Korean unification

[Cashie]

We've been half-expecting the Korean war to re-erupt after the latest fire-up and subsequent sabre-rattling by both sides. Well, ever since Lee Myung-bak was elected, really.

I'm left wondering, how a reunified Korea would look. The North is a semi-communist (Juche) monarchy, that literally cannot feed itself and manages to export a few horsehockeyake mushrooms and a tonne of fiery rhetoric. While the South is a recently democratised commercial powerhouse who make your mobile phone, ships, cars, electronics and petty disputes (It's not the Sea of Japan, its the East Sea ).

Kim Sung-il, the Glorious Leader and Eternal President, suggested a federation of North and South, fairly similar to China's One Country, Two Systems doctrine: the two countries are united, but nothing really changes. Although the South's weather forecasts for Pyongyang may actually mean something now.

Being the dork I am, I wonder what the new country would be called. Naturally in English and mos of the languages it will be The [X] Republic of Korea, but North and South use different native names. NK uses Choson as the day to day name and SK uses Han-guk - to make matters slightly more annoying the Romanised spelling are different in each country.

NK - 조선민주주의인민공화국 - Joseon Minjujuui Inmin Gonghwaguk / Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk
(the Chosŏn Democratic Peoples Republic)
SK - 대한민국 - Dae-hanmin-guk / Tae'han Min'guk
(the Great Han Republic)

FYI: Chosŏn/Joseon was the name of the country up until King Gojong of Joseon declared the Korean Empire (대한제국 Daehan Jeguk) and became Emperor Gwangmu in 1897 to assert Korean sovereignty. Naturally, this well thought-out plan turned out to be a real winner in the long-term: Japan annexed Chōsen to its empire in 1910.

Anyway, I'd like to hear (or read) some thoughts on the Divided Kimdom.

 

[aronnax]

Instead of going "Oh my god! They have bananas!" It will be "Oh my god! They have life!"

A refugee problem so big that many South Koreans contemplate genocide for a moment before going "no.. wait.. we can't do that!"

An economic drain so horrendous that the DMZ will be back up before you know it. They will rename it the "Protection Wall"

 

[Cashie]

A refugee problem so big that many South Koreans contemplate genocide for a moment before going "no.. wait.. we can't do that!"

I think China is more worried about refugees than the South is. But you've got a point, they tend to think that way. The North is basket case in everything bar military terms. The cost to [re]develop the North would be enormous. The South only managed to redevelop since the 50s due to massive financial aid from the US.

 

[warpus]

Whatever happens, they should call it Koryŏ

 

[Tee Kay]

If Kim's regime falls reunification probably won't happen right away.

 

[NovaKart]

Will the North find out that the Great Leader didn't invent electricity and all that?

 

[Tee Kay]

Will the North find out that the Great Leader didn't invent electricity and all that?

I expect Dear Leader to be treated more harshly than the Great Leader.

 

[Cashie]

Whatever happens, they should call it Koryŏ

I knew I forgot something. The two Koreas used the banner 코리아 (Ko-ri-a) at the Opening Ceremony for the Sydney Olympics. Goryeo would be a nice compromise, especially alongside Korea University (Goryeo Daehak) and that it's the origin of most language name for the countries. Although, some website I stumbled across uses "Joseon-eun hanada" to mean "Korea is one".

 

[lovexylitol]

Whatever happens, they should call it Koryŏ

Just in case for some people.
The term "Korea" was derived from "Koryo."

 

[Formaldehyde]

I think they should call it New Macarthurland, after suitably renaming the Philipines as well.

 

[GhostWriter16]

How would this work though? All the Northerners would just start leaving to go South...

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Well you see, you build a wall ...

 

[Incodcito]

Well you see, you build a wall ...

Don't have to, you have a Republicans dream splitting the country right down the middle.

 

[aronnax]

Part of me is intrigued at a Korean unification but only because I want to see pictures of south Korean soldiers tackling refugees into the ground only to be overran by hugs waves of north Koreans. The other half of me is worried about the disturbing first half.

 

[Mad Man]

I think they should call it New Macarthurland, after suitably renaming the Philippines as well.

I think they should rename it West Japan, and use a reverse pallet swap of Japan's flag.

 

[Love]

What if you stage a coup in south korea, then bring them down to the level of north korea? Then you can unite and develop!

GREAT IDEA!

 

[Algeroth]

I'm left wondering, how a reunified Korea would look.

I don't know how it would look, but it wouldn't definitely work.

 

[NetGear]

Id imagine at some point north will crumble and south will have to front the bills of rebuilding. As long as there's no climactic finale such as war or north usurping, I expect it to occur in the manner that east/west germany did. Just in koreas case, its taking longer for various different factors (china, nukes etc)

 

[Elta]

South Koreans are an industrious people.

I see them building all sorts of factories in the south with workers getting paid half of what they get paid in the north.

Fixing the farms in the North, making them more productive etc.

This will workout.

 

[carmen510]

A reunified Korea would probably result in a messy situation, to say the least. Firstly, the systems of government are completely different, which would likely lead to some political instability. There would also be many cultural and lifestyle differences, which might be troublesome to rectify. Secondly, the economic systems are incredibly imbalanced, and would cause a sharp downturn in the short term for a unified Korean economy. Quite simply, the South would have to subsidize the North's development, as well as provide it with food.