An Outsider

It's very difficulty to understand the full scope of something like Korean unification. My opinion on the subject has changed time and time again. Each time I talk to someone about this subject, a new perspective is revealed to me. The issue I want to address today is the outsider perspective that the world has on North Korea.

When people discuss or think about North Korea, I can guarantee you that they don't see the potential of the country. They see a dark figure that has continued the stronghold that his father, Kim Il-Sung, kept on the country and its people. While Kim Jong-il is a problem, he is also a solution. Whether you like him or not, it does not matter. He does not care what the US thinks (Does anyone anymore? -thanks Bush). He inherited a country that was in ruins and did the only thing he could to keep it somewhat orderly. His methods for that were monsterous and maybe he will be held accountable for that one day in a war crimes hearing or maybe even Amnesty International would take the case, but that does not help the North Korean people now.

Since most people see North Korea as one man and a man that must be stopped, crushed, ousted, killed or whatever people say they want to do to him, they don't see the greater picture. They don't see what is STILL a very pressing and crucial issue on the Korean Peninsula. They know that the countries are technically still at war and that's probably about it. What they don't know is how much people want to unify. They don't see how many families have been separated for 50 years. They don't see that just 30km north of Seoul there are people just as worthy and intelligent and loyal to their family and a unified Korea as there are in the metropolis that is Seoul and all of South Korea.

My point is that when people outside of Korea speak of North Korea and how to handle the situation, they only address one aspect on the peninsula. They think that Kim Jong-il is the end of North Korea's problems, but that's so niave. The way to solve the problem is to support the two countries efforts in unification by backing off and playing a supportive role rather than a authoratative role.

Korea knows what it needs to do and they are doing it already. They are slowly but firmly establishing close economic ties with North Korea. They are opening trade and rail lines to and from the two nations and re-opening disputed fishing waters. The two governments are in closer talks on many issues and only after this foundation has been laid, can they continue on to more discussion on the state of the peninsula.

This solution is internal. It is diplomatic and econimical.

I titled the post "An Outsider" because I know how most of the world wants to handle this situation and I also know how Korea should handle this situation. The outsider simply does not understand.

The framework is being laid and in the next post I will talk about the economic ties that are coming together everyday on the peninsula.



That is President Roh Moo-hyun. That was the first time someone legally walked across the border since the war began. This was in October.