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Is a unified Korea possible in the foreseeable future?

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I have a feeling a good chunk of people who voted no are non-Koreans who want to see Korea remain divided.

-2 ( +13 / -15 )

Who would have thought what happened in the Communist Bloc was possible up until the mid-eighties? The the Wall came down, and the sixteen republics snapped off, one by one. Anything is possible, and I think this is, too.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

Kim Jong Un's forefathers have always said that a unified Korea is in the greatest interest of DPRK. Considering none of them managed to gain any momentum on this issue, I believe Kim Jong Un will be keen to mark a new era of Unification-prospect in North Korea.

After a meeting between South and North in 2002, the leader of South (Kim Dae Jung) expressed willingness to unify within a 15 year period, while the North Korean leader (Kim Jong Il) was more pessimistic with his unification within a 25-year period. But still, this marked the first time the North and South had actually reflected upon a possible reunification.

Only to be utterly destroyed by Bush's speech in 2006 where he claimed that North Korea had secretly built a nuclear arsenal. Indeed they had, but it made South Korea side with the U.S instead of their brothers and sisters in North. This created a situation where North felt betrayed by their family in South, and effectively abandoned any reunification-talks. Until now, with Kim Jong Un in power.

It just proves that North Korea has always been serious about reunification!

Now it's up to Japan, U.S, Russia and China, if they can keep their mouth shut until the Korean peninsula has been reunified!

-3 ( +7 / -10 )

Unified means one ruling administration. I don't ever see the KimJon regime ever stepping down to give power to the democratic south, just as the democratic south will never agree to the totalitarian rule of the north. Therefore, it will never happen.

10 ( +14 / -4 )

It’s hard to hope for a unified Korea as a Japanese citizen as nationalism is very strong in both nations and in theory, a United Korea would be very dangerous if allied with China.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

The East German government collapsed. The USSR collapsed. They didn't wake up one morning and say 'We were wrong all these years!'. Kim isn't going anywhere and only wants a reunified Korea under his rule. If that's ok with everyone, then sure, it's possible.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Yes. Its possible. Is it probable? That's more difficult to answer.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

It's more likely than a unified USA.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

The Kims are not going to be there for ever. Yet, the longer they go on, the more populations north and south become accustomed to the reality of northern and southern units of the Korean penninsula.

Moreover, as older people die off, a hardening of attitidues this way becomes entrenched. For instance younger peopele in the South reacting against Moon' s apparent rapprochement with the Kim regime on the occaion of the Olympics. Personally I think he had his political hands tied for a couple fo weeks, but by March it can be back to business as usual.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

If the Koreas work it out that's always a possibility. Not saying it's high, there's a lot to overcome the least of which is a SK younger public that doesn't care about NK. SK would be wary of influx of NK's so do they want them all at once on a collapsing NK or kept where they are with more support? Could take years, decades, but what It would do is make Trump unhappy because he won't be able to nuke a nation in the middle of peace talks. The gun toting warmongering Americans will have to find another battle to wage instead of learning to be peaceful. Rather emblematic of transference

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Unlikely. Reunification of the Peninsula under Kim regime rule is stipulated in North Korea's constitution. The Kim regime would have be willing (or forced) to give up the power and the NK constitution re-written. Without that, how could South Korea accept "reunification"? Comparisons to E/W Germany or the USSR where you had a collapse of one side are not of any use. This really is the crux of the issue, and Trump, China, etc are secondary to this obstacle.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Not with chubby or any of his relative still in charge.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Not with chubby or any of his relative still in charge.

Maybe, but it's nothing to do with Trump or his family, when it comes down to it.

And the mood in the ROK is decidedly unfriendly towards the talks that have been suggested, at present.

It's all a bit grim.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Maybe, but it's nothing to do with Trump or his family, when it comes down to it.

And the mood in the ROK is decidedly unfriendly towards the talks that have been suggested, at present.

It's all a bit grim.

It's amusing how everyone else is actually discussing the two Koreas and yet every one of your comments is just about how much you hate the United States.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

It is up to Koreans to make it possible not Americans or Japanese. It would be a good thing for Japan to stand aside and not interfere in Korean politics.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

It would be in the interest of South Korea, North Korea, China, and Russia if Okinawa and Japan were divided and split into two. That’s how some of these comments sound.

A peaceful reunited Korea and nuclear abandonment should be in the interest of the world, but sadly some prefer to have enemies.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

A peaceful reunited Korea and nuclear abandonment should be in the interest of the world, but sadly some prefer to have enemies.

I completely agree with you. And in a perfect world, that could happen.

But being realistic, it will not happen without Kim being forcibly removed. Who is going to to do that is anybody's guess, but that's the only way it will currently happen as Kim is not going to allow anything but his own rule over the two Koreas. I'd love for Kim to suddenly wake up and realize 'oh I've been a real jerk all these years' and step aside, but the odds of that happening are pretty low.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Not sure NK would want to deal with so much norovirus.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I have a feeling a good chunk of people who voted no are non-Koreans who want to see Korea remain divided.

Most non-Koreans are virulently anti-North Korea (and rightly so) and would welcome reunification, as they did for Germany.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Hyundai, Kia, Korean Air and hundreds of massive corporations want it to happen. When the capitalist icons desire something to occur it will happen.

Jong’s days of dictatorial and tyrannical rule are soon to meet the fate of Saddam, Noriega, Gadaffi and many other tin horned despots.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Anything is possible, and I think this is, too.

Yes. Kim might be willing to play second fiddle to Moon. Any day now ... (not holding MY breath)

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Don’t expect Kim to accept any kind of unification except one on his own terms. Don’t expect the leader of a one-party state to relinquish any power. Expect the south to be looted and Kim’s gulag expanded.

A number of comments here reveal opinion based on wishful thinking and not reality. Thank God most Koreans of the south are smarter than that.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It won't happen unless Kim is dead or in a vegetative state.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

There is one BIG problem, and it is not south of the border.

It can't be called 共産主義 Kyosanshugi (Communism), but rather 金産主義 Kim San shugi (Kimmunism).

0 ( +0 / -0 )

North Korea would love to see a unified Korea but only under its terms. Under any unification the economic and cultural effects of normalizing life in Korea to S. Korean standards would be staggering.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If this survey lasts much longer the “ayes” will have it.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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