Comments on: GNP calls for NK guest worker program

By: abdul kim

abdul kim — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 01:12:26 +0000

The GNP proposal is one of a few in recent months showcasing their change of heart with regard to the sunshine policy. They have reversed their position with regard to it because of the efforts of park geun-hye when she took over as chair person to moderate and the knuckle draggers in the party.
It is exactly like something DJ or Roh MH would poroposed. They might try to make some PR spin or cosmetic dressing for the policy so they can pretend that the are different and so they can pretend they weren’t wrong for the last 10 years. But it is the same and they were wrong.

By: babarian

babarian — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 07:41:53 +0000

North Korea wouldn’t agree to such a proposal, as they wouldn’t really want their people to be exposed to the outside world.

By: SomeguyinKorea

SomeguyinKorea — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 04:15:23 +0000

…After all, it’s already been leaked that they had signed a secret agreement with the North promising that they they wouldn’t help anyone defect during the family reunions.

By: SomeguyinKorea

SomeguyinKorea — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 04:13:34 +0000

“For another, getting them to go back after their training terms are done could be a problem (How are you going to keep Sang-a on the collective once she’ seen Seoul?).”

I wouldn’t let it past the government to allow her North Korean ‘tenders’ to try to ‘convince’ her to leave.

By: hoju_saram

hoju_saram — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 04:00:31 +0000

The guest worker/student exchange idea is nothing new. It was first used back during the cold war when several prominent Russian scientists were invited to study in the states. At the time there was huge opposition to the idea, mainly because it was thought they couldn’t be trusted. In the end the program was carried out, the Russians (I forget their names) studied, supped on capitalism, and went back to Moscow. Several years later several of them were the leading architects of change in Russia. They had seen for themselves what the real west was like and they understood that it was the better system. For a while they could not air their opinions under threat of imprisonment, death, but when the opportunity arose they were instrumental in exacting change.

The parallels between Russia during the cold war era and the DPRK of today are striking. Any info that gets into the North is good. Sure there are bound to be some spies amid the flotsam of students/workers that head south, but they pose little danger to destabilizing the capitalist south now. Just keep them away from the military.

Gaeseong Industrial Complex is flawed because its within the North’s borders. Information from the outside world can be screened and controlled very tightly. The logging and mining camps in Siberia were excellent ideas because A. Contrary to popular belief they were highly sought after jobs by ordinary Norks and B. They exposed them to the realities of the outside world. So many defectors began by seeing China from the camps, meeting free Chinese and Russians (who made fun of their Kim badges and told them the facts - that they were slaves). A Similar program in South Korea would be a huge step forward.

Problem is, I very much doubt the DPRK will have anything to do with it.