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Diplomacy
OpinionAsia Opinion
Gagan Hitkari
Gagan Hitkari

Opinion | South Korea’s unification plan ignores domestic and regional realities

  • Divisions in South Korea and wariness among both its allies and adversaries don’t bode well for Yoon Suk-yeol’s vision for the peninsula

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A Korean People’s Army band stands ready for a march for peace at the Arch of Reunification on the outskirts of Pyongyang, on September 11, 2018. Photo: AFP
Gagan Hitkari
Addressing the nation on the 79th National Liberation Day, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol unveiled a new unification plan to establish “a unified, free and democratic nation … across the entire Korean peninsula”. Arguing for “complete liberation” through unification, Yoon called for extending freedom and democracy to the “frozen kingdom” of North Korea.
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In line with his “audacious” initiative, Yoon said Seoul would begin political and economic cooperation immediately if Pyongyang showed signs of moving towards denuclearisation. However, the unification plan is set to face numerous constraints both domestically and internationally, making the blueprint all the more difficult to implement.

South Koreans hold a central position in the proposed plan. Yoon said the people must possess the values and capabilities needed to pursue freedom-based unification. He also talked about possible people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

However, such a policy would require bipartisan support and a domestic consensus. On the political front, however, South Korea represents more of a “house divided” than united. This political divide between the ruling People Power Party and the Democratic Party of Korea (which leads the opposition) was most clearly visible in the two separate ceremonies held on National Liberation Day.

While Yoon has denounced his political rivals, calling them “pseudo-intellectuals” and “anti-unification forces” who attack the values of freedom, the opposition has expressed anger at the government’s attempts to “distort history” and criticised the influx of the “new right” into key positions.

Democratic Party of Korea members and those from other opposition parties hold placards and shout slogans against the Yoon administration, in front of the National Assembly in Seoul, on August 14, the eve of the country’s National Liberation Day. Photo: EPA-EFE
Democratic Party of Korea members and those from other opposition parties hold placards and shout slogans against the Yoon administration, in front of the National Assembly in Seoul, on August 14, the eve of the country’s National Liberation Day. Photo: EPA-EFE

Any model which seeks to further the idea of a unified Korea must have strong political consensus across the board, something which seems to be missing for the Yoon administration.

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