Korean Unification in Light of South Korea's Demographic Collapse
Before the war. Image Source
By William Brockman
As we bid Covid farewell, 2023 not only marks the end of the pandemic but also the 70th anniversary of Korea's division. After World War II, Korea was liberated from Japan and subsequently divided by the Soviet Union and the United States, both looking to spread their influence. North of the 38th parallel, Korea became Communist under Soviet control, while the remaining South adopted a capitalist system under the United States. This division was not based on any significant cultural, historical, or geographical boundaries in Korea; it was chosen at random by an American pointing at a map. The division, which was meant to be temporary, separated families and friends, cutting through the very heart of the country. Soon after, the North invaded the South in order to fulfill Kim Il-sung's messianic dream of uniting the Korean people. The war lasted from 1950 to 1953. It resulted in the death of over two and half million people and failed to unite the country.
Since then, Korea has remained divided with the South becoming a rich vibrant democracy, and the North becoming infamous for its totalitarian regime and abject poverty. The stark differences between the nations makes it difficult to imagine them as one country, but for the future of the Korean Peninsula it is absolutely necessary.
South Korea, with a population of just over 51 million people, has the lowest fertility rate in the world at 0.78 children per woman, and that number is expected to decline even further to around 0.61 in the near future. As a result of this low fertility rate South Korea's population has continually declined since 2020, and by 2067 it’s estimated that the population may be as low as 34 million people. South Korea's demographic decline has raised serious concerns about how its economy can grow or even continue to function as its workforce rapidly shrinks. Estimates say that around 15.3 million working age immigrants would need to be added to South Korea's economy by 2060 to maintain the nation’s workforce. Despite the need for immigration, South Korea has remained staunchly against bringing in foreigners.
Koreans have a deep-rooted sense of nationalism that comes from being a small nation, sandwiched between two powerful neighbors, China and Japan. Throughout history, China and Japan have not only exerted significant cultural influence on the Korean Peninsula, but have also invaded it many times as well. In order to protect Korea's ethnic identity the country has had to actively fight against foreign influence and distance itself from others. ‘The Hermit Kingdom’ is a nickname that often gets assigned to North Korea, but historically Korea as a whole has been referred to as the Hermit Kingdom. It has always isolated itself, and shunned foreign influence.
After the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910, Japan occupied the area for several decades, suppressing Korean culture and language while imposing its own values and customs. Japan claimed that there was no Korean ethnicity, that we were one people, and that the nation was merely an extension of Japan. The Japanese committed cultural genocide and other atrocities, including the enslavement of the Korean people and brutally enforcing its will on the nation in an attempt to wipe out the Korean identity. This period of colonization ignited a fierce resistance among Koreans, fueling a strong sense of ethnic-centered nationalism. Put simply, Koreans want a Korean Korea. They aren’t interested in becoming multicultural, and welcoming in immigrants. This leaves South Korea in a tricky predicament since it needs more people to fuel its economy, but it won’t accept outsiders.
Korean Reunification may be South Korea's last hope of solving its demographic collapse. North Korea, with a population of 26 million people, has over 18 million working age adults and a fertility rate of around 1.9. Additionally, when polled which immigrant group they feel closest to, South Koreans overwhelmingly voted for North Korean defectors over labor and marriage migrants. By reunifying with North Korea, South Korea would have access to a larger population pool, which could help raise declining birth rates and contribute to a more balanced age distribution. An influx of young people from North Korea, providing cheap and abundant labor, combined with South Korea's highly skilled workforce could generate incredible economic growth. Furthermore, South Korea would have access to North Korea's abundant natural resources and would no longer be cut off from mainland Asia. While rebuilding the North may be a burden on the South in the long run, Korea would become a powerhouse. According to U.S. investment bank Goldman Sachs, Korea has the potential to surpass Japan and become the world's third largest economy.
The possibilities don’t even end there, since a united Korea would be both an incredible military and cultural power. South Korea has already gained global recognition for its cultural exports, including K-pop, K-dramas, K-beauty, etc. The popularity of these cultural products has already sparked widespread interest in Korean culture around the world, and this soft power would only grow under a unified Korea. North and South Korea are respectively great military powers in their own right, but unified, the peninsula would hold the largest standing military in the world, possibly even having access to nukes as inheritance from North Korea. Korea for once would be strong enough to stand on its own, and could decide its own future free of foreign influence.
Korean Reunification may be the solution to South Korea's demographic crisis, and the key to a prosperous future but it is still a long way away. 70 years is a long time to be apart, and the two sides of Korea have drifted. Fewer and fewer young South Koreans are in support of unification, and with North Korea's wanton aggression it's not easy for the two to imagine a future together. Despite the challenges associated with achieving Korean Unification, it’s crucial that it’s discussed and actively pursued as a goal for the future. The potential benefits of Unification, such as addressing demographic issues, harnessing soft power, and fostering regional stability, outweigh any difficulties involved. By recognizing the value of a united Korea and maintaining an open discussion, we can lay the foundation for a future that is unified, prosperous, and harmonious for the Korean Peninsula. Those who ignore or dismiss the topic only perpetuate a status quo, which is a path that is leading South Korea to demographic collapse and leaving millions of North Koreans trapped in a living hell. Therefore, it is crucial to keep talking about Korean Reunification, as the rewards far outweigh the challenges.
William Brockman is a senior in high school who swims competitively year round, loves baking, and thinks catnip tea is amazing. Being a mixed Korean-American whose grandmother is from Hwanghae province in what is now North Korea, his dream is to one day return to her family home. William is a passionate supporter of Korean Reunification.
Sources Used:
A Peninsula of Paradoxes: South Korean Public Opinion on Unification ..., carnegieendowment.org/2020/05/13/peninsula-of-paradoxes-south-korean-public-opinion-on-unification-and-outside-powers-pub-81737. Accessed 23 Sept. 2023.
How Unification Would Affect the Demographics of the Korean Peninsula ..., carnegieendowment.org/2021/06/29/how-unification-would-affect-demographics-of-korean-peninsula-pub-84821. Accessed 23 Sept. 2023.
Kim, Andrew Eungi. “Scant South Korean Fertility Rate Portends Disaster.” Asia Times, 26 Apr. 2023, asiatimes.com/2023/04/scant-south-korean-fertility-rate-portends-disaster/.