Maybe this is getting into a touch of butterfly territory and unproven suggestions
I realize that Moscow denies they had a hand but i think its fair to say that most western observers agree that Moscow at least had a hand in the 1996 palace coup during the North Korean famine. I realize its not proven, but it makes sense to me. Given the Chinese instability and Gorbachev's emphasis on human rights I personally think he was much more involved than Moscow admits.
Regarless that coup directly led to the Minsk Summit of 1997 that laid out the fifteen year blueprint to unification and demilitirization.
So a few questions:
1. Do you think its possible the north Korean regime could still be around or were the economic problems to endemic for survival?
2. Do you think the North Korean leadership made a fundamental mistake in going for hereditary succession with Kim Jong-Il. Say what you will about them but thecommies dont like hereditary succession and i dont see how its a long term strategy
3. I know it sounds absurd to say but could we have still seen a divided with a demilitarized zone and US troops still there and no peace treaty and defectors and whatnot?
Bonus question: if you were a South Korean. And you knew what you know today, would you rather live in the unified Socialist Democratic Republic of Korea or would you take your chances being an independent south korean country
I realize that Moscow denies they had a hand but i think its fair to say that most western observers agree that Moscow at least had a hand in the 1996 palace coup during the North Korean famine. I realize its not proven, but it makes sense to me. Given the Chinese instability and Gorbachev's emphasis on human rights I personally think he was much more involved than Moscow admits.
Regarless that coup directly led to the Minsk Summit of 1997 that laid out the fifteen year blueprint to unification and demilitirization.
So a few questions:
1. Do you think its possible the north Korean regime could still be around or were the economic problems to endemic for survival?
2. Do you think the North Korean leadership made a fundamental mistake in going for hereditary succession with Kim Jong-Il. Say what you will about them but thecommies dont like hereditary succession and i dont see how its a long term strategy
3. I know it sounds absurd to say but could we have still seen a divided with a demilitarized zone and US troops still there and no peace treaty and defectors and whatnot?
Bonus question: if you were a South Korean. And you knew what you know today, would you rather live in the unified Socialist Democratic Republic of Korea or would you take your chances being an independent south korean country
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