Blog reflection 1

          Today, I read an interesting article on New York Times. The article is about the South Korean people’s changing attitude about the reunion with the North Korea. It suggests that South Koreans liked reunion and deemed it as a sacrosanct call two decades ago. However, for today, most of South Korean people are opposing reunification with their north compatriots. Furthermore, the author indicates three major reasons that cause such difference in views. Respectively, they are North Korean development of nuclear weapons and continental missiles, ideological and economic gap between northern and southern part of Korea peninsula and impediment of external forces.  

       After reading this article, I feel really sorry for the Korean people, both north and south. They belong to the same origin and north and south parts both belonged to the Korea dynasty for thousands of years. Upon the end of second world war, the Soviet Union army liberated the north part and the United States army set free for the south part. By then, the communist force took control of the north while the capitalist power dominated the south. In 1950, to reunify the Korea peninsula, the north leader Kim Il Sung started civil war against the south. This war lasted for three years, caused millions of deaths and hurt the feelings of the same nation. Since then, the two countries drifted apart and considered each other as a fatal enemy. Consequently, a lot of ordinary families were divided by the boundary of two countries and many of them may not have the chance to meet their family anymore for the whole life time. This historical split is a complete tragedy for both the nation and ordinary people.

       Actually, there were times in history that the relationship between these two countries was good and some people even thought there was a hope reunification. However, in recent years, due to the North Korea development of nuclear weapon and missile, South Korea felt threatened and begun to take a hawkish attitude toward the North. Some analysts even thought that the second Korean civil war was about to begin. Since that time, their friction becomes more intense, which further hinders the hope of reunion. Additionally, some external political factors hold back the Korean reunification. Powerful countries surrounding Korea, like China, United States and Russia, are not likely to accept a unified and powerful Korea. They deem this as a big threat to their interest at East Asia. For example, the United States would not be happy about reunion because it is an obstacle for the USA to impact or control the South Korea.

       From a domestic perspective, reunion is not popular among people of two countries. The South Korea people think the north is impoverished. They have to spare some budget to help build the North economy if they reunify. South people would not be happy if the tax they paid is north people. On the other hand, the North Korea people deem the South as the place of evil and injustice due to the propaganda power of their government. It is not possible for them to consider reunion as an option.

       This article makes me think about China. China were once split in history due to foreign invasion. The experience of Korean people makes me more grateful about my life and I hope my country would not be split again.