Uniting North and South Korea?

Question

If North and South Korea were united, how would South Korea deal with the issue of teaching North Koreans that the things they learned in school were lies. Also, their religon:

"The story of the Kims' descent is surrounded with mythology. Children in schools are taught that they came down from heaven, and were placed on the top of Mount Paektu, where they were transformed into human beings. At public events, songs are sung that depict the leaders as saviours of the country as well as of each individual citizen, thus elevating them to the level of deities." - wikipedia

How do you go about telling people that their beliefs and their knowledge of the world is all a fabrication without offending them and making them feel inferior. Wouldn't North Koreans in school with South Koreans also be prone to being made fun of and laughed at if they expressed opinions and shared knowledge that they were taught in North Korea?

(This question may be difficult, but please be serious)

Answer 1

It isn't a difficult question at all. They would be told that they were wrong by the Southerners. Much of what the South believes is defined against what the North says. They would be laughed at and made fun of by other kids. Unscrupulous business folks would find ways to scam the naive out of the little savings they have. It would be a mess. Which is why only the most idealistic in Korea want a quick re-unification.

Answer 2

Although North Korean schools heavily mixed in propaganda to their curriculum, this doesn't mean everything they were taught is worthless. The people of north Korea will still be able to contribute to society. They produce doctors, engineers, mechanics, electricians, carpenters, farmers just as any other nation does. Of course some of their technology may be outdated, but in some jobs that doesn't matter. Even in a highly paced jobs like internet and telecom, they won't have to get an entirely new degree, because although the equipment and capabillities change, the principles remain the same. Farmers would likely stay on their land.

As for the social effects, there will be some. But if you're integrating to a new society, is the first thing you say to someone "Hi, my name is bob, I'm a christian scientist, and I think george bush is part of an illuminati conspiracy, I vote green party."?(not saying any of these things are specifically bad, but the point is you don't bring up religion and political affiliation in everyday conversation, especially if it will alienate you.) Of course not. So in immediate social situations all the issues of the propaganda and religious differences won't immediatly come up. I believe most South Koreans will be sensitive enough to the fact that the North Koreans will have somewhat different thinking.

And as for the thought of a mass exodus to the South or China, I'm not so sure that would happen. In fact I believe that in a time where there are skyrocketing prices for real estate an general goods in Seoul and the rest of South Korea, the opposite might happen. I believe there will be heavy investment in the north where property will be cheap and potential for profits will be high. Pyeongyang will probably be updated to an extremely modern city in virtually no time. Of course there will be some people who move south to look for opportunity, but I don't envision a crisis scenario for the South Korean economy.

Of course there will be bumps along the way, and there will be some tension between the north koreans who are now among the long liberated south koreans. But I still have an optimistic outlook on a reunification.

Answer 3

South Korea could never bare the economic burden of "fixing" North Korea. Most of South Korea outside of Seoul is a rural and very traditional country. Though most Koreans want to reunite with the North, the flood of immigrants that will pour over the DMZ in the event of a reunification would devastate South Korea.
The generation of North Koreans can be fixed as quickly as the youth of Nazi Germany were. The shadow of Kim will always remain, but the light of knowledge will quickly bring the North Korean people into the 21st century.
This will require a global effort after the death of Kim. North Koreas infrastructure could be collapsed in a matter of hours, and few people would join to fight for the cause. Mostly because they would have no ammunition for their guns, no food to eat, and nowhere to launch an attack against south Korea from. If China and the US both contribute (Japan would not be welcome due to WW2) The two may be reunified but South Korea cannot do it alone.

Answer 4

Some things just take time. If you ask South Koreans, most of them want unification. BUT, they also want the North to have a stable economy before this happens. That way the South doesn't have too much of a burden. IF they wait for the North to build it's economy, I am sure they can also give a good education system to help them learn the truths of the last 50+ years.

Answer 5

it would be an extremely difficult task. i think it is more of a when they reunite than if, the fall of north korea is inevitable, it is just a matter of time. the task would be very difficult and i suppose that no one has an answer for how they could go about it. It is a very complex issue, North Koreans have been decieved and have little to no outside influence to tell them otherwise. i also believe that not only south korea will have to deal with this but china will have to deal with this as well. the influx of immigrants from north korea to china will be very large.

Answer 6

Reuninfication is possible, but it would have to take time. Like many cultures and countries, not everyone believes in the same principles and values, yet a democratic society can still function based on personal freedoms. If the North and South were to unite, there could not be an official " state view of things, but all would need to accept differences in each other and function as a collection of values and beliefs. Time would be needed to allow all to "see" things as they really are.

Answer 7

There would be alot of cult deprogramming needed to be successful. I personally think that the best case to hope for is two seperately run countries that are at peace with each other and allow free trade and free travel. Anything beyond that is just not going to happen.