Kim Jong-un Extends New Year's Olive Branch, Offers to Hold Summit with South
26 replies, posted
[QUOTE]North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un has reportedly offered to hold talks with the state's Southern neighbor, marking what would be the first summit held between the two Koreas in seven years and the reclusive leader's first powwow with a foreign head of state since taking power after his father Kim Jong-il's death in 2011.Kim's proposal to host "highest-level talks" with South Korean President Park Geun-hye was tinged with a mix of regret and sour grapes. In a New Year's address televised by state media, he began by noting the "tragic" dissection of the Korean peninsula was no longer tolerable.
"Depending on the mood and circumstances, there is no reason not to hold a high-level summit," he declared.
He went on to reproach joint US-South Korean military drills as a provocative catalyst for deepening inter-Korean tensions. "In a tense mood of such war-preparatory exercises," he said, "trust-based dialogue can't be possible, and North-South relations can't move forward."
Kim's remarks were welcomed by South Korea as "meaningful." South Korea's government had earlier this week proposed talks in January on a host of issues, including the reunion of families torn apart by the 1950-53 Korean War — which concluded with an armistice rather than peace accord — in a broader effort to kick-start the unification process for both countries.
South Korean Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae noted on Thursday that productive engagement with North Korea would have to involve "practical and frank discussions on all issues of mutual concern." "Our government hopes for dialogue between the South and North Korean authorities in the near future without limits on format," he said, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency.
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[url]https://news.vice.com/article/kim-jong-un-extends-new-years-olive-branch-offers-to-hold-summit-with-south?utm_source=vicenewstwitter[/url]
Or maybe, he just saw The Interview.
It's a trap.
And no, I'm not referencing the Admiral Ackbar meme. I mean it's literally a trap, and people will die.
I like the idea of unification between these two countries, but their vastly different situations and morals makes me want to feel like they are better off peacefully separated.
The only way it will end well for the North Korean people is if the current government gets destroyed and is replaced with something less despotic.
[QUOTE=Sam Za Nemesis;46838268]NK probably has more hopes for reunification to the south, Pyongyang has giant statues asking for a single Korea[/QUOTE]
I don't think the South wants to unify any more.
Like PR-wise sure, "Unite us back into Korea"
But if you want to cripple South Korea, just give then the North.
I've been reading a bit and apparently Kim Jong Un is actually doing some serious economic reforms ([url]http://www.voanews.com/content/analysts-north-korea-economic-reforms-kim-jong-un-growing-power/2461744.html[/url]). While he is obviously still a bad man, he seems to actually care about his people and is trying to enact China-style reforms which Cuba is also trying to do. Perhaps he wants to discuss possible reunification once his economic reforms really start to pick up pace and the two countries' economic difference aren't so chasmic. It's also better for the South to not have to deal with as much economic backwardness.
[QUOTE=Smooth Jazz;46838288]I've been reading a bit and apparently Kim Jong Un is actually doing some serious economic reforms ([url]http://www.voanews.com/content/analysts-north-korea-economic-reforms-kim-jong-un-growing-power/2461744.html[/url]). While he is obviously still a bad man, he seems to actually care about his people and is trying to enact China-style reforms which Cuba is also trying to do. Perhaps he wants to discuss possible reunification once his economic reforms really start to pick up pace and the two countries' economic difference aren't so chasmic. It's also better for the South to not have to deal with as much economic backwardness.[/QUOTE]
He's just adapting to changing times, he still plans to elongate his rule and personality cult. If he were to do anything drastic, he would be ripped to shreds; either by the military status quo, or the commoners given power.
[QUOTE=G3rman;46838550]He's just adapting to changing times, he still plans to elongate his rule and personality cult. If he were to do anything drastic, he would be ripped to shreds; either by the military status quo, or the commoners given power.[/QUOTE]
If that's all he's doing then I don't think he even needed to do economic reforms. His father basically did nothing during his time, North Korea suffered a horrendous famine that killed a million people, and the regime still survived. I just feel that there is wish to better his people to do these reforms that are relatively big compared to the past. Anyway, since the period of mourning for Kim's daddy is over and he has consolidated power, he may try for something a little more drastic. The one thing that throws a monkey wrench into my belief that Kim actually wants reform is that he killed his China insider uncle.
Either the recent Interview shit has made him bend a little,
Or it's Kimmy wanting some Twinkies again.
[QUOTE=NuclearJesus;46838141]It's a trap.
And no, I'm not referencing the Admiral Ackbar meme. I mean it's literally a trap, and people will die.[/QUOTE]
Yeah and then North Korea is bombed off the face of the earth.
I wonder if Kim has actually seen The Interview.
[QUOTE=EcksDee;46838278]I don't think the South wants to unify any more.
Like PR-wise sure, "Unite us back into Korea"
But if you want to cripple South Korea, just give then the North.[/QUOTE]
Not really.
South Korea has a lot of good, farmable land and as such have had a large suplus in food stuffs to sustain its population. During the post-war era after the creation of South Korea as its own state the 3rd "President" Park Chung-hee created a "export led economy" which is what we can see happening in the past 10 years with China. This economic system was essentially sweat shop labor to produce cheap goods to sell to foreigners and bring money into the country and arguably he succeeded as South Korea is a fairly powerful trade power today.
South Korea's main problem is that it doesn't have much in the way of its own natural resources and has to import a lot of their raw materials to create these goods. North Korea on the other had has tons of natural resources and very little farmable land. If the two nations became a Unified Korea a lot of that food surplus would go to the North and a lot of those natural resources would move to the South.
[QUOTE=Senscith;46838974]Not really.
South Korea has a lot of good, farmable land and as such have had a large suplus in food stuffs to sustain its population. During the post-war era after the creation of South Korea as its own state the 3rd "President" Park Chung-hee created a "export led economy" which is what we can see happening in the past 10 years with China. This economic system was essentially sweat shop labor to produce cheap goods to sell to foreigners and bring money into the country and arguably he succeeded as South Korea is a fairly powerful trade power today.
South Korea's main problem is that it doesn't have much in the way of its own natural resources and has to import a lot of their raw materials to create these goods. North Korea on the other had has tons of natural resources and very little farmable land. If the two nations became a Unified Korea a lot of that food surplus would go to the North and a lot of those natural resources would move to the South.[/QUOTE]
Resource wise, that sounds great.
But be realistic - a fully integrated system like that would take decades to form. And that's [I]after[/I] the social and political incorporation of both states that would drag SK into the dirt.
The logistics of getting SK quality food and services into NK and preventing a massive immigration southward from NK will be at best, back-breaking for the economy, at worse, completely unfeasible and crash SK into the ground.
Maybe in the [I]very[/I] long term, it would be great for Korea as a whole.
But in the short term, which I would guesstimate to be 50-80 years, it would be disastrous for South Korea.
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;46839040]Resource wise, that sounds great.
But be realistic - a fully integrated system like that would take decades to form. And that's [I]after[/I] the social and political incorporation of both states that would drag SK into the dirt.
The logistics of getting SK quality food and services into NK and preventing a massive immigration southward from NK will be at best, back-breaking for the economy, at worse, completely unfeasible and crash SK into the ground.
Maybe in the [I]very[/I] long term, it would be great for Korea as a whole.
But in the short term, which I would guesstimate to be 50-80 years, it would be disastrous for South Korea.[/QUOTE]
A study by Goldman Sachs found that while it would be rough in the short-term, a united Korea would have surpassed Japan and Germany's economy by 2050 due to the resources and additional land.
[QUOTE=Smooth Jazz;46839111]A study by Goldman Sachs found that while it would be rough in the short-term, a united Korea would have surpassed Japan and Germany's economy by 2050 due to the resources and additional land.[/QUOTE]
I can't see a completely unified Korean infrastructure, populace, political landscape and economy happening within 35 years (assuming they start unifying this year, 2015). I'm sure it'll be well on it's way by then, but I feel that's extremely optimistic.
[QUOTE=Sam Za Nemesis;46838268]NK probably has more hopes for reunification to the south, Pyongyang has giant statues asking for a single Korea[/QUOTE]
The problem with that is that it's the wrong way around, unity through taking over south korea.
Also, Korea has been separated far longer than Germany. And Germany took quite some time to reform. Korea is gonna be a disaster.
I read that as Olive Garden. .. mm free breadsticks
[highlight](User was banned for this post (""I read that as" shitposting" - SteveUK))[/highlight]
[QUOTE=NuclearJesus;46838141]It's a trap.
And no, I'm not referencing the Admiral Ackbar meme. I mean it's literally a trap, and people will die.[/QUOTE]
I think he realizes that he's on extremely thin ice. If he does anything stupid, some shit will go down. I don't know what, but he'll be having more issues than before.
Honestly, I think he's concerned about all the North Koreans wanting to see The Interview and thinks he needs some good PR before he has a revolution on his hands, however unrealistic that last bit might be.
[editline]2nd January 2015[/editline]
[QUOTE=TripleR309;46840196]I read that as Olive Garden. .. mm free breadsticks[/QUOTE]
Best fucking breadsticks in the world omg
Would suddenly opening up the border ruin S. Korea's economy because they'd have to financially support millions of new people who have a much lower quality of life and wealth, or would it be beneficial because of the sudden influx of million of workers willing to work hard for a much better life?
I could see the latter being what happens, after a dip in the economy while new factories, homes and infrastructure are built to modern standards.
[QUOTE=NuclearJesus;46838141]It's a trap.
And no, I'm not referencing the Admiral Ackbar meme. I mean it's literally a trap, and people will die.[/QUOTE]
Yeah if the the South sent any government officials into the North I could see them getting killed.
Reunifying Korea would be great, but it would be very hard on the South and take decades.
But it's not like that will happen while the North has this regime. The south isn't going to accept becoming part of the North's regime and Kim jong un probably isn't just going to stand down.
[QUOTE=Smooth Jazz;46839111]A study by Goldman Sachs found that while it would be rough in the short-term, a united Korea would have surpassed Japan and Germany's economy by 2050 due to the resources and additional land.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, and Argentina would become the 7th superpower due to the natural resources abundance...
What we aren't talking about here, is what SK is going to do with all the dudes that suddenly:
"Oh, my past 30 years of life were nothing but lies. And wait, I can now move south where things are better"
IE
Total Clusterfuck. FUBAR. Germany's economic problems post 1991 multiplied by 100.
[QUOTE]Would suddenly opening up the border ruin S. Korea's economy because they'd have to financially support millions of new people who have a much lower quality of life and wealth, or would it be beneficial because of the sudden influx of million of workers willing to work hard for a much better life?
[/QUOTE]
It would drive salaries extremely low and it turn would trigger a reaction from unions....It's literally, the "shocks" you see in Macroeconomics I
Force both to unite under the new USSR is the best solution :v: :v:
[QUOTE=Teddybeer;46838245]For a while you can unite them in name only and then work slowly towards increased corporation. In 25 years of doing that a united government could be possible.
But that's all seen from my way to optimistic view.[/QUOTE]
One country two systems does not and will never work. When east Germany reunited they did not continue being communists for 25 years leaching off of the west they had to loose their government for the better of all people
[editline]2nd January 2015[/editline]
Also north Korea has shit for resources, if they did have tons of raw resources they would have exploited them by now but as it stands they have coal and a few small metal deposits, nothing really substantial
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;46839171]I can't see a completely unified Korean infrastructure, populace, political landscape and economy happening within 35 years (assuming they start unifying this year, 2015). I'm sure it'll be well on it's way by then, but I feel that's extremely optimistic.[/QUOTE]
I'm sure you're a better economist than the professionals at Goldman Sachs.
[editline]2nd January 2015[/editline]
[QUOTE=Sableye;46843824]
Also north Korea has shit for resources, if they did have tons of raw resources they would have exploited them by now but as it stands they have coal and a few small metal deposits, nothing really substantial[/QUOTE]
Actually North Korea is supposed to have a very large amount of mineral resources, including an estimated $6,000,000,000,000 worth of rare metals that they can't extract because North Korea.
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_in_North_Korea#Resource_base[/url]
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