The members of the Parliamentary debate team weighed the pros and cons of the reunification of North and South Korea in the Faculty Lounge of the Hopkins Center yesterday.
Their discussion coincides with world events -- as negotiators from both Koreas, the United States and China begun fresh round of peace talks for a possible reunification this week. A reunification of the Koreas would end nearly five decades of cold war on the divided peninsula.
Korea specialist and Asian Studies Professor Linda Lewis, Korea specialist said that "it seems inevitable that they will get back together again, but on the other side, there's barriers and problems which seem equally impossible."
Debate team members, Arun Palakurthy '02 and Jen Dziura '00, supported the unification by citing close cultural and historical background of the nations.
"The unification is also makes sense economically and it is mutually advantageous," Palakurthy said.
Tim Waligore '01 and Justin Gary '02, on the other hand, opposed to the idea of sudden unification, citing ideological differences and the presence of American forces on the peninsula.
Lewis proposed three possible reunification scenarios.
"One is the implosion theory that North Korea will fall apart," Lewis said.
"The other theory is that one of the other will take over the other by force. And some suggest that reunification doesn't necessarily have to mean both side stop being independent states. There could be a confederation, in which both countries cooperating on whole range of things," she said.
The event, hosted by the Korean American Student Association, attracted about 30 students.
"I think it was an enlightening experience," Chi Lee '00, a KASA member, said. "People who came up got an update on situation in North and South Korea, especially in relation to the conference that is going on in Geneva."
"It's a good step toward exposing to the campus Korean culture and Korean issues since we are the largest Asian population on campus," Lee added. "I think a lot of people should know about it."
