[KS] North Korea

[Rüdiger Frank]

(1) Collapse of the regime:
After I vistited North Korea in 1991/92, judging from my own impression, I
did not expect the regime to last for more than one year - and they still
exist. The same has happened to colleagues before and after me. Further,
many people expected a drastic change after the death of Kim Il Sung - more
than four years have passed, and still there is a divided country. Nearly
all of the former trading partners have passed away (expect China) - and no
collapse at all in the DPRK, in spite of the suffering of the people. Why,
then, should a substantial change come after the death of Kim Jong Il? 
In fact, I do not quite believe that it is really possible to follow a slow
and staged approach to unification, as desirable as this undoubtedly is.
>From this point of view, a collapse is one of the things that will likely
happen - but who dares to know when, and how? What will happen, if the
people in the North are deprived of their religion? What, if they are
confronted with the glittering world of capitalistic consume? What, if they
realize what has been done to them during the past 50 years? And how shall
this be done slowly and step by step?

(2) Comparison Germany-Korea
As a German with a limited knowledge about Korea, I am totally against any
direct comparison. History, culture, economy, politics, geopolitical
situation and environment... nearly everything is so completely different.
The only thing that we can really learn from my country's unification is
that you never know, what will happen. Not very satisfactory, and that's
why many people still are so heavily engaged in drawing detailed lessons
from Germany's case.
This is too simple, and it won't work.

(3) The project in Berlin
Maybe others on this list are interested in this. I did not personally
participate in the project, but I know the coordinator and would like to
recommend the book he has edited:

Werner Pfennig (Ed.): United We Stand- Divided We Are. Comparative Views on
Germany and Korea in the 1990’s, Hamburg: Abera 1998, 414 pages, ISBN 3-931
567-19-2, price in Germay: 79,90 DM

I have written a review (in German), anybody who is interested, please
contact me - directly, we do not need to fill this list with personal
messages.

Rudiger Frank



***********************
(Mr.) Ruediger FRANK
Humboldt-University Berlin
Korea Institute
Fon: +49-30-55 99 878
Fax: +49-30-2093-6666
e-mail: ruediger.frank at rz.hu-berlin.de
Web: http://www2.rz.hu-berlin.de/korea
***********************


%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%