Two ambassadors discuss Korea's future

Even though the Cold War ended nearly a decade ago and more and more former communist-block countries across the globe are adopting the ideologies of democracy, one bitter battleground remains. North and South Korea, 55 years after their first division, are now trying to enter a new era of economic relations, and eventually, national unification. This effort was the main theme of talks given by Hong-Koo Lee, South Korean ambassador to the United States, and Stephen Bosworth, the American ambassador to South Korea, both of whom spoke to about 50 students and faculty members in Vance Hall yesterday. The talk was co-sponsored by the Center for East Asian Studies and the Korean Economic Institute of America, and was part of the 2000 Korea Caravan, a lecture tour of major American cities. To start the discussion, Lee spoke of the turbulent history of the Korean peninsula in the 20th century. "In 1910, Korea was taken over by Japan," he said. "It was an age of imperialism, and Korea was a victim." However, in spite of this foreign occupation and the ensuing split between North and South, Lee insisted that South Koreans have struggled to earn prosperity. "Koreans have been working very hard to build up their country," Lee said. Stressing the economic progress that has been made, Lee compared the current per capita income of South Korea, which is around $10,000, to the meager per capita income in the 1950s. "At the end of the Korean War, our per capita income was $70 or $80," he said. After praising the South Korean economic recovery, Lee explained that re-unification will be an arduous -- but necessary -- task. "North Korea is a textbook example of a totalitarian regime," he said. Lee then turned the lecture over to Bosworth, who reinforced his fellow ambassador's message. He commended the South Korean people's recovery from the recent Asian economic crisis. "It was remarkable for me to be there at that time and watch how, from the depths of crisis, in a period of a few days, Koreans began to work to recover," Bosworth said. The chances of re-unification, he added, are bolstered by the recent decision of North and South Korea to hold a summit. Several students in attendance said they were not discouraged by the two men's skepticism that the reconciliation will come soon. "I think that in the context of 50 years, a little more time isn't going to matter," College sophomore Angie Kim said. Similarly, College senior Ji-Ye Hwang said she believes a slow re-unification is actually necessary, and that the world should not expect North Korea to fall apart. "That's probably the only way," she said. "China wouldn't let North Korea collapse."

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