[Letters] Reunification is not near

Though we wish reunification to come quickly, it should not be rushed but be discreetly approached to overcome the heterogeneity. Without any measures taken to smooth the differences between the South and North, huge social problems can arise.

Just like the regionalism we experience in South Korea, the variety of differences would be an incorrigible issue. The politicians in Seoul seem to not know how to negotiate and settle the division even among South Korean citizens, much less with the North Koreans. If we have reunification without any appropriate preparations, the Korean Peninsula can suffer from divisions similar to those in Bosnia.

Bill Clinton’s successful trip to free two journalists and North Korea’s positive attitude toward bilateral talks with the U.S. can all mislead us to assume that reunification is not far away. However, there seems to exist many more steps to take and many more fences to mend.

We will see what kind of response the North will show to the recent “grand bargain” offer from President Lee Myung-bak.

Park Seo-hyeon, Eunkwang Girls’ High School