Session #1 Readings

Readings 1-2

Readings 1-4

Readings 1-6

I found this article to be very interesting. I didn't realize that there has been somewhat of a goal on both sides of Korea to unite the 2 countries. And after reading about the state of the economy South Korea is in (flourishing, but mostly a middle-income country), I just don't see how they would be able to absorb a country that is in such a terrible state like North Korea. Not only is that huge to take on in an economic sense, think about how hard it would be to educate the North Koreans and help them adjust to a modern life. Reading this article solidified my current image of North and South Korea, which is the image we were shown at our last class of the Koreas, where North Korea was mostly black and South Korea was lit up. Fascinating.

I really found this article an eye-opener. I have understood on a superficial level that the two Korean countries were very different. What I did not know is that they are not just different, they are like two different planets. I didn't realize that North Korea will eventually collapse due to famine, serious psychological, political and economical problems. Many Koreans, North and South, would like to see the two countries become unified, but South Korea isn't prepare to take on their collapse. The article states that "the task would make West Germany's absorption of East Germany look like doodle." North Koreans are 15 times poorer than their southern neighbors. However, even with South Korea's successes, they are still a mostly middle-income country. Therefore it would be a huge economical task to to take on, not to mention the difficult task of educating the North Korean and helping them adjust to a modern economy and society. The article states that South Korea would absolutely need to reach out internationally for help when and if this unification happens, and that it would be wise to get starting preparing now.

I too am unfamiliar with Korea and have found the information about Korea the most shocking. I especially like the satellite picture of North Korea being practically dark. I also think that it is fascinating that due to the women working long hours, and getting married later in life, is a direct correlation as to why the fertility rate is so low. I have always thought that the hard working, poor women seem to get pregnant more often, at least here in the states. I guess it has to do more with the suggested one child families in East Asia that also contribute to this rate.

It was interesting to note that no matter the where one lives in the world, immigration seems to be a hot topic. The first article discussed how the "Democratic Party of Japan is fretting about the impact of immigration on pay for Japanese workers". This is quite similar to issues we have here in the USA and also in Europe where migrants are blamed for taking people's jobs and lowering the wage scale.

The article "Contested Grounds" made me more aware of the stark economic differences between North and South Korea. While reading the article, I thought about the reunification of Germany and how it could be a model for any potential Korean reunification. As the article went further along, I learned about the major economic, psychological, and political hurdles that would be presented. These were issues that the German reunification did encounter, but not to the degree that Korea would need to go through.

I was also surprised to learn that in the 1980s Peruvians and Brazilians had been recruited to work in Japanese industrial companies. Based on the article, it appears that the Japanese are very hesitant to allow more immigrants to enter the country due to fear that foreigners will bring "social instability". Overall, it seems like the Japanese are not very welcoming to immigrants, which explains why they have difficulty assimilating and why they return to their countries of origin. The catch is that if Japan wants to increase its industrial input, it is going to have to open its doors to more immigrants.