Korean Peninsula: Myths and misgivings


Yuba Nath Lamsal
North Korea, as it is called Democratic People’s Republic of Korea by Pyongyang, has constantly been on the spotlight of international diplomacy and media. Despite the end of the Cold War in the world, worse Cold War persists in the Korean Peninsula, with danger of war always looming large in the region.
Korean peninsula remains the only remnant of the Cold War. Korea continues to remain divided despite long desire of the Koreans living in both the north and south of the 38th parallel (the boundary between the North and South Korea) for reunification. North Korea is a communist state whereas South Korea, also known as Republic of Korea or ROK, is a capitalist country. With the tearing down of Berlin Wall and unification of Germany, a new enthusiasm and hope had been raised in Korean peninsula regarding reunification of the two Koreas.
Once Korea used to be a strong empire with its clout and influence spreading far and wide in the entire East Asia. In the late 16th century, Korea suffered from internal power struggle and rebellions, which caused decline in the power and prowess of Korean empire.  This paved the way for foreign invasions and occupation. Imperial Japan forced Korea, which had been weakened by internal wars and power rivalry between different power groups, to sign a treaty which was virtually annexed to Japan. Although this treaty was later declared null and void, Korea remained under Japanese rule for a long time. Since then, Korean people launched resistance and rebellions against foreign occupiers and invaders. Even now Korea is heavily influenced by external powers, which has kept the Korean peninsula divided.
Koran people are resilient and this nature kept the long popular resistance alive. In its long history, Korea saw many ups and downs and twists and turns. At times, came Russia and Japan onto a headlong collision and conflict over Korean issue. This phenomenon continued until 1945 when Korea was liberated. Although Korea was liberated from the foreign occupiers, yet another misfortune fell upon the Korean people because the international powers divided Korea into two parts, which still continues as a dark chapter of history.  In August 1945, the 38th Parallel was drawn and established as the boundary between the two Koreas.  Since then, the border between the two Koreas continues to see heightened tension and conflict often marked by exchange of gunfire.
The issue of reunification of Korea has surfaced more prominently than ever before. In recent years, this issue has gained more currency. However, the international powers are busy in keeping Korean Peninsula divided and tense. The United States has taken the responsibility of security of South Korea whereas the North is capable of defending by itself. As the threat of war has always loomed large in the Korean Peninsula, North Korea has invested more on defence— the being described by Western countries as a militarization of Korea.
The issue concerning the nuclear arms developed by North Korea has diverted the entire issue. While the neighborhood is less concerned, the United States has raised this issue with more hue and cry describing nuclear arms of North Korea as a threat to the global security. The arms including nuclear weapons are definitely a threat to human being. It is the desire and dream of people in the world that all traditional as well as nuclear weapons be eliminated.  However, arms race and nuclearization is a continued phenomenon in the world. Thus, why there is so many hue and cries over the North Korea’s nuclear program?  If the world is to be made free of nuclear weapons, it should begin from the countries which have larger arsenal nuclear arms. But it is not only North Korea’s nuclear weapons but all countries that have nuclear weapons need to be destroyed. But this is just an issue to divert all the other key issues that need to be settled and resolved.
Now Washington and Pyongyang are in the state of face off. While the United States has taken the North Korea’s nuclear program as a threat to global security, Pyongyang has repeatedly claimed that its nuclear program was for self-defence. North Korea says it was “forced into the missile/bomb deterrent because of US hostility”. Korean Peninsula is one of the heavily militarized zones in the world as the United States has its military base and strong military presence in South Korea, which may have forced the North to go nuclear. There is a great demand to denuclearize the entire Korean Peninsula. If Korean peninsula is to be made free from tension, militarization and nuclearization, foreign power should stop poking nose in Korean issue and leave Korean Peninsula. This would be the only way to reduce tension in the Korean peninsula and pave the way for ultimate reunification of Korea, peace, prosperity and stability of Korean Peninsula.
Korean Peninsula is a divided house and divided family. Until recently, both the Korea treated one another as their arch enemies which is the making of external powers that took benefit from the partition of Korea and hostility between the Korean people. But some recent developments have suggested that both Koreas are slowly mending their fences and re-establishing their relations reviving the hope for Korean reunification. North Korea was more enthusiastic and always pushed for Korean reunification. Pyongyang has long been offering an olive broach to the South for peaceful resolution of all problems of Korean Peninsula.
South Korea was not as forthcoming and positive as the North on the issue of reunification of Korea. But situation appears to be changing and both Koreas are trying to normalize their relations. This process began more particularly after Kim Dae-jung was elected as president of South Korea. Since then the official exchange of contact was established between the North and the South. Kim Dae Jung, under the Sunshine Policy, visited Pyongyang, which began a new process in reducing tension in the Korean Peninsula. As it was not only between the two Koreas, the issue had to be dealt with the United States because of its presence in South Korea, a senior leader of North Korea Jo Myong-rok visited Washington in 2000 and discussed ways to resolve the Korean crisis. A joint communiqué had been issued in Washington at the end of Jo’s visit, in which Washington and Pyongyang expressed their resolve to “fundamentally improve” relations and “formally end the Korean War by replacing the 1953 Armistice Agreement with permanent peace arrangements. In response, the then US Secretary of State Madeline Albright visited Pyongyang giving continuity to the process for peace in Korean Peninsula.  But the change of leadership in the White House slammed brake on the entire process. President Clinton’s term ended and Hawkish George Bush came to power in Washington, who abruptly ended the peace process in Korea and declared North Korea as a member of ‘Axis of Evil’.
The Sunshine Policy continued even after Kim Dae Jung. A summit meeting of South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and North Korean leader Kim Jong Ill was held in 2007 paving way to a flurry of new economic and security initiatives.  But this process came to a screeching halt soon after conservative President Lee Myung-bak was elected as president of South Korea in 2008. Since then no new initiative has been taken to resolve the pending issues between the North and South Korea.
Now both North and South Korea have new and more energetic leadership. It is now expected that the political and peace process would be expedited in order to unite the long-divided Korean families and ultimately re-unifying the Koreas.  In a New Year speech, the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un has emphatically raised the issue of peace in Korean Peninsula and called for the reunification of Korea, which reinforces the commitment, on his part, for peace, stability and cooperation between the two Koreas in general and also the need for building relationship with the neighbors and other countries on a newer basis. In his speech, the North Korean leader said “ My New Year greetings also go to our compatriots in the south and abroad who are ringing in the new year with yearning and expectations for the reunification and prosperity of the nation and the world's progressive peoples and our foreign friends who love justice and peace”.
Despite the strong desire of the Korean people for peace, security and cooperation, the Korean Peninsula continues to remain divided, tense and under fear. North Korea seems to be willing to carry ahead the process started long ago for peace, cooperation and re-unification of Koreas. Now it is up to the South and the international powers especially the United States to take this process ahead so that Korean Peninsula as well as the entire Asia and the Pacific region would see a new peace, prosperity and cooperation. It is time that external forces stop meddling in Korean affairs and allow the Korean people to settle their problem on their own. The external forces can only play the role of facilitators. The reunification of Korea is a must and it is not only Korean people but the entire world may be eager to see that Korean re-unification becomes a reality.


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