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Is there any way that a united Korea can become far more powerful on the international stage than the chess-piece nation it was IOTL?

I know this is difficult, not least due to its neighbours. But I am sure there is someway of dealing with them. How could we reverse the situation with Japan, where they are a potential playing ground for Korean interests? In what ways could we prevent China from crushing the growing Korean Empire too early? I would think that without a strong Japan and minimal Chinese pressure, Korea might expand into Manchuria, which wasn't really considered apart of China until comparatively recently, and Kyushu, but East Asian history has never been my speciality. Which is why I am asking the experts.

What do to you think?
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