[imText1]Recently, the book『South and North, United We Fall』(RandomhouseJoongang publisher) has been getting popular in bookstores. It is said that for a book focusing on the North and South relations to be on the bestseller list is as provocative as the title of the book.
Prof. Park, Sung Jo, one of the authors, is a scholar who has observed and researched the German unification process and the subsequent events on the spot. He now works as a permanent professor of political science at Berlin Freie University and the visiting chair professor of the graduate school of public administration at Seoul National University. The old scholar who has treaded the path of knowledge throughout his life is firmly entrenched in the book,
“Without Ethnic Fellows We Can Live. But Without Freedom, We Will Die”
He said that it is important for the two Korean people to stay under a single roof. However, it is more significant to live while sharing democracy, a free market, freedom and human rights with the North Korean people. We had an opportunity to hear from him about the reasons why he said ‘South and North, united we fall in the current situations’.
Why did you criticize the nationalistic approach, evaluating the German unification?
It cannot be said that the German unification is successful because up until now I have observed it and its following process on the spot. At first, the Germans thought that they could recoup the German territory as well as live under a single roof with their separate ethnic fellows. Yet, they thought about twice it later. It did not advance as well as they expected. The difference between West Germany and East Germany is still great and their emotional scars are also very deep.
West Germany and East Germany have identical lineage, but during the division period, they had been transformed respectively into different countries. That was the source of the current problems. For national integration, democratic countries should have such common aspects as democracy and free market. It is crucial to mutually share democracy, human rights and a free market. It is risky to unconditionally live with unknown people.
What effects did nationalism make on the unified German economy?
Up until unification, East Germany was the wealthiest country among the East European countries. During the identical period, West Germany was also quite a wealthy country. However, now it does not even achieve a 2 percent economic growth rate. It is supposed to provide East Germany with 4 percent of the income annually by law. If it were invested, it would be great. But, the money is not for investment, but for consumption of the East Germans. It means that the money has been spent just supporting the Eastern Germans without achieving any fruit.
Unification through Economic Cooperation is not Realistic, but Idealistic
West Germany has no ability to sustain the current amount of aid. In this context, I am saying that it is problematic to obscurely attempt to unify with just nationalism. It is not realistic but idealistic that economic cooperation would form an economic community, finally leading to unification. It is to say nothing of North Korea.
Could you briefly summarize the characteristics of the North Korean system?
North Korea is the rarest system. Other Socialist countries have the system that one dictator controls his county for a long time. Yet, they are not like the father-son succeeding system of North Korea. It is difficult to see North Korea as a society. It has no basic social elements such as various classes, communications, market, and public press. Nothing except for Kim Jong Il is important in North Korea.
The North Korean economy is under four cumulative regulations. It consists of Kim Jong Il, top leaders of the Party, the Party and government offices. It has difficulties functioning normally. Because such a regulating system works vertically, if no one commands, the system cannot function. General people cannot enter this vertical system.
What do you think are the different approaches between the Left and the Right in South Korea?
We cannot do anything except for supporting democracy, a free market, human rights and freedom. Without them, unification is impossible. We should make certain of it. West Germany made sure of it. The South and North cooperation and the North Korean type of union cannot come true without democratization and a free market.
There is nothing more important than freedom, democracy, human rights and a market economy. South Korea should evidently inform North Korea of it, and firmly declare its stance. Do not be thoughtlessly outwitted. If my brother were a Communist, could I live with him? As for me, I could not live with him. If it were a couple, then divorce would definitely take place. If we live with North Korea with a concept of nationalism, I cannot surrender.
[imText2]“If Assisted, Will North Korea Cooperate?”
Could you evaluate the Sunshine Policy of the past 10 years?
Thanks to the policy, the tension between the two Koreas has been alleviated. Also, the basic roadmap of the policy is good. But if expecting more, then the Sunshine Policy is just a delusion. During the policy-performing period, have we ever accomplished at least one of our purposes? The degree of changes in the North Korean system has been zero. The spin-offs through the economic cooperation and assistance are obscure as expected. With this functionalism, it is hard to expect to be able to accomplish certain effects because of the mutually different systems and different values. In practice, the functional spin-offs in North Korea are zero.
If you compare the Sunshine Policy with Ostpolitik?
Billy Brant, the former president of West Germany, provided a great deal to East Germany. Once he was blamed from the West Germans for Ostpolitik (a policy towards the East European countries before the German unification). However, at the same time he freed some political prisoners as well. Not only was a West German embassy built in the East but also the list of the separated families was exchanged, leading to their direct visits. The old in East Germany could be permitted to live in West Germany. At the very least these achievements have to be drawn from North Korea. This is the only cause to be able to attract the consent of the South Koreans.
What do you think about the indication that the policy of the Participatory Government towards North Korea has a propensity for the close figures to Kim Jong Il?
The South government has been dragged without its fangs by Kim Jong Il in dealing with him. We have our fangs, so we have to say “No” about the wrongful actions of North Korea. Our nation is democratic. If so, we should show that we are a democratic country. Absolutely, we should bring the human rights issue up.
What do you think the proper approach is to the North Korean Human rights issue?
Democracy is transparency. Regarding the human rights issue, we should directly talk to North Korea. It is a paradoxical claim that the food aid will improve the North Korean human rights. Somalia and Ethiopia where have gotten humanitarian assistances were enhanced in the human rights?
“Food aids are not in the Direct Proportion to Improvement of The Human Rights”
How should we induce changes of North Korea?
As far as the Kim Jong Il’s regime exists, its changes cannot be possible. For North Korea to change, Kim Jong Il, his regime, the Party and chief leaders should disappear. Only nuclear and prisons remain in North Korea. Yet, we do not need to concentrate on them. International society and international organizations have touched the food distribution monitoring and the human rights issue. There will be more ways for changes in North Korea soon. We have to focus on the activities of NGOs. They are active in the field. They teach the North Koreans and expand cooperative businesses. At the level of EU, they advance the education of the North Korean people.
North Korean would not permit the aid activities, if NGOs of South Korea attempt to come into it alone. They should constitute a multi-organizations cooperation system. Now they should directly go into North Korea and educate the North Korean people. In the rescue activities educating activities are needed. It is crucial to enlighten the young North Korean leaders on the reality of North Korea.
What do you think the South government policy towards North Korea should be?
We should make sure that we cannot abandon democracy, free market and human rights. It has practical meaning. If we bring the North Korean human rights issue up and claim against other countries with a dual national character, then we will be internationally isolated. When we confront the human rights problem and a diplomatic deadlock, we cannot get necessary help from the countries. It would also prevent South Korea from getting any help from the next North Korean regime of Kim Jong Il.
