4 ms·

I get what you're saying, but I think South Korea would bear that cost. I personally know people whose family was split by the arbitrary North/South border div

by yomly 9y ago

I get what you're saying, but I think South Korea would bear that cost. I personally know people whose family was split by the arbitrary North/South border divide. For them, I think absorbing and reintegrating the population of the North Korean means more to them than just an economic burden. Given that the South Korean government were elected democratically, you would hope that they would be prepared to represent the interests of the population.

thanksgiving 9y ago
I am sure you're right and I hope the old saying "where there is a will, there is a way" is true, but the numbers paint a very bleak picture. Even if the will is there, as GP said: > South Korea doesn't have the money or the economic poweress help the DPRK like West Germany did with East Germany. Realistically, a merger has to make sense for the chebols/conglomerates, right? Edit: also where do China PR and Japan stand on unification? I've read claims that neither is very fond of it?
- mikeash 9y ago
  It's worth pointing out that East Germany was one of the most (maybe the most) prosperous countries in the Soviet sphere, whereas North Korea is horrendously poor. To put some numbers on it, the East German GDP in 1989 was about $160 billion, with a population of about 16 million, so about $10,000 per capita. North Korea's GDP is about $12 billion with a population of about 25 million, for a per-capita GDP of about $600.
NedIsakoff 9y ago
That's one example, but time is against it. The generation that was split by the border divide/war is dying out. The younger generation doesn't really care about the DPRK.
- exhilaration 9y ago
  I've been told the same thing about Ireland and Northern Ireland - the younger generation of Irish don't care at all about Northern Ireland.
  - jaymzcampbell 9y ago
    With Brexit and the possibility of a return to a "hard" border that is rapidly changing I think (ex-Newry, NI, person here, now living in London). Though I'd say this hasn't gone away at all - there's plenty of "young people" taking part in this visceral display every year[1] and it to me at least, every time I go back it seems to be getting worse not better for at least the past 10 years. There's been lots of talk that this won't happen but it's hard to see how there won't be at least some sort of checks reintroduced. This isn't too unusual, we had the Common Travel Area[2] since 20s well before Schengen but a return to any sort of militarized or "formal" border could easily kick it all off again in the border counties. For an idea of the difficulty here's what crossing the border looks like the BBC did a little drone video where it's very easy to see how "leaky" it would be [3]. When I was growing up it looked more like this for the main routes [4]. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz35L-TBt9M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz35L-TBt9M [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Travel_Area https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Travel_Area [3] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-northern-ireland-40104333/crossing-the-border-four-times-in-10-minutes http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-northern-ireland-40104333/cr... [4] https://i.pinimg.com/736x/23/a3/54/23a354665613f3aa695f0e5c309d7b2b--british-soldier-british-army.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/736x/23/a3/54/23a354665613f3aa695f0e5c3...
agumonkey 9y ago
Interesting point, but how many families were split between North and South ? If it's only people near the border, I bet a dollar the other ones will quickly bail out of helping NKans if the problem seems too large.

by yomly 9y ago

thanksgiving 9y ago

I am sure you're right and I hope the old saying "where there is a will, there is a way" is true, but the numbers paint a very bleak picture. Even if the will is there, as GP said: > South Korea doesn't have the money or the economic poweress help the DPRK like West Germany did with East Germany. Realistically, a merger has to make sense for the chebols/conglomerates, right? Edit: also where do China PR and Japan stand on unification? I've read claims that neither is very fond of it?

mikeash 9y ago
It's worth pointing out that East Germany was one of the most (maybe the most) prosperous countries in the Soviet sphere, whereas North Korea is horrendously poor. To put some numbers on it, the East German GDP in 1989 was about $160 billion, with a population of about 16 million, so about $10,000 per capita. North Korea's GDP is about $12 billion with a population of about 25 million, for a per-capita GDP of about $600.

NedIsakoff 9y ago

That's one example, but time is against it. The generation that was split by the border divide/war is dying out. The younger generation doesn't really care about the DPRK.

exhilaration 9y ago
I've been told the same thing about Ireland and Northern Ireland - the younger generation of Irish don't care at all about Northern Ireland.
- jaymzcampbell 9y ago
  With Brexit and the possibility of a return to a "hard" border that is rapidly changing I think (ex-Newry, NI, person here, now living in London). Though I'd say this hasn't gone away at all - there's plenty of "young people" taking part in this visceral display every year[1] and it to me at least, every time I go back it seems to be getting worse not better for at least the past 10 years. There's been lots of talk that this won't happen but it's hard to see how there won't be at least some sort of checks reintroduced. This isn't too unusual, we had the Common Travel Area[2] since 20s well before Schengen but a return to any sort of militarized or "formal" border could easily kick it all off again in the border counties. For an idea of the difficulty here's what crossing the border looks like the BBC did a little drone video where it's very easy to see how "leaky" it would be [3]. When I was growing up it looked more like this for the main routes [4]. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz35L-TBt9M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz35L-TBt9M [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Travel_Area https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Travel_Area [3] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-northern-ireland-40104333/crossing-the-border-four-times-in-10-minutes http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-northern-ireland-40104333/cr... [4] https://i.pinimg.com/736x/23/a3/54/23a354665613f3aa695f0e5c309d7b2b--british-soldier-british-army.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/736x/23/a3/54/23a354665613f3aa695f0e5c3...

agumonkey 9y ago

Interesting point, but how many families were split between North and South ? If it's only people near the border, I bet a dollar the other ones will quickly bail out of helping NKans if the problem seems too large.