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One Giant Step towards Reunification of Two Koreas

by AMM Shahabuddin
HISTORY is in the making as a scenario, unthinkable even in the recent past, is unfolding in the Korean Peninsula where political stagnancy as regards the Korean Crisis haunted the two Koreas for the last fifty years. The people of the artificially divided Korea, speaking the same language. coming from the same ethnic roots, and perhaps, professing the same religion (at least before North Korea became communist dominated), were taken by surprise when the two arch-rival Presidents of North and South Korea — Kim Jong-Il and Kim Dae Jung, respectively — were seen shaking hands in a Jovial mood at the Pyongyang airport where Kim from South was given a hearty and tumultuous reception by Kim from North. It was Indeed a historic occasion. It was the first visit of a South Korean President to North Korea after fifty years of hatred and animosity against each other.
The mission, however im-Eossible it may look, was to ring the two Koreas to their nearest point of cooperation, reconciliation and. perhaps ultimately, reunification, through the two-day summit in the capital of North Korea. The whole atmosphere reflected the sentiment of two 'lost’ brothers
reuniting, after a long period of pains and miseries.
‘The Sun is Rising*
The two-day summit ended on 14 June after signing two landmark agreements on reducing the 'cold war' between the two parts of the same country, bringing together divided families living in two Koreas since the Korean war of 1950-53, besides covering fqur broad areas Including North-South reconciliation. cooperation and most importantly the move towards reunification of Korea. It was the most successful summit between the two 'hostile nations'. paving the way for better days to come. After the successful conclusion of the summit, the South Korean President most emotionally declared: “The sun Is rising at last for national reunification, reconciliation and peace."
Earlier, the South Korean media was loud in showering praise on the success of the Summit. The Korean Times compared the summit with the first landing of a man on the moon in 1969. and said It was “one small step for re-conciliation. one giant leap for reunification." Thus the national mood in two Koreas in celebrat-
Ing the success of the Summit, "is visibly vibrating with high hopes and expectations, as if a new nation has been born."
Tragic History of Colonial Rule
The Korean Peninsula has its own tragic history of colonial rule, when WW-II came to an end on 15 August 1945 after the German Army surrendered following Hitler's suicide. The two war-lliue sirange-bad-fellows' America and Russia parted their ways, creating the most vitiating atmosphere of 'Cold War', perhaps a new concept in political scene. With the surrender of Japan by the end of August 1945, Korean Peninsula became free from Japanese colonial rule of over three decades. But unfortunately that newly gained freedom of Korea was short-lived as other 'wolves' were waiting there to grab it. When communist Russia was busy in pocketing the East European countries one by one as its 'satellites', America cast Its eyes on the Far East. It first occupied Japan, making Gen. Mac Arthur. Its 'de facto' king, leaving the Japanese Emperor as an ornamental showpiece. When Korea's 'new-born'
freedom was in its ’infancy'. America entered the Korean peninsula with its forces in order to outwit Russia in its coldwar strategy.
But former Communist Raj' was also not sitting idle. It had earlier jumped on North Korea, while America was forging ahead, to drive them out. Meanwhile. Red Chinese forces, after ousting China's nationalist leader Chiang Kaishek from the mainland, held their sway over whole of China. They now entered North Korea to assist Russian forces to oust the American forces from the Korean soil.
The Korean war lasted for three years from 1950 to 1953, when finally the north-south dividing line became the internationally recognised border between the two Koreas, which remained practically sealed for the last five decades and has Just re-opened with new hopes and aspirations with the recently-concluded North-Sou th Summil in P\ong\ang.
An Auspicious Beginning
America has produced many 'strongmen' not only in the ppor 'third-world' countries. but also tn Europe and even in Russia after the breakup of the former communist Soviet Union, the purpose being to carry their 'message' home at the right place, and at the right time. Such picked-up' and 'chosen' personalities' are all familiar and known faces in the contemporary political his-tory. We have seen them tn Indonesia (General Suharto), in Cambodia (Gen Lon Noil, in the Philippines (Marcos). In Taiwan (Chiang Kaishek), in Vietnam (Ngo Dinh Diem), so on and so forth, but last, but not the least. In South Korea, an autocrat nationalist. Syngman Rhee who was later ’installed' in Seoul as President of South Korea, through, of course, a 'free and fair election.' Earlier. American move to hold a general election under the supervision of UN officials failed, and (hey had to return to UN head-quarters as communist North didn't allow that to happen. Siner then communist rule has been heavily entrenched In the North and a pro-West Demo-< ratie Onverninrnf in the South.
Now, when the question of 'reunification' comes, the most pertinent question will be how the two 'swords' can be put in one sheath? Of course, that's for future course of events to decide. The Summit has Just ushered in not the end of the beginning but. hopefully, the most auspicious beginning of a glorious end
The whole question boils down to one point: how is America going to accept it. Of course. It has given a long rope to South Korean President to create a new promising field. But it knows how to pull the strings. America has so far considered North Korea as one of the few “rogue" states for possessing nuclear bombs and long range missiles, which according to it. poses a constant threat not only to South Korea and Japan, but to the whole Asian region. And at a certain stage US defence experts were thinking in terms of bombarding North's military installations to teach it a hard lesson' as they had taught that wayward Iraq. On the other hand. North has been demanding withdrawal of 35.000 US troops stationed In South Korea which is looked upon bv them as a threat to the North. However, though poles apart, the proverbial straws' are showing which way the wind Is blowing
Change in US Attitude
A Hopeful Sign
Meanwhile, there lias Iwrn a big breakthrough' in US attitude itself as manifested by the Republicans-dominated US House of Representatives, in close alliance with Democrat President Clinton, in granting China a Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR). That's a great relieving feature in the whole episode. As they say. “Honey catches more flies than vinegar". America is now turning to using honey' instead of 'vinegar' to achieve Its objective to obtain a strong foothold In North Korea's consumer market. America has already gained a 'foothold' In North Korea with heavy food supplies and other necessities to feed the poverty-stricken population there.
Similar food assistance from South Korea is also supplementing the US supply. So when you 'depend' on somebody for feeding your hungry people.
you will have to be naturally obliged to him. Thus the equation is gradually coming to a meeting point and the stonn seems to be coming to an end. “The darkest hour is just before the dawn." so goes the saying. Hence with the gradual receding to the darkest hour’ in the mournful' history of the Korean Peninsula, the 'dawn' is approaching fast. However, there is no such thing as “instant coffee" in politics. It takes its due course, and sometimes a lengthy course, for fruition. Rome was not-built in a day. So was Berlin wall also not razed to the ground in a day. bringing the East and West Gennany together again. It took long 20 years since the first summit of East-West German leaders held in 1970. for the Germans to re-unite.
Hence the South Korean President warned, and he did rightly so. that reconciliation' process will be a lengthy one. So the reunification' process may take a much longer period. But the first summit has just ended with promises of reunion of the divided families, tension re-diu (ion and immediate cessa-tlon ol ugly hate-campaign against eac h olh< i So il has taken off well and it may not tak* such a long period of 20 w.us as in the case of Germans: the much-desired reunification may be achieved much earlier than that.
Time has been definitely crying for a bold change. The earlier America, the only superpower in world now, realises this hard truth, the better it is for the much-beaten humanity as a whole. The Clinton administration has, undoubtedly, brought about a cooling down effect in North's anti-US stance through its soft-handed carrot, and not stick, policy North Korea has already shelved its long-range missile policy and has agreed to build nuclear power with US cooperations. If successful in its new diplomacy In establishing the much-needed peace in the Korean Peninsula, leading ultimately to its reunification. It will be another feather in Clinton's cap, after the one he got in establishing permanent trade relations with China. Let morning show the bright and sunny dav ahead.
The writer is « retired UN official