Reunification of the Korean Peninsula from the Context of Northeast Asian Regional Integration

Abstract

We have to manage North Korea, a special country of old regime and young leader. Therefore we need patience, a balanced perspective between the pessimistic and the optimistic, and a comprehensive approach combining integration and unification. We should admit that regional integration and unification will take a long time. But they could come true earlier than we expect if we are successful in deriving and implementing a master plan combining the Northeast Asian version of a regional integration model and a system change model based on the strategy of unification through regional integration.

Keywords:

• North Korea
• unification
• integration
• North East Asia

Notes

¹Montias et al. (1994) distinguish two basic types of system change: (1) change in the RCP (rules, customs and procedures) of organizations producing goods and services induced by new or altered states of the environment affecting economy (or any of its component parts); and (2) change in the system rules issued by government organizations or other change brought about through collective action.

²McNair (2012) makes an interesting analogy with the post Mao period and the post Kim Jong-il period. He argues that China in 1976 was in a similar position to North Korea's in 2012, following the death of Mao Zedong as to the transfer of power to his hand-picked successor, Hua Guofeng, who was revealed only just before Zedong's death. McNair's thought is that Kim Jong-un is a near-perfect analogue to Hua Guofeng. Hence he is not expecting North Korea to reform immediately in this analogy, because China did not reform under Hua. He points out the similarity to Kim Jong-un's absolute adherence to the rule established by Kim Jong-il. So, sooner or later powerful people in North Korea will realize that Kim Jong-un, like Hua in the late 1970s, has no real power or ideas of his own. He concludes that the country is already in need of a new economic model and the ascent of someone new: a reformer, someone like Deng Xiaoping.