As is convention, Korean Independence Day on August 15 saw South Korean President Moon Jae-in deliver a speech to the nation. 

In his speech, Moon discussed his hopes for a speedy reconciliation with the North and plans to achieve a peaceful and negotiated unification by the year 2045. 

It was a pretty standard and predictable speech, even if nobody with a touch of common sense believes that a “peaceful and negotiated” unification is possible, neither by 2045 nor any other randomly-selected year.

But occasional lip service to the “unification dream” should be expected from any South Korean leader,