Is reunification of Korea is possible?
Yuba Nath Lamsal
Irrespective of ideology, the survival strategy of North Korea, as it is also known as Democratic People\'s Republic of Korea or DPRK, is a lesson to be learnt by smaller countries in the world especially Nepal which is in the sandwiched position between Asia\'s two giants. North Korea has survived with dignity and stood firmly in the community of the nations despite hostile attitude of some of its neighbours and sanction from the Western countries. North Korea is a country which has been an example how unity of the people and strength of its own can keep foreign interference at bay and maintain national independence, unity and territorial integrity intact. Countries like Nepal have much more to learn from the DPRK which is smaller than Nepal in terms of size and population but much more powerful in terms of economic and military size.
Global attention has always been focused on North Korea not because of its economy and physical size but because of its military and nuclear capability. North Korea is the only nuclear power in East Asia after China. The Western world especially the United States which has pitched Pyongyang as a rogue state because North Korea has refused to give in to the Western pressure but stood on its own strength. It has continued to defy the external pressure of any manifestation.
Any development unfolds and incident takes place in North Korea has, thus, its wider implication and incite global reaction. North Korea is always in the headlines of the newspapers in the world. Be it the change of leadership or demise of any top leader or its domestic, military or foreign policy, they all create global ripples. Now global attention is focused on unfolding developments in North Korea more than ever before especially after the sudden demise of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. Kim died of heart attack while travelling to countryside in a public train on December 17, 2011. The entire world in general and the United States and its allies in the Pacific namely South Korea and Japan in particularly were curious to know who would succeed Kim Jong Il and what would be the policy and strategy of the new leadership.
This is a testament of the fact that North Korea is a power to reckon with as this small but militarily strong country possesses nuclear power and if not properly and delicately handled the world may witness a catastrophe. Similar opinions and reactions had also been expressed 17 years ago when Kim Jong Il took over power after the demise of his father Kim Il Sung. When King Il Sung passed away, there had been many speculations about the fate of the North Korea\'s communist regime. Some western pundits and analysts had predicted that Pyongyang\'s communist regime would collapse in a few months as there would be leadership struggle to be followed by military coup.
But nothing as such happened and transfer of power went on smoothly. The Western predictions are all based on assumptions and guess work. No one knows what exactly is the position inside North Korea especially the relationship between the government and the people. Although North Korea faced series of natural disaster like famine and flood, which definitely cased hardship to the regime as well as the people, the government successfully tackled them and navigated the country forward wisely.
Their presumptions and predictions are their mere wishful thinking. The western countries especially the United States is not happy with the existence of a communist regime in a tiny country despite the failure and collapse of communist and socialist regimes in the world. The United States has, therefore, adopted the policy to force and facilitate the collapse of the North Korean communist regime. This attitude of the Western world compelled Pyongyang to go nuclear and it has now become a nuclear power. The nuclear weapons of the North Korea are partly the consequence of hostility of the Western countries. Had the Western World taken the policy of engaging Pyongyang right from the beginning and had they not tried to corner DPRK by various means including economic and diplomatic sanctions, North Korea might not have developed nuclear weapons but would have concentrated more on social and economic prosperity of its people. The United Stated and its allies mainly South Korea fear that North Korea may unleash war against the US and Seoul. However, even a layman can understand that a small country and weak country like North Korea can never risk by provoking and antagonizing the world\'s only super power. The United States is so powerful in military capability that North Korea can never imagine to attacks any of the US interests or South Korea, which is being protected by the United States. Pyongyang knows well that war provocation with the United States would invite its destruction. Thus, its military and nuclear capabilities are meant not for attack against any of its adversaries but to self-defence and deterrence.
After the demise of Kin Jong Il, similar predictions are being made as they were done 17 years ago when Kim Il Sung died. Now Kim Jong Il\'s third and youngest son Kim Jong Un has already been groomed as a successor of his father and he has already been entrusted with the key responsibility which ultimately may land him on the position of top executive of North Korea. As Kim Jong Un is young of 28 years old with virtually little experience in governance, the world is getting worried over the chances of mishandling of its the nuclear weapons and military force. However, the chances of military adventure against any other neighouring countries are very slim given the internal political and social situation and international scenario.
Despite efforts to extract every bit of information from whatever means possible, the world knows very little or nothing about North Korea\'s inside development except the ones that are aired and broadcast in the North Korean media. Thus, whatever is written or aired in the western media is only guess work. North Korea is the country about which only a very few outsiders know except some Chinese Korea experts. The mantle of leadership of this tiny but powerful country has already been transferred to a relatively young King Jong Un. He is definitely inexperienced but the old guards have already reposed their trust and allegiance to young Kim for the continuation of policies of two late Kims-Kim Ill Sung and Kim Jong Il- and stability of the country. At a time when external forces are out to destabilize North Korea, strong and unified leadership is a must and North Koreans have demonstrated it. Kim Jong Un\'s selection as heir to his father seems to be a dynastic rule but in reality this is not dynastic or family rule. This was necessitated because of the objective conditions both at home and abroad. Although there is a little chance to deviate from the old policies, the new North Korean leader may opt for some innovative changes and reforms to be introduced in the country. Educated in Switzerland, he may definitely have some reformative and innovative ideas to open up his country to the outside world and introduce some reforms both in politics and economy. This is a good opportunity for the United States and South Korea to engage Pyongyang and work together for the greater peace in the Korean Peninsula. The United States regards the North as \'an axis of evil\', which means Washington seeks to destroy North Korea. However, all out antagonism would prove to be disaster for peace and stability in the region. China is an import actor of the region which has fully backed North Korean regime and any kind of hostility with Pyongyang would mean to antagonize Beijing, which no power in the world would risk in the present global power equation. North Korea is as important to China as Canada and Mexico are to the United States. China\'s role is, thus, crucial in dealing with issues relating to Korean Peninsula. The Korean peninsula is the most heavily militarized area in the world because North Korea is in itself a military power whereas United States has its military base in South Korea. Any kind of military provocation in Korean peninsula would destabilize the entire East Asia, which would have serious implication on global security as well as trade.
Handling with Korean peninsula requires delicate approach. The two Koreas which had bitter past are now coming closer and trying to cooperate with one another. This is a good beginning and positive indication for peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula. Once unified country, Korea was divided by external powers into two Koreas-North and South. When Korea was divided, many families and relatives were separated. Now Koreans are desirous of reunification of the two Koreas and create once again a unified Korea. Peace, stability and reunification are the main agenda of Korean Peninsula. Leaders of both Koreas have now realized the feelings of their people are talking one another for peace, cooperation and reunification under the \'sunshine policy\'. Now the external forces should facilitate Korean reunification. The Korean reunification is, perhaps, key priority of North Korea, and the new leadership is expected to further carry of Korean reunification. The world wants Korea to be reunified once again and we may see a reunified Korea in our life time.
Irrespective of ideology, the survival strategy of North Korea, as it is also known as Democratic People\'s Republic of Korea or DPRK, is a lesson to be learnt by smaller countries in the world especially Nepal which is in the sandwiched position between Asia\'s two giants. North Korea has survived with dignity and stood firmly in the community of the nations despite hostile attitude of some of its neighbours and sanction from the Western countries. North Korea is a country which has been an example how unity of the people and strength of its own can keep foreign interference at bay and maintain national independence, unity and territorial integrity intact. Countries like Nepal have much more to learn from the DPRK which is smaller than Nepal in terms of size and population but much more powerful in terms of economic and military size.
Global attention has always been focused on North Korea not because of its economy and physical size but because of its military and nuclear capability. North Korea is the only nuclear power in East Asia after China. The Western world especially the United States which has pitched Pyongyang as a rogue state because North Korea has refused to give in to the Western pressure but stood on its own strength. It has continued to defy the external pressure of any manifestation.
Any development unfolds and incident takes place in North Korea has, thus, its wider implication and incite global reaction. North Korea is always in the headlines of the newspapers in the world. Be it the change of leadership or demise of any top leader or its domestic, military or foreign policy, they all create global ripples. Now global attention is focused on unfolding developments in North Korea more than ever before especially after the sudden demise of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. Kim died of heart attack while travelling to countryside in a public train on December 17, 2011. The entire world in general and the United States and its allies in the Pacific namely South Korea and Japan in particularly were curious to know who would succeed Kim Jong Il and what would be the policy and strategy of the new leadership.
This is a testament of the fact that North Korea is a power to reckon with as this small but militarily strong country possesses nuclear power and if not properly and delicately handled the world may witness a catastrophe. Similar opinions and reactions had also been expressed 17 years ago when Kim Jong Il took over power after the demise of his father Kim Il Sung. When King Il Sung passed away, there had been many speculations about the fate of the North Korea\'s communist regime. Some western pundits and analysts had predicted that Pyongyang\'s communist regime would collapse in a few months as there would be leadership struggle to be followed by military coup.
But nothing as such happened and transfer of power went on smoothly. The Western predictions are all based on assumptions and guess work. No one knows what exactly is the position inside North Korea especially the relationship between the government and the people. Although North Korea faced series of natural disaster like famine and flood, which definitely cased hardship to the regime as well as the people, the government successfully tackled them and navigated the country forward wisely.
Their presumptions and predictions are their mere wishful thinking. The western countries especially the United States is not happy with the existence of a communist regime in a tiny country despite the failure and collapse of communist and socialist regimes in the world. The United States has, therefore, adopted the policy to force and facilitate the collapse of the North Korean communist regime. This attitude of the Western world compelled Pyongyang to go nuclear and it has now become a nuclear power. The nuclear weapons of the North Korea are partly the consequence of hostility of the Western countries. Had the Western World taken the policy of engaging Pyongyang right from the beginning and had they not tried to corner DPRK by various means including economic and diplomatic sanctions, North Korea might not have developed nuclear weapons but would have concentrated more on social and economic prosperity of its people. The United Stated and its allies mainly South Korea fear that North Korea may unleash war against the US and Seoul. However, even a layman can understand that a small country and weak country like North Korea can never risk by provoking and antagonizing the world\'s only super power. The United States is so powerful in military capability that North Korea can never imagine to attacks any of the US interests or South Korea, which is being protected by the United States. Pyongyang knows well that war provocation with the United States would invite its destruction. Thus, its military and nuclear capabilities are meant not for attack against any of its adversaries but to self-defence and deterrence.
After the demise of Kin Jong Il, similar predictions are being made as they were done 17 years ago when Kim Il Sung died. Now Kim Jong Il\'s third and youngest son Kim Jong Un has already been groomed as a successor of his father and he has already been entrusted with the key responsibility which ultimately may land him on the position of top executive of North Korea. As Kim Jong Un is young of 28 years old with virtually little experience in governance, the world is getting worried over the chances of mishandling of its the nuclear weapons and military force. However, the chances of military adventure against any other neighouring countries are very slim given the internal political and social situation and international scenario.
Despite efforts to extract every bit of information from whatever means possible, the world knows very little or nothing about North Korea\'s inside development except the ones that are aired and broadcast in the North Korean media. Thus, whatever is written or aired in the western media is only guess work. North Korea is the country about which only a very few outsiders know except some Chinese Korea experts. The mantle of leadership of this tiny but powerful country has already been transferred to a relatively young King Jong Un. He is definitely inexperienced but the old guards have already reposed their trust and allegiance to young Kim for the continuation of policies of two late Kims-Kim Ill Sung and Kim Jong Il- and stability of the country. At a time when external forces are out to destabilize North Korea, strong and unified leadership is a must and North Koreans have demonstrated it. Kim Jong Un\'s selection as heir to his father seems to be a dynastic rule but in reality this is not dynastic or family rule. This was necessitated because of the objective conditions both at home and abroad. Although there is a little chance to deviate from the old policies, the new North Korean leader may opt for some innovative changes and reforms to be introduced in the country. Educated in Switzerland, he may definitely have some reformative and innovative ideas to open up his country to the outside world and introduce some reforms both in politics and economy. This is a good opportunity for the United States and South Korea to engage Pyongyang and work together for the greater peace in the Korean Peninsula. The United States regards the North as \'an axis of evil\', which means Washington seeks to destroy North Korea. However, all out antagonism would prove to be disaster for peace and stability in the region. China is an import actor of the region which has fully backed North Korean regime and any kind of hostility with Pyongyang would mean to antagonize Beijing, which no power in the world would risk in the present global power equation. North Korea is as important to China as Canada and Mexico are to the United States. China\'s role is, thus, crucial in dealing with issues relating to Korean Peninsula. The Korean peninsula is the most heavily militarized area in the world because North Korea is in itself a military power whereas United States has its military base in South Korea. Any kind of military provocation in Korean peninsula would destabilize the entire East Asia, which would have serious implication on global security as well as trade.
Handling with Korean peninsula requires delicate approach. The two Koreas which had bitter past are now coming closer and trying to cooperate with one another. This is a good beginning and positive indication for peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula. Once unified country, Korea was divided by external powers into two Koreas-North and South. When Korea was divided, many families and relatives were separated. Now Koreans are desirous of reunification of the two Koreas and create once again a unified Korea. Peace, stability and reunification are the main agenda of Korean Peninsula. Leaders of both Koreas have now realized the feelings of their people are talking one another for peace, cooperation and reunification under the \'sunshine policy\'. Now the external forces should facilitate Korean reunification. The Korean reunification is, perhaps, key priority of North Korea, and the new leadership is expected to further carry of Korean reunification. The world wants Korea to be reunified once again and we may see a reunified Korea in our life time.
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