One Korea: North and South Unified Into One Korea Would Be Historical Event

Korean Peninsula Divided along the DMZ - 38th Parallel

(Since July 1953: Armistice Ending The Korean War)

Very insightful and thought-provoking book

By all means, Korea should be reunited. Millions of Koreans, both in the North and South and worldwide want to that dream fulfilled.

I too have always advocated a one-Korea. The positives are tremendous and far outweigh the negatives. 

However, the U.S. acting alone would be a non-starter and rightly so. The decisions must be made by the citizens of both countries and not from Washington, DC, or anywhere else. 

FYI: North Korean leaders, Kim, Jong-un could win a Nobel peace prize if he moved forward in a positive manner along side the president of South Korea, Moon, Jae-in.

Synopsis from the book cited above: Peaceful Korean reunification would end a growing nuclear threat, ease regional and geopolitical tensions, and bring about significant economic growth and cooperation in resource-rich Northeast Asia. 

The central assumption of this book is that peace and reunification can be achieved by changing the underlying incentive structure for all North Koreans, and by offering its leaders a safe, honorable and profitable way out of a deteriorating situation. Economic stagnation and increased awareness of the better life beyond their borders has led to growing dissent inside North Korea, while dynastic transition and the rise of a new generation of leaders may have opened a new opportunity for political acquiescence. 

The book outlines a Korean Peace Fund strategy that provides for global elites, corporations and governments to raise $300 billion to give to North Korean power elites, military officers and common people if they agree to reunify under South Korean political leadership. Kim Jong-un would likely be hailed worldwide for participating in a win-win, face-saving resolution.

The author: Shepherd Iverson has a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology. He is a professor at Inha University in Inchon Korea. He has lived there with his family for the past eight years. He is also the author of two other volumes on Korea: (1) One Korea: A Proposal for Peace (2013), and (2) Stop North Korea: A radical new approach to solving the North Korean standoff (2016).

My 2 Cents: I totally agree with the book and goal of one Korea.

As for me, I have been in and out and around Korea and Koreans since 1961 when I first served there on active duty in the Marine Corps component of the Naval Advisory Group (NAG in Seoul) for two years at the ROKMC HQ in Yongsan.

Off and on, I have spent a total of 20 years in Korea as UN Observer at Panmunjom, while on active duty in an out while on temporary duty, and then later as a DOD civilian in 8th Army HQ.

I am fluent in Korean and it was my intelligence area specialty when I served as an Intelligence Officer and Marine Cops Interrogator-Translator Team leader.

I also have numerous family members living there and hundreds of Korean and American friends and acquaintances there. 

A one-Korea would solve a lot of problems and benefit that area and world at large, and it would be a spectacular and historical major accomplishment.

Stay tuned for sure.