Minister Lee JaeYoung, you are absolutely right. A fundamental solution to North Korean poverty IS necessary for security on the peninsula.

That fundamental solution is the absorption of the failed, barbarous torture-state/kingdom of North Korea into successful and civilized South Korea. The execution of KimJongIl for crimes against humanity and trials for KPA criminals would also contribute to a ‘fundamental solution’.

No need to send me a consulting fee, Mr. Minister. Clarifying your logic-deficient musings is all in a days work for me.

That is a scary thought.

I suspect that if North Korea accepted a deal to put away nuclear weapons and eventually cut a deal in unifying the country, at some point, a country — much like the current hyper-nationalist Belarus would evolve, where much foreign influence would be curbed and most foreigners and foreign companies would effectively be expelled from a unified Korea. The language would be purified of foreign influences and the country would also most likely change its government and the world would, again change in a way that was good for the few but cruel and deliberate for the many who would be bound body and soul to the idea of “min jok”. Again, consider the case of Belarus here.

Naturally, if one is born Korean, then one may never realize that ideas that define one’s notion of their society is also the limits of what is officially allowed (it is a neat dove-tailing of the two concepts). Considering such, this Korea would definitely be much closer to China in spirit than ever before.

Much of this is also based upon the thought that to some Koreans, reunification is more important than retaining the current state of democracy in its present form. I can well imagine the PR effort in selling the idea to people that to solve the problem of a troublesome North Korea and unification, a change in government is needed so as to create one Korea. I honestly do not think that very many South Koreans would like this idea now but if North Korea were to become more industrious and burgeoning at the expense of South Korea, South Koreans might find themselves forced into a dilemma which would be greased with the slick idea of one nation and a new beginning. Currently a recent Gallup poll indicates that there is a growing pessimism in Korean society, regarding its future. Combined with the upcoming and probable real estate bust, South Koreans may find themselves seeking a better vision of the future — a vision that the current conservatives have failed to provide to South Korea and currently lack.

The summation of such is that this trend towards hyper-nationalism and the idea of empowering North Korea would more than likely change Korea in ways that are at best chilling to think of.

. . . Security on the Korean Peninsula will always be in danger, and we cannot guarantee peace on the peninsula unless we can find a fundamental solution to the problem of poverty in the North.

and . . .

. . . Asked by reporters if poverty would be the motivation behind North Korea’s nuclear test in October, he said, “Poverty is one of the reasons the North did it.”

So the minister apparently wants South Korea to become responsible for the economic development of North Korea while North Korea is the chief threat to South Korea and the leadership, therein, claims to be the legitimate leader of Korea and apparently has a plan to subjugate South Korea already.

Though helping North Korea to improve its economic ability may have positive results, there is no change in its ideology or leadership. Empowering such people is a highly risky proposition that offers fewer certainties than if North Korea collapsed, I suspect. Though the North Koreans are like brothers to South Koreans, they are also the most direct danger to it, thus aiding North Korea on a large scale — without a substantial change in its policy towards South Korea is as sexy an idea as the male praying mantis mating with the female — right before she chews his head off and devours him.

Such ideas from Lee sound more like he is a minister of defecation rather than of unification.