Should We Embrace Unification?

By Michael Breen

President Lee Myung-bak this week called for a ``thorough" and ``detailed" strategy for dealing with North Korea in the wake of the communist state's launch last weekend of a long-range rocket.

Does this mean that our policy of ignoring Pyongyang has failed? I guess so. Unless the president has been prompted by the flurry of global statement-making against North Korea into a temporary pretense of action, ignoring the North is no longer an option.

So, where to begin?

South Korea has to appreciate that it and the rest of the world diverge on their objectives with regard to North Korea. The world is bothered by what North Korea does. We in South Korea are bothered by the fact that it is.

Specifically, the world is concerned about the development of nuclear weapons. But in South Korea, our problem is that North Korea is family. WMDs are one of a number of concerns, all underscored by the knowledge that, like it or not, history is one day soon going to force a unification moment on us. We're going to have to decide to accept or reject it.

For almost 20 years, South Korean policy towards North Korea has been driven by a hope that the moment happens on someone else's watch, or not at all.

Perhaps now is the time for change to a ready-when-you-are approach. Not only should we embrace the idea of a future unified Korea, but we should start coloring in the picture of what it might look like and talk ― among ourselves, not necessarily with Pyongyang yet ― about how to get there.

At first, North Korea is sure to interpret this as intent to forcibly unify. But they'll get over that.

Please note that this policy is not designed to actually bring unification within a certain time period. Its measure is the extent to which it brings clarity to South Korea's and the international community's dealings with Pyongyang.

If instead of scrambling to cope the next time something happens, global leaders say, ``Uh-oh, here we go again," then we can say we're on the right track.

But there could be real actions too. Such a policy could lead to promotion of a Korean War peace treaty, and even the development of some form of diplomatic relations between Seoul and Pyongyang. It should definitely be accompanied by a concerted effort, perhaps driven by the National Branding folks, to educate South Koreans in democratic respect for other peoples. Right now, people here have such a nouveau riche condescension towards people who speak Korean with Chinese or North Korean accents that no self-respecting northerner would want to unite if South Korea were the last country on earth.

Seoul could also encourage Japan and the United States into relations with North Korea with the argument of better leverage. This may appeal to them now they've realized ― let's hope ― that Pyongyang will never give up its WMDs for as long as it remains a separate country.

Ties will at least give countries more familiarity and leverage than they have now. When our weapon of choice was a refusal to talk, North Korea developed nuclear weapons. Let's cozy up now, if only to prevent something worse.

Now, it must be said, such a policy will not lead to common sense in Pyongyang. The Great Chubby One will no doubt go, ``Prepare for real unification? Blimey, I never thought of that. What do you want me to do? Shall we have an election? Oh no, we just had one. I won. But I could order the people to have another one. Whatever. More wine?"

The regime will still be bipolar, up and down, and frustrating to deal with, but this is only to be expected as it comes to terms with its mortality. We should not look on a policy of willing preparedness for unification as a magic cure, but it's much better than refusing to take our tablets.

Michael Breen is chairman of Insight Communications Consultants, Exclusive Partner of FD International. He can be reached at mike.breen@insightcomms.com.

[출처 : 코리아타임스]