Nothing will happen. If only because reunification would bankrupt South Korea; West Germany was worse off in the German Reunification than East Germany and that was a peaceful reunification. SK invading NK or Vice Versa would be very bad for SK and would destroy Seoul and kill millions of Koreans on both sides.
Our best hope is a military occupation of North Korea, followed by a long and slow re-integration with the world and the eventual installation of a democratic government. Refugees would likely have to be kept in NK, and reunification with SK would be all but impossible for several generations.
An independent and rebuilt NK is the only path forward I see.
Nothing will happen. If only because reunification would bankrupt South Korea; West Germany was worse off in the German Reunification than East Germany and that was a peaceful reunification. SK invading NK or Vice Versa would be very bad for SK and would destroy Seoul and kill millions of Koreans on both sides.
You're right except for the final scenario. North Korea's god-king has only to gain from acts of "strength." Chances are he will do everything possible to avoid a full-scale conflict, but his particular brand of power consolidation demand he flex muscles from time to time.
An independent and rebuilt NK is the only path forward I see.
I think a united Korea is actually a possibility. The economic issues aren't that crippling for SK considering there is a huge population of unskilled labor waiting to be tapped. Considering the living conditions they've had, if SK found a way to utilize that untapped potential for manufacturing jobs, they could seriously compete with other countries.
Our best hope is a military occupation of North Korea, followed by a long and slow re-integration with the world and the eventual installation of a democratic government. Refugees would likely have to be kept in NK, and reunification with SK would be all but impossible for several generations.
An independent and rebuilt NK is the only path forward I see.
I agree, but it would have to be on China's terms like a North Korean Puppet State. China likes having a separate Korea as a buffer between them and Japan/US.
An independent and rebuilt NK is the only path forward I see.
I think a united Korea is actually a possibility. The economic issues aren't that crippling for SK considering there is a huge population of unskilled labor waiting to be tapped. Considering the living conditions they've had, if SK found a way to utilize that untapped potential for manufacturing jobs, they could seriously compete with other countries.
I think the mental issues are too much to overcome. You have an entire population whose education has been held captive by an extremist ideology. This generation of North Koreans has been programmed since birth to accept the absolute divine authority of a single dictator. They've been propagandized into living robots.
I think the mental issues are too much to overcome. You have an entire population whose education has been held captive by an extremist ideology. This generation of North Koreans has been programmed since birth to accept the absolute divine authority of a single dictator. They've been propagandized into living robots.
This is true, but you would be surprised at how much it is slipping. I remember reading that some good percentage of people in Pyongyang were watching SK sitcoms on bootleg DVDs. The brainwashed are many, but it's slipping more than you think.
I think the mental issues are too much to overcome. You have an entire population whose education has been held captive by an extremist ideology. This generation of North Koreans has been programmed since birth to accept the absolute divine authority of a single dictator. They've been propagandized into living robots.
This is true, but you would be surprised at how much it is slipping. I remember reading that some good percentage of people in Pyongyang were watching SK sitcoms on bootleg DVDs. The brainwashed are many, but it's slipping more than you think.
How quickly can a nation recover from that sort of brainwashing? I'm NOT Godwinning, but look at Germany. They had just gone through the rinse cycle, but they were able to recover fairly quickly. Russians in Stalin's era were probably brainwashed even more thoroughly, but Russia recovered. It's not been that long since Mao, and China has made great strides toward recovery.
The brainwashed are many, but it's slipping more than you think.
Which is almost worse for individual people.
Imagine you live in 1984, and you have no evidence of an outside world. It sucks, but you aren't even aware it could be better.
Now imagine you live in 1984, and you know exactly what's going on. BUT, but can't even let on that you know, let alone do anything, because too many people around you are still held in thrall, and you would just throw your life away pointlessly.
The tipping point will be when an active resistance movement grows. Then the knowledge is empowering. "We will overcome this" rather than "I'm trapped here until I die."
The brainwashed are many, but it's slipping more than you think.
Which is almost worse for individual people.
Imagine you live in 1984, and you have no evidence of an outside world. It sucks, but you aren't even aware it could be better.
Now imagine you live in 1984, and you knowexactlywhat's going on. BUT, but can't even let on that you know, let alone do anything, because too many people around you are still held in thrall, and you would just throw your life away pointlessly.
The tipping point will be when an active resistance movement grows. Then the knowledge is empowering. "We will overcome this" rather than "I'm trapped here until I die."
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An independent and rebuilt NK is the only path forward I see.
Imagine you live in 1984, and you have no evidence of an outside world. It sucks, but you aren't even aware it could be better.
Now imagine you live in 1984, and you know exactly what's going on. BUT, but can't even let on that you know, let alone do anything, because too many people around you are still held in thrall, and you would just throw your life away pointlessly.
The tipping point will be when an active resistance movement grows. Then the knowledge is empowering. "We will overcome this" rather than "I'm trapped here until I die."