[happyathome]

Tiger - just out of curiosity, what is the opinion of the ROK people to eventual reunification? Are they studying the German example to project the costs/pitfalls, or is it too soon to start thinking about it?

[TigerLikesRooster]

Many are torn between imperative of unification and its cost. This is the angle the local left wants to exploit. They don't want S. Korea to unify the Peninsula on its terms. However, Chia Head's bandit style antics pissed off too many here. They now want Kim Jong-il gone.

The most likely scenario, if S. Korea has it way, is that N. Korea becomes S. Korea's protectorate, and maintains border and different economy, while politically managed by S. Korea. Then allow N. Korea to use its labor cost and low currency to develop its economy concentrating on labor-intensive industry first. Probably outsourced factories of major S. Korean corporation will relocate to N. Korea. However, breakup of N. Korean regime has unpredictable elements, and things can happen which is beyond any outsider's control.