Road To Peaceful Korean Unification

Peace in the Korean peninsula is impossible without Peace in Asia, and Peace in Asia will become the pathway to world peace. Until now, numerous books, related to the division of the Korean peninsula and reformation of the political system after the unification, have been published. However, no one in the world actually suggested a peaceful method or a specific road map that could lead to unification. This book is the road map. I have a special reason for feeling this way. Korea, my homeland, has kept a special place in my heart before I can remember. My homeland is Korea - a peninsula divided across its middle into north and south. I have long dreamed of reconnecting this land, making her one country and one nation. For a long time, this has been the dream after which I have most desperately sought.

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.

Korean Dream: A Vision for a Unified Korea is a powerful call to action for Koreans and supporters everywhere to achieve a new nation, rooted in a common past. In this Centennial Edition, which debuted on several bestseller lists including the Wall Street Journal, LA Times, and Publishers Weekly, Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon presents an innovative way forward for the Korean Peninsula that at its heart is Korean led. Ultimately, Korean reunification is the only long-term solution to security, economic, and social problems created through a 70-year division of the Peninsula. Dr. Moon goes a step further, offering a groundbreaking approach to peace rooted in the founding principles of Hongik Ingan, cultural practices, and engagement from civil society organizations to empower Koreans to become global advocates for peace. Korean Dream calls upon Koreans, Korean diaspora, and people everywhere to take charge and work to achieve a reunified Korean peninsula. Korean Dream Empowers the Korean People to Rediscover Their Historic Identity. Dr. Moon’s vision empowers the Korean people to rediscover their 5,000-year-old historic identity and take it upon themselves to lead the way toward a peaceful reunification of the peninsula. A Nation Built on Shared History and Heritage. For reunification to happen, modern South Korea must recognize and embrace its shared history, heritage and culture. South Korea’s surging economy and decades of separation caused many to lose sight of its past and common connection with Koreans in the North. A Korean-led Future with Universal Principles and Values. Korea must represent the goals of its people in the form of a popular, representative form of government. A reunified Korea must give the Korean people the same freedoms and human rights that the American people and others around the world have today. Live for the Greater Benefit of All Humanity. Hongik Ingan defines the hope, potential, and strength of the Korean people. Korean Dream is devoted to the welfare of mankind in working toward reunification, drawing support from participants regarding human rights, universal spiritual principles and natural law toward a civic society. The Role of Civil Society and NGOs. Civic associations are the heart of a thriving democracy; a medium through which citizens contribute to and build the life of the national community. The Korean people must engage with one another and civic associations to address issues in local areas beyond the scope of government. Reunification is Only the First Step. Beyond Korean reunification, the Korean people would be in a position to become global advocates on the basis of high moral principles. These principles of the Korean Dream will become a global call for realizing a world that lives as One Family under God.

Education to Strengthen our Capabilities for Peaceful Unification The 20th century was on era of “extremes” that was marked by several ideological confrontations and wars. It was a long age of persecution and patience, especially on the part of the Koreans. Nevertheless, the ideology that drove the world into chaos and the leaders who led the hostile inter-Korean relations are now fading from the center stage of history. On December 17, 2011, Kim Jong Il died after ruling North Korea with blood-and-iron politics for 37 years. The global community is now expecting significant changes within the North Korean regime, the relations between the two Koreas, and the East Asian order. The year 2015 will mark the 70th anniversary of the Korean division, which occurred in three overlapping phases: territorial, regime, and emotional. The first phase, territorial division, was introduced on August 15, 1945 when Soviet and U.S. forces divided the peninsula along the 38th parallel. The second phase, regime(sovereignty) division, was established with the formation of two separate governments on the Korean Peninsula; the Republic of Korea(ROK) was founded on August 15, 1948 and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea(DPRK) was established on September 9, 1948. The division was finalized as it reached the third phase, emotional division(of people), following the North Korean invasion of the South on June 25, 1950 and the subsequent three-year fratricidal war. Are we prepared to undertake unification and maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula? This issue is not only a national one that North and South Korea should resolve on their own, but it is also an international issue in which the interests of four relevant countries nations(the U.S., China, Japan, and Russia) are at stake. For this reason, peaceful unification requires the proper environment, capability and will from all parties. For the time being, we lack all three elements, as there are multiple levels of discord. In the global environment, competition is emerging between the hegemonic power in naval warfare(the U.S.) and the leading power in ground warfare(China). Within the Korean Peninsula, there is increased distrust due to North Korea’s provocative actions including two nuclear tests, the sinking of a South Korean naval ship, and the shelling of a South Korean island. There is discord even within South Korean society: ideological conflicts between the conservatives and liberals, regional confrontation between the southeastern and southwestern regions, generation gaps resulting from a rapid transition to an information-oriented society, and class conflicts that have emerged from neo-liberalism and the collapse of the middle class. Then What are the steps that we should take to make way for peaceful unification? We must first properly prioritize the issues at hand. The top priority should be given to national harmony, then international cooperation, and finally rapprochement on the Korean Peninsula. This is attributed to the fact that South Korean society characterized by internal organization and preparedness is the cornerstone of a peaceful unification; consequently, public education on unification is crucial. Despite the progress made thus far, unification education still has some shortcomings. Until this point in time, education on unification has strengthened a negative image of the North Korean situation, leading to arguments for the deferral of national unification and an increased number of people against it. Governmental programs that were intended to promote unification policies have also taken a passive, or even a critical approach on the issue due to its controversial nature. I would like to acknowledge that although multiple researchers compiled this book after much discussion and thorough review, it still has some shortcomings that will be address in the next edition. Finally, I’d like to express my deepest gratitude to the National Unification Advisory Council and the Unification Education Council for providing the videos and resources for our research...

On the Korean peninsula, there exist two sovereign states—the Republic of Korea (ROK or South Korea) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea)—both of whom hold separate membership at the United Nations. This book discusses the construction of "one Korea" and highlights the potential benefits of unification for the Koreans and the international community. Arguing that Korean unification is intrinsically international in nature, the authors outline how the process and outcome would impact upon the policies of the four major powers—the U.S., China, Russia, and Japan. In addition, the authors highlight the possible far-reaching repercussions of unification on the political and economic dynamics of Northeast Asia. Making a case for the two Koreas and interested powers to plan and orchestrate their acts for sustained peace and gradual unification on the Korean peninsula, this book examines the Korean question and the related issue of peace building in Northeast Asia from a global perspective. It will be of interest to students and scholars researching politics and international relations.