April 18, 2024
Opinion

National unification, or national reconciliation?

Seoul’s favored unification scenario is unrealistic and should be replaced

The shock visit of a North Korean “troika” to South Korea to jump-start the stalled inter-Korean dialogue bewildered North Korea watchers worldwide – as the visit was obviously spontaneous and the North Korean motives are still unclear. It also called into question the whole concept of the Seoul’s policy towards its Northern neighbor.

This came on the heels of the rumors of Kim Jong Un's health problems, which recently reinvigorated the discussion of a possible collapse of the Pyongyang regime and the need for South Korea to prepare itself to act swiftly in such a case. The purpose of the creation of the presidential committee on unification seems to correspond to these priorities. But how does unification look in the eyes of the South Korean establishment?

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