Our debate today is directed towards the issue of weather north Korea and south Korea should reunite. My teammates and I are strongly supporting the reunification because of statistics, pure facts, and the benefits of a united Korea in the long run. The reason that North and South Korea are separated in the first place is because of after the Liberation of Korea there wasn’t an official country or government on the peninsula. The Koreans hoped to establish a country of their own and live peacefully, but without any negotiation with the Koreans, the USA and USSR suddenly divided the peninsula at the 38th parallel.
The North side would be controlled under socialism and the south side would be controlled under capitalism. Soon the communist forces of the North, led by Kim iI Sung, attacked the South on June 25th, 1950. This was the start of the Korean war, which is still happening. The reunification of Korea may sound absurd and our opponents can say that the countries have changed too much over the years to become one again, but uniting the North and South would have many benefits in the long run for not only Korea, but other countries as well. Denuclearization Such benefits would include denuclearization in North Korea.
The North has been recently testing an abundance of nuclear weapons. U. S. officials say North Korea may already have an arsenal between 12 and a “few dozen” far more advanced weapons, many more than generally believed. The possibility of a nuclear attack, whether by intention, miscalculation, or by accident, could lead to a catastrophe. A regional nuclear war would rearrange our global climate far more quickly than global warming. It would destroy the economy and the amount of smoke injected into the atmosphere would cause a huge reduction in Earth’s protective O-Zone.
Also, if the development of nuclear weapons in North Korea continues, it’s action could trigger two responses: a military attack by the United States or decisions by South Korea and Japan to build nuclear weapons in response. Uniting North and South Korea would prevent the nuclear testing and Korea could regain the aid it lost from countries due to the recent launch testing. Economic Stability One worry of uniting the Koreas is the cost. Our opponents could say that it would hurt South Korea’s economy, and that the price to pay for reunification is just too much.
Yes, South Korea would have to lay down some cash for the North Koreans to have standard living, and South Koreans would have to slightly lower their own living standards. But it is estimated that by 2050, the United Korea’s economy would exceed that of Britain, France, Germany, and possibly Japan. It has to be understood that reuniting the North and South isn’t going to happen overnight. To keep up a decent economy and a tame relationship between North and South Koreans, the change would have to be gradual. For the reunification to work, patience is key.
Koreans are in favor of reunification Other than the fear of the economy collapsing, most Korean’s are in favor of reuniting. South Korea has been making Internet, television, and radio campaigns in favor of reunification. North Korean’s also desire to reunite, but they are not allowed to express their feelings about reuniting, since they are under a communist rule which prevents them from voicing their true opinions without being punished. In a recent survey, 3/4 of South Korean University students wanted the two countries to become one.
Also, elementary kids in South Korea are taught a popular song called “Our wish is reunification”. It has also become a well known catchphrase. Speaking of Korean’s wanting to reunite, this brings us to our next point. Families separated by war The separation of Korea tore apart millions of families. In 1988, about 127,000 South Koreans reported that they believed their missing family members were in the North. 45,000 of those South Koreans had died since then, never getting to part take in the reunions.
The occasionally reunions allow North and South Korean families meet with their missing families, many who were assumed dead, for a few days near the boarder. After the reunion, the South Koreans have to head home and wait several years until the next one. Unfortunately, most members of the separated families are elderly, and will unlikely live long enough until the next reunion. There is also no other way for the families to connect. No mail, telephone or e-mail exchanges exist between ordinary citizens across the Korean border.
By reuniting the North and South, seperated families would be allowed to see their relatives again, it would just be the right the thing to do. No longer a fear of war Yet another benefit of uniting the two Korea’s would be that there wouldn’t be the threat of war between the South and North. The South Korea’s military capabilities are inadequate to handle a North Korean invasion. The North Koreans have a million men under arms against the technology and training of 28,000 American and half a million South Korean troops.
North Koreans would intend to employ chemical weapons, ballistic missiles right from the very beginning. If they feel threatened enough, they might even go nuclear. Like said before, a regional nuclear war would be catastrophic globally. Reuniting would smite the chance of a war breaking out since South Koreans would be aiding North Koreans, giving them help that is greatly needed, so why would North Korea bite the hand that feeds it? Bring technology up to date With that being said, we move onto to the topic of North Korean technology.
The outdated technology makes everyday life for a North Korean difficult. Even the farming tools and techniques haven’t been updated since the 1950’s, slowing down food production (which is desperately needed) and money gain. No one has any access to the internet and the television only broadcasts the Leaders and pictures celebrating the Country’s army. While in South Korea, people can pay for groceries with their cellphones, most of North Korean citizens get up to 4 hours of electricity daily, with regular power shortages.
Even more shockingly, people cut their grass with scissors. That’s just not how someone should be living. Reunification would allow the North Koreans to get newer technology to ease their lives and increase manufacturing and food production. No more isolation Currently, North Korea is utterly isolated from the rest of the world. Their leader prevents them from having any outside knowledge. They are uneducated about great world leaders and in their eyes Stalin and Mao Zedong are considered to be the finest leaders.
North Koreans don’t know of current world events because if they did they would realize how terrible their lives are. By isolating the North Korean people, the leader forces North Koreans to become more dependent on their government and less aware of their human rights and individual entitlements. Also, the lessons provided in school are outdated and untrue. North Koreans actually believe that Kim Jong invented the light bulb. By united the Korea’s it would give the North Korean’s proper knowledge and help them realize how poorly they were treated.
