'North Korea may become part of China'

By Lee Tae-hoon

The leader of the ruling party has raised concerns that North Korea may opt to become a part of China, if the impoverished neighboring regime suddenly collapses, at a national security forum in downtown Seoul, Tuesday.

“I’m worried that North Korea is getting too close and familiar to China in a bid to push a third-generation succession,” Rep. Ahn Sang-soo, chairman of the Grand National Party (GNP), said.

“Would we be able to stop North Korea, if it decides to be under the control of China?”

Currently, the Constitution of South Korea stipulates that North Korea is part of the former’s territory to prevent another country, such as China and Russia, from taking over the Stalinist regime in case the isolated nation falls apart.

However, experts say this may not be enough for the two Koreas on the peninsula to eventually unite.

The GNP leader said it was important for South Korea to resume humanitarian aid to the North and make people there feel assured that their Southern neighbor is on their side.

“If North Koreans regard South Korea as their enemy, the unification of the two Koreas will not happen,” Ahn said.

Meanwhile, Unification Minister Hyun In-taek said at a National Assembly interpellation session that the government is preparing to set up a public fund of around 3.8 billion won ($3.4 million).

“We will come up with a draft plan by next April, and collect opinions from both the public and National Assembly and hope to put forth a bill by the first half of next year,” Hyun said.

Hyun said that the government could be adopting a unification tax within President Lee Myung-bak’s tenure. The idea of a unification tax was put forth this year by the President in his Aug. 15 speech.

Hyun, however, said that there was no reason to be wary of North Korea and China stepping up their cooperation and exchanges to revamp and open their economies. “I believe China urging the North to adopt the Chinese style of reform and openness can have a positive effect on the North.”

During the parliamentary session, several lawmakers urged the government to seek an apology from China for its Vice President Xi Jinping’s remarks last week that the 1950-53 Korean War, was “a great and just war for safeguarding peace and resisting aggression."

"We need to demand an apology over Xi’s remarks that slighted and affronted the Republic of Korea." Rep. Yoo Ki-june of the GNP said

Rep. Kim Choong-whan of the GNP also said the government should try to get China to express regret over Xi's remarks on the Korean War.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/natio.../113_75661.html

sounds like a good idea to me.

china already has 50+ unique ethnic groups. adding another group doesn't seem like that big of a deal.

Koreans are already a ethnic group in China since Ming dynasty after Wajin bandit invasion.

north korea is a big future resource. i don't think south korea will be happy about it joining china. and china already has a lot, seirosuly. ethnic groups, resources and what not.

It's a burden to China to feed million of N. Korean. In return, China gets the land.

If S. Korea doesn't want N. Korea to pull its economy down, then let China have N. Korea.

If that happens, then d*mn, China will be really strong, especially if Singapore becomes a part of China too, and when Taiwan reunites with China in the future.


It's a bad thing for South Korea in the long run if NK joins China.

Koreans are already recognized minority of China, and there are 2 million+ ethnic koreans in the country.

Chinese are recognized as the biggest minority in South Korea.

That would not be good if N. Korea joins China. China has too many internal problems as it is, adding N. Korea's problems will only make it worse. But I do agree that it would be good for N. Korea to model their development after China.

If N. Korea and S. Korea united, the only problem is that the US would try to move their base right a the border of China and that is a major security threat to China.

Lets suppose Korea does become united. What justification is there for the US to move their base right up to the border of China, unless Koreans perceived China as a significant threat so dire that a "trigger" American base is needed to secure guarantee that the US would become involved if China does invade? North Korea aside, China threat has now become another primary justification for the necessity of ROK-US military alliance, both in the minds of the politicians and the people alike. China had great opportunity in early 2000s to convince Koreans that it is a potential regional power capable of assuming the role of maintaining regional security, stability and ultimately prosperity, but China utterly betrayed such expectations through a series of hostile and provocative policies that made China the most hated country in Korea today.

Yeah, that's why the Hilary Clinton is going to all of China's neighbors begging for an alliance....

The US's goal has been to move their military bases surrounding China for years. Look at their strategic placements of military bases in Asia. You can't be that dumb and blind. Your propaganda is almost bad as America's!

What do you mean by "betrayed expectations"? Do you have any proof or do you just spout anti-China $hit from your mouth?

That is a Fail deduction. Singapore is nowhere geographically near China, the probability of it becoming part of Malaysia is 1000 times higher than it becoming part of China.

So what do u mean? That USA is going to invade and annexed china? If not, then what?

i don't think they are recognized officially. korea considers itself a single homogenous ethnic group. china on the other hand considers itself multi-ethnic and they give special rights to the minorities that they recognize.

Well, when it comes to making money, the Koreans obviously don't care.

I really don't see the point of this thread other than flame bait for both Korean and Chinese trolls.
It's highly unlikely this scenario will happen because North Koreans are very nationalistic they won't let foreign government to take over their country and China knows this very well. In past history, we have witnessed many nations tried to take control or conquer Korea and have failed. Just like Afghanistan, Korea's only down side is their location and their aggressive neighbors.

It's better let Koreans take care of their own problems otherwise they'll blame who ever tries to influences.

I agree. Even China is 'far huge' than Korea comparing to their lands, but it doesn't mean the small one must be part of the big one. Why don't give the Korean authorities to mind their own problems. I think there must be conflicts of 'interests' for those who involve there...

I truely hope the ROK is able to prevent this.

I'm not one who thinks giving aid to NK is such a good idea. I seriously doubt that the NK government is giving the aid to the citizens, most likely keeping the money for themeselves and military purposes. Its like donating to a charity in the US, if the charity fund isnt reputable its not really likely your money is going where you think it is. It's a bit Machiavellan but even though itll get tougher at first, I think SK needs to take a firmer stance. SK should tell the US to get out ( since NK uses that as the main reason for hating SK saying we've become their b!tches and we kind of have) stop giving them aid and create a new government thats neither communist nor democratic. How else are we going to get out of a stalemate of proxy wars? Its sad to see NK and SK fight the Cold War while the orignal starters ( China, USSR, United States) deal happily economically with each other. Why is Korea fighting political wars that have nothing to do with the original traditional pure Korea?
The reason NK would want to join China (which I doubt since theyre vehement in keeping certain parts of koreaness 'pure' as in replacing sino words with native korean ones and rejecting overt westernization ) is if they completely conflate SK and US together. SK tries to communicate that they are one and same korean people but its hard for the NK mind to believe when all the KPOP girls are naming themselves 'Tiffany' and shaking their asses like Britney and the korean president is talking to NK with the US like breathing right over their shoulder..rlly looks like puppetry.
I used to think that China was so against a united Korea but China is a pragmatic people, they know that a pro-China united Korea is a great partner as we have been in the past and NK is a loose cannon thats beneficial for no one. They just dont want the US setting up bases right up by their river and rightfully so.
China, SK and Japan need to work together but its mainly up to SK to take more initiative.
Ive said this before but i really think Korea should unite under a government more similar to Singapore, work closer with China and Japan and US (thanks for the help but people should know when theyre overstaying their welcome) can go home.

There seem to be more reasons for China not to acquire NK than to take it. First and foremost the additional people they do not need. The vast majority are starving and not well educated these days, and China already has a surplus of laborers. There are natural resources of value, but not so much as to make a great difference in China's economy. And then there is the fact that it would be having to deal with the lunatic in charge even more than they do now. The only real reason I could see China taking over NK at this point would be to keep the U.S. influence out. And that is a serious issue for them.

Of course the U.S. want unification under SK. There are political and ecomonic benefits to having one less dictatorship in power. However, thinking that the U.S. wants consolidation so they can build closer bases to the Chinese border is ludicrous. Any conflict between the two nations is not going to fought on land, or even by air at such a close distance. Either one can do whatever they would need to right from where they are now. If fact, with a unified democracy, I could almost see the U.S. scaling back on forces in Korea once things stabilized. Some of the current justification for land bases is NK refugees, small scale skirmishes and ongoing committment to the Panmonjom accords. All three of those could become non-issues.