3 ms·

Interestingly, I don't think South Korea would be very happy to unite.

guildwriter 9y ago
You don't know South Korea very well then: > "Having lived in South Korea for the past 15 years, I don’t share most Americans’ confidence that it will always choose America over a North-supporting China. My own impression—bolstered by the ongoing controversy surrounding the stationing of the THAAD missile defense system—is that a growing number of South Koreans would rather see their state’s security compromised than risk their own prosperity. Let’s not overestimate South Koreans’ attachment to their own state, which a sizable but influential minority still considers illegitimate. The most popular movie in Seoul at the moment is a thriller about a joint North–South effort to catch a criminal ring of North Korean defectors. That plot tells you something right there. The main North Korean character is played for cool by a handsome Tom Cruise type, while his South Korean counterpart is a homely, tired-looking figure of fun. There is a tradition of this sort of casting. The subtext: Serving the North is glamorous; serving the South, not so much. Let’s keep in mind that Kim Jong-un is watching these movies too." Reunification of the Korean Peninsula is something that has been on the mind of both North and South ever since larger powers made them.
- iwintermute 9y ago
  Reunification will have huge costs for South. Also there were already few generations so "family reunion" is not really a motivation anymore. For elites/high skilled workers/business of North unification is dangerous because they will be useless. For elites/business of South unification gives access to resources and to mainland, but has cost of humanitarian crisis. Ideal situation for South - "Korean union" where North is independent and has somewhat democratic and calm government.
  - tomjen3 9y ago
    It was also insanely expensive for west germany (though not as much as here), but it was their goal from the start. >Germany agreed to pay about 55 billion deutschmarks to the Soviet Union in gifts and loans, the equivalent of eight days of the West German GDP.[1] Which if applied to US numbers 2016 GDP would be about 0.5 trillion dollars. The same source said the Germans would have paid 100 billion marks or roughly a little under 2 trillion. [1]:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_reunification https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_reunification Quickly googling numbers, it get between 100 billion euros and a trillion dollars[2] [2]:https://www.quora.com/What-would-it-take-for-North-and-South-Korea-to-reunite https://www.quora.com/What-would-it-take-for-North-and-South... The economic ration between the two countries are estimated to be not the 1:3 east and west germany was but more like 1:20 and the norks has half the numbers SK has, whereas there were 1 east german for every 2 west germans. However that also does not take into account that a united Korea would be a huge economic powerhouse[3] (with a fully developed north, which will obviously take some time), Goldman Sacks estimate that it could have an economy that is bigger than any other G7 country, except the US. Given that interest rates are super low right now, it might not be a bad idea to get some long interest loans for a unification. [3]:http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2009/09/123_52202.html http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2009/09/123_52202.html
- iwintermute 9y ago
  >> The most popular film in Seoul Does it have name? I can't find it: http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/jsp/news/boxOffice_Monthly.jsp?mode=BOXOFFICE_MONTHLY http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/jsp/news/boxOffice_Monthly.jsp?m...
  - snthd 9y ago
    Probably V.I.P. (it comes out top if you sort by week).
- cli 9y ago
  Who did you quote?

You don't know South Korea very well then: > "Having lived in South Korea for the past 15 years, I don’t share most Americans’ confidence that it will always choose America over a North-supporting China. My own impression—bolstered by the ongoing controversy surrounding the stationing of the THAAD missile defense system—is that a growing number of South Koreans would rather see their state’s security compromised than risk their own prosperity. Let’s not overestimate South Koreans’ attachment to their own state, which a sizable but influential minority still considers illegitimate. The most popular movie in Seoul at the moment is a thriller about a joint North–South effort to catch a criminal ring of North Korean defectors. That plot tells you something right there. The main North Korean character is played for cool by a handsome Tom Cruise type, while his South Korean counterpart is a homely, tired-looking figure of fun. There is a tradition of this sort of casting. The subtext: Serving the North is glamorous; serving the South, not so much. Let’s keep in mind that Kim Jong-un is watching these movies too." Reunification of the Korean Peninsula is something that has been on the mind of both North and South ever since larger powers made them.

iwintermute 9y ago
Reunification will have huge costs for South. Also there were already few generations so "family reunion" is not really a motivation anymore. For elites/high skilled workers/business of North unification is dangerous because they will be useless. For elites/business of South unification gives access to resources and to mainland, but has cost of humanitarian crisis. Ideal situation for South - "Korean union" where North is independent and has somewhat democratic and calm government.
- tomjen3 9y ago
  It was also insanely expensive for west germany (though not as much as here), but it was their goal from the start. >Germany agreed to pay about 55 billion deutschmarks to the Soviet Union in gifts and loans, the equivalent of eight days of the West German GDP.[1] Which if applied to US numbers 2016 GDP would be about 0.5 trillion dollars. The same source said the Germans would have paid 100 billion marks or roughly a little under 2 trillion. [1]:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_reunification https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_reunification Quickly googling numbers, it get between 100 billion euros and a trillion dollars[2] [2]:https://www.quora.com/What-would-it-take-for-North-and-South-Korea-to-reunite https://www.quora.com/What-would-it-take-for-North-and-South... The economic ration between the two countries are estimated to be not the 1:3 east and west germany was but more like 1:20 and the norks has half the numbers SK has, whereas there were 1 east german for every 2 west germans. However that also does not take into account that a united Korea would be a huge economic powerhouse[3] (with a fully developed north, which will obviously take some time), Goldman Sacks estimate that it could have an economy that is bigger than any other G7 country, except the US. Given that interest rates are super low right now, it might not be a bad idea to get some long interest loans for a unification. [3]:http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2009/09/123_52202.html http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2009/09/123_52202.html
iwintermute 9y ago
>> The most popular film in Seoul Does it have name? I can't find it: http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/jsp/news/boxOffice_Monthly.jsp?mode=BOXOFFICE_MONTHLY http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/jsp/news/boxOffice_Monthly.jsp?m...
- snthd 9y ago
  Probably V.I.P. (it comes out top if you sort by week).
cli 9y ago
Who did you quote?