Introduction
The unification of North and South Koreas has often been discussed by the political leaders. The main obstacle is that these countries differ dramatically in terms of culture, work ethics, attitudes toward the state, and many other aspects that prevent these states from establishing diplomatic or economic relations. Furthermore, many South Koreans object to this integration because they believe that the unification will be a time-consuming process requiring significant costs (Branigan unpaged).
On the whole, they are afraid of the absorption of North Korea can lead to such difficulties as the increased economic burden on South Korean taxpayers, the need to reconcile two dramatically different cultures, and possible political instability. This is the main thesis that should be discussed more closely. Each of these obstacles can pose a significant burden on South Korea.
The opinions of South Koreans
It should be noted that the opinions of South Koreans has changed dramatically since the early nineties. For instance, in 1994, approximately 94 percent of South Koreans believed that the unification of two countries was necessary (Branigan unpaged). In their opinion, this task was feasible, even though it was rather challenging.
Nevertheless, 13 years later only 64 percent people of insisted on the unification of the two Koreas (Branigan unpaged). Furthermore, many people in this country believe that the absorption of North Korea is not a realistic task. To some degree, this change can be attributed to the growing inequalities and discrepancies between these countries. One of their most important concerns of these people is that the unification of these states can lead to organized crime (Branigan unpaged).
To a great extent, it will be the consequence of unemployment in the unified state. Furthermore, one should take into account that the economy of South Korea has also been affected by the global recession. Therefore, it may be difficult for the country to bear the costs of unification. Certainly, one can argue that these countries have common cultural heritage or language; however, they do not seem to be sufficient for the integration of these countries. One should examine these challenges in greater detail.
Economic difficulties
In order to understand the differences between the two countries, one should mention that the economy of North Korea is almost entirely state-controlled. Furthermore, the political leaders of the country focus only on the military development of the state, while other needs of the population can be ignored.
In particular, approximately 30 percent of the GDP can be spent on the army while other areas such as education, infrastructure, or medicine remain underdeveloped (Kihl and Kim 118). Additionally, the income level in this country is much lower than in South Korea (Kihl and Kim 118).
Furthermore, it is critical to remember that private businesses are illegal in this country. This is one of the reasons why many of the most essential goods are not available to North Koreans (Kihl and Kim 118). Despite the fact that approximately 35 percent of the country’s population is employed in agriculture, North Korea continuously struggles with food shortages (Central Intelligence Agency unpaged).
To a great extent, these difficulties can be attributed to the inefficiencies of many collective farms. Apart from that, the economic sustainability of this state depends on the economic assistance provided by China (Kihl and Kim 118). These examples are important since they suggest that South Korea cannot easily integrate North Korea. It is possible to argue that the burden of South Korean taxpayers will increase, and they may be unwilling to cope with this difficulty. This is why they object to the unification of the two countries.
There are other issues that are closely related to economics. First of all, one should speak about labor force. The economy of North Korea strongly relies on forced labor of soldiers or prisoners (Kihl and Kim 118). Some of people are denied the access to education only because their parents were accused of disloyalty to the state. This book Escape from Camp 14 written by Blaine Harden throws light on this problem. In particular, it explores the experiences of a child who has lived in a prison camp since childhood (Harden 10).
The main problem is that South Korea will need to provide financial assistance to these people who cannot easily integrate into the economy which is based on the principle of free trade and capitalism. It should be kept in mind South Korea may find it difficult to do it because at present, the country has to cope with its own economic problems. This is one of the main challenges that should not be overlooked by political leaders.
Furthermore, there are other important limitations of North Korean economy. The technologies adopted at the state-controlled enterprises in this country have long become obsolete (Schwekendiek 27). The productivity of these organizations is significantly lower in comparison with their South Korean counterparts (Schwekendiek 27).
Therefore, they cannot significantly contribute to the GDP of the unified country provided that this unification does take place. This barrier is also important for understanding the pitfalls of integrating these two states. Therefore, one should remember that the economic integration of these states will be a very time-consuming process. Moreover, one cannot say to what extent this task is feasible. This is the main argument that can be put forward.
Cultural differences
Furthermore, it is critical to remember that the culture of North Korea cannot be easily reconciled with the values of South Koreans. One should keep in mind that the main purpose of the official propaganda in this state is to enforce complete loyalty of a person to the government. This is the goal that North Korean officials want to achieve at any cost.
Furthermore, every individual, who is suspected of disloyalty, can be imprisoned, tortured, or executed (Schwekendiek 27). These practices are reported by many North Korean defectors who flee to western countries. For instance, it is possible to mention the experiences of Shin Dong-hyuk whose life is described in the book Escape from Camp 14. The recollection of this person indicates that North Koreans are denied any access to the knowledge about the outside world (Harden 20).
Moreover, it should be kept in mind that there are various internment camps in which people can be detained for a great period of time without any justification (Harden 10). In some cases, even children can be imprisoned only because their parents can viewed as the enemies of the government. The main issue is that many North Koreans take this totalitarian control for granted.
Additionally, South Korea is portrayed by the propaganda as the most dangerous enemy of North Korea (Schwekendiek 27). It is critical to remember that at present, the two countries are continuously on the verge of a military conflict. At this point, one cannot accurately determine how exactly this conflict can be resolved.
The urgency problem was highlighted by the recent allegations of North Korean leaders who emphasized the idea that South Korea could only be the enemy. Therefore, one should not forget the diplomatic barriers to unification. This is another aspect that should not be disregarded because diplomatic hostility can undermine the process of unification.
On the whole, the values of many North Korean people have been transformed dramatically. In contrast, South Koreans have become accustomed to living in a multicultural environment in which such things as individuality, independent initiative, or openness are valued. In turn, many North Korean defectors cannot easily assimilate into a new culture. Therefore, cultural aspects of this issue should not be overlooked by political leaders.
Political instability
The concerns of many South Koreans can be related to the possibility that the unification of two countries can undermine the political stability in the country. This is another issue that should be overlooked. At present, political leaders cannot develop the methods through which the two states can be unified.
In particular, it is necessary to design a system of checks and balances that can prevent the state from becoming totalitarian. For instance, at present North Korea does not legal framework that can protect the human rights of citizens. Furthermore, the work of law-enforcement agencies is not regulated in any way.
Therefore, these institutions also must be reformed; otherwise, they can pose a threat to citizens. So, if South Korea absorbs its northern neighbors, the government will have to take several precautions which can ensure political stability in the country. This issue should be disregarded because South Korea should make sure that the legacies of autocratic regime do not affect the privileges of citizens.
Additionally, it will be necessary to develop legislation that will needed for the effective functioning of the unified country. In particular, one has to adopt laws that can effectively support business activities. However, this effort requires both time and capital. This obstacle is also of great concern to South Korean policy-makers who do not know whether this goal can be fully achieved.
Therefore, it is critical to bear in mind that legislators will have to work on the development of the legislation for North Korea. South Koreans may be reluctant to absorb North Korea because this process can create a significant number of challenges for their country.
Conclusion
These examples suggest that South Korea cannot easily absorb North Korea. This difficult can be attributed to several factors. One should pay attention to such aspects as economic development of the future state, its culture, and political stability. This is why many North Koreans can be unwilling to absorb North Korea.
They are not sure whether they can bear the burden of unification. To a great extent, their concerns can be justified because the integration of these states will require considerable costs, reconciliation of different cultures, and changes in the legislation. These are some of the most important issues that should not be disregarded by people who attempt to achieve the unification of these countries.
Works Cited
Branigan, Tania. “Korean unification: dreams of unity fade into past for young South Koreans.” The Guardian 27 May, 2013. Web.
Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook; North Korea. Central Intelligence Agency. 2013. Web.
Harden, Blaine. Escape from Camp 14: One Man’s Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West, New York: Penguin Books, 2013. Print.
Kihl, Young, and Hong Kim. North Korea: The Politics of Regime Survival, Boston: M.E. Sharpe, 2006. Print.
Schwekendiek, Daniel. A Socioeconomic History of North Korea, New York: McFarland, 2011. Print.