If North Korea did'nt exist(let's assume the peninsula is united),the Japanese would be slugging it out with the South Koreans real nasty,despite Washington's influence.South Koreans still blame the Japanese invasion(1910) as the rootcause of partition & also can't forget the atrocities committed by Japanese forces.This combined with the present economic rivalry makes the possibility of these 2 cooperating against China very remote.Various opinion polls over the past 4-5 years have seen South Korea's affluent youth respond in manner which goes pretty much like"We'd rather by killed in a North Korean attack rather than team up with the Yankees & Japs to kill our Brethren"-hope that convinces you of the problem on that front.South Korea is among the biggest investors in China-LG,Hyundai & Samsung all make big profits there & China is now their biggest trading partner-do you think that the S.Koreans are foolish enough to fight a potentially disastrous war with a nuclear power over a punny island??seems unlikely.
"Various opinion polls over the past 4-5 years have seen South Korea's affluent youth respond in manner which goes pretty much like"We'd rather by killed in a North Korean attack rather than team up with the Yankees & Japs to kill our Brethren"-hope that convinces you of the problem on that front.South Korea is among the biggest investors in China-LG,Hyundai & Samsung all make big profits there & China is now their biggest trading partner-do you think that the S.Koreans are foolish enough to fight a potentially disastrous war with a nuclear power over a punny island??seems unlikely."
Taiwan is hardly a "puny" island. It is strategically important for the U.S. to maintain its independence. However, I was not aware that the anti-Japenese feeling is so strong in South Korea. I would seem unlikely that such an alliance would form. Unfortunately, I think the "affluent young" of South Korea would be singing another tune if the North ever invades. The two cultures have to be radically different after all these years? Admittedly, I am occidential and have a have time understanding an oriental mindset.