A Changing Korea?
Recently, North Korea made it to the news again but this time, for the right reasons. The brutal dictatorship known for its brainwashed and oppressed citizens made history along with South Korea by fielding a joint ice hockey team. A first in 11 years, for a regime which just months ago was found threatening to go to war, this does seem surprising. The idea of a unified Korea has always seemed attractive to the South Koreans but DPRK's actions in the recent times haven’t really radiated the same vibe. Unusually, Kim Jong Un just recently called upon for a unified Korea.
Such a major u-turn in policy and approach by North Korea is a indeed, a glimmer of hope for a unified Korea somewhere in the future. For a country intent on smashing its citizens, a promise to smash all challenges against reunification of the Korean peninsula isn’t too bad.
But it also makes one think, what forced North Korea to eat their own words? The dictatorship running out of supplies was always round the corner. Resources are afterall space bound and minimal foreign ties and UN sanctions on DPRK meant that they would have to cooperate at some point of time. The American President’s claim of catching China transferring oil to North Korea makes a stronger case for this possibility.
At the same time, North Korea hasn’t backed down with a promise of producing greater number of nuclear weapons. This glimpse of a confused mindset may mean that the North does want peaceful relations with its neighbour down South but doesn't want to back down with the aggression towards the United States and the United Nations. This situation is worrisome for the Americans. Supporting the South during the war, it has had a strong role in its development and a strong ally throughout the years. But the North cosying up with the south without American involvement may make them feel left out. America has a strong ally in South because of several reasons, but the main one being its support against the North. A reunified Korea will have severe impact of not only the United States but also China. North Korea is one of the strongest ally of China, not ideally by choice, but nonetheless it is.
For long, the foreign (Including the United Nations) involvement in the Korean peninsula has been a matter of concern for the Koreans but now since this involvement is being rejected it is a matter of concern for the foreign stakeholders.
Since a long time, this was due to come. Is the Korean peninsula finally changing?
