Northeast Asia

Raña, Jessamine T. March 9, 2015

IS1234 Dr. Wilson S. Chua

Reconciliation and Cooperation between North and South Korea

The gap started right after Japan claimed Korea as its territory and was met by an
aggressive attack from the Soviet Union following Japan's involvement with the Axis Powers.
The end of the second world war, in fear of the growing communist presence in Asia, the United
States contained the southern part of the peninsula and defended it from the communists of the
north.
What makes it worse was the fact that families has been separated from the war still
remains separated until today. None can go pass the 38th parallel that separates the north from
the south. Although rare, but there had been incidents that families were reunited after decades
of separation. Even the Catholic church's Pope Francis has been asking for peace and
reconciliation between the two Koreas who has long been separated by senseless conflicts. He
calls for Korea's unification with "no victors or vanquished". Which highlights the fact that its
constant tension from both sides elicits the need that someone has to be won over and
someone had to be the conqueror - completely ignoring the virtues that is needed to gain the
trust of the other. For most part, it only entails self-interests of the states, not for the common
good of both Koreas.

Realistically, both Koreas are now acting as an independent state different from one
another, completely shutting off the past both had shared. Their cultures, history and traditions
came into disarray right after foreigners came to their land and claimed it to themselves. If not
for these so-called 'saviors', Korea would stand as one today; it's culture and people preserved.
Moreover, the thought of North Korea holding on to nuclear weapons as a means of threat if
ever the South attacked looked childish in my opinion. It's as though a child separated from its
sibling is trying to get its and others' attention by playing with matchsticks. It's considered as a
deterrence for South Korea, but it looked more like a call of longing for its distant brother.

Furthermore, as an International Studies student, I do believe that reconciliation and

cooperation would be best achieved through seeing past their arrogance and by working
together to bring back the old Korea that has been tainted by foreign interference.