When I talk to South Koreans about the possibility of unification, I cannot help but notice that what they are essentially talking about is not “unification” at all.

What they are talking is, in effect, conquest. The logic South Koreans apply when they talk about unification and its expected benefits is remarkably similar to that once used to justify the forgotten art of imperial conquest.

Of course, the vast majority of South Korea’s unification enthusiasts fail to notice this disturbing similarity and will likely be scandalized by this argument.

I’m talking, of course, about those who have more realistic expectations