

[The Chief]

The general population believe in reunification. To them it's not something to step back and analyze rationally, they view the division as something unnatural forced on them by outsiders and another result of Japanese occupation. The government may look at it more rationally, but when the majority of the voting population feel that way...

What a strange thing to say. Stay off of that stuff, what ever it is.

The Japanese did it? Under the Japanese colonial rule, the country was one. In fact, Japan and Russia (USSR then) had agreement that after the war was over they would split Korea into North and South, Japan keeping the south. Of course Japan had to win the war hopefully with USSR help. Now about the same time, Truman, Churchill and Stalin met in Cairo and agreed to split the country into two parts, the North being a satellite of the USSR and the South .. well you get the idea. When the war was near an end, after the use the A-bomb in Hiroshima, USSR declared war on Japan, their troops occupied all of Korea but pursuant to the Cairo accords agreed to pull back to roughly 38 N degrees lattitude, as soon as American troops could be sent to South Korea.

The South Korean population wants reunification? Reunification? Or do you mean they want Korea to be one country under a regime similar to the current South Korean Government? You think you could find many that would agree to that funny looking fellow from the north as head of the country? Ain't no way. I think what they want is for the commies and their repression gone, they want to keep what they have. Doubt you could find one South Korean that would give up their Internet access, their cell-phones or what ever, for reunification. They want what they want and they want it now.

South Koreans hate Japanese? Wonder why so many SK’s stand in line to immigrate to Japan?

South Koreans want US forces out? Hate Americans? Maybe, but they would want the money USA spends in Korea left behind as well as the protection of the US forces to remain. Most all want the USA immigration process to be open up further so more could come to the USA.

I could be wrong but that is what my highly educated SK students in my English class say about the situation

 

[BigRed389]

What a strange thing to say. Stay off of that stuff, what ever it is.

The Japanese did it? Under the Japanese colonial rule, the country was one. In fact, Japan and Russia (USSR then) had agreement that after the war was over they would split Korea into North and South, Japan keeping the south. Of course Japan had to win the war hopefully with USSR help. Now about the same time, Truman, Churchill and Stalin met in Cairo and agreed to split the country into two parts, the North being a satellite of the USSR and the South .. well you get the idea. When the war was near an end, after the use the A-bomb in Hiroshima, USSR declared war on Japan, their troops occupied all of Korea but pursuant to the Cairo accords agreed to pull back to roughly 38 N degrees lattitude, as soon as American troops could be sent to South Korea.

The South Korean population wants reunification? Reunification? Or do you mean they want Korea to be one country under a regime similar to the current South Korean Government? You think you could find many that would agree to that funny looking fellow from the north as head of the country? Ain't no way. I think what they want is for the commies and their repression gone, they want to keep what they have. Doubt you could find one South Korean that would give up their Internet access, their cell-phones or what ever, for reunification. They want what they want and they want it now.

South Koreans hate Japanese? Wonder why so many SK’s stand in line to immigrate to Japan?

South Koreans want US forces out? Hate Americans? Maybe, but they would want the money USA spends in Korea left behind as well as the protection of the US forces to remain. Most all want the USA immigration process to be open up further so more could come to the USA.

I could be wrong but that is what my highly educated SK students in my English class say about the situation

I'm not sure where you're getting any of that.
I never said they wanted to reunite under North Korea. I said they view it as a natural endstate. As in, it SHOULD happen. The South Koreans even have a government reunification agency dedicated to planning for the day.
On their own terms of course, but that it should happen eventually. Not that they're willing to do much about it or make sacrifices to their way of life now, but if you were to poll them in a simple yes/no format on whether the Koreas should one day be united, I'd bet ~100% South Koreans say yes.
The sentiment has changed from hate for the North and all communists to a more sympathetic view for the average North Korean as a brainwashed victim.
There were two very popular Korean movies made during the late 90's, both portraying individual North Koreans as good people rather than communist fanatics. Considering movies in South Korea are screened by the government, the fact that they were released AND were very popular says something.

As far as my line of credit on the issue, I'm not just pulling shit out off of Google or Wikipedia:
My parents are Koreans, who still live there, and I have plenty of family over there. I spent a fair bit of time growing up there in the early and mid 90's.
I was in the country when Kim Il Sung died.
My grandfather was killed shortly after the end of the war because he had been educated in Japan during the colonization (and yes, I never actually met him).
I've pretty much lost ties with my roots since going to college and joining the Navy, and I'm sure things have changed, but I doubt things have changed THAT drastically.

And please clarify for me, by English class, do you mean SK students living in Japan? They would of course have a very different take on the whole situation.
I'd be curious what their take would be on the ongoing disputes like the Sea of Japan/East Sea or Tokdo/Takeshima.

 

[bunk22]

Maybe you don't want to elaborate it publically, but I for one, am always interested to hear rants about East Asian cultures one has lived among...

Where I'm at, there are no bases and thus I live out in town, with the Korean population. I would only offend people if I spoke out loud. I'll just say this, absolutely not impressed at all with the cultural, the people or their military.

 

[The Chief]

Might be they deserve to be reunited with their brothers from the North. Over 50 thousand Americans dead, many more seriously wounded to save them from being reunited, and they seem not to appreciated that sacrifice. The last time they were reunited they did not like it very much either.

 

[chnsx7]

north korea, not again..