Dream of unification lives forever

By Eugene Lee

Just a day away from Aug. 15, the Liberation Day of Korea, one thought kept coming to me: Will South and North ever unite? Exactly 78 years ago, on Aug. 15, 1945, it was the day when Korea was liberated from Japanese colonial rule by the United States and the Soviet Union. And yet, one could say, that it was the day that destined the country for a split.

And if we look at it now, the split is so big, that some are worried over the possibility of unification. As recent polls show a drastic indifference towards unification, the younger generation, in particular, treats unification as something alien, if not a threat, to their personal well-being. To understand the underlying causes that override superficial thinking, we would need to look deeper.

I remember, years ago, that a colleague, an academic at one university abroad, had noted that whenever he was studying the history of Korea, it would always be a research into Korea's pursuit of independence. I couldn't agree more, then. But after giving it a little bit of extra thought, I began to argue even further: the project of complete liberation, in other words, its independence, is not complete without unification.

With national history spanning four or even five millennia, the focus of Korea's historical debates inadvertently drifts mainly toward contemporary history. Even if it is extremely politicized, it is one of the foci that draws the North and the South together. North Korea and South Korea, whether you want it or not, do share their histories. Without each other, their efforts to write or rediscover their national histories, no matter how big, would always be incomplete.

What adds to the complexity of the historical research is the symbolism of good versus evil: a peaceful South, a democracy backed by the majority of other states, versus the North, an authoritarian regime equipped with superweapons but condemned by many others. That type of reality leaves all of us with only half-truths because there are people in the North who also fought for independence long ago, as have the people in the South. And if we do not know those stories and that history, then we are missing a lot.

Yes, South Korea as well as the North have their own share of problems. For the South, it is primarily the pain of growth, and for the North, it is the pain of survival. But, at the end of the day, what matters most to both of them on the Day of Liberation is their shared history. Unification is an underlying assumption of those who have fought for independence. That is why we keep hearing those voices in the media, in political speeches, and even in entertainment.

But, I also note today that the call for unification echoes the strongest from abroad, namely from Korean diasporas all around the world. Those who have even the slightest connection to their motherland dream of unification. But even before that, those who live abroad, be it Zainichi, Koryoin, or Korean Americans, crave two things most of all: their mother language, i.e., Korean, and knowledge of their history, primarily heritage and genealogy. These diasporas worry that with the passing of time and generations gone, this echo might become weaker. Nevertheless, it will remain strong as long as there is a small grain of "Koreanness," no matter how vague this term is.

The Korean language and the history of modern Korea would frequently be the main topics of discussion in my correspondence with these diasporas. What is the response to the two queries? Simple: Establish a Korean history school. And that would accomplish two goals at once.

The Korean language and contemporary Korean history may sound complex on their own, but if well taught in combination through a special curriculum in a history school, they would spell out and amplify what everyone expects ― the Korean identity. In my view, the school will not only teach but rather engage and bring stories of Koreans from around the world that will eventually be inscribed in a book of contemporary Korean history.

Discovering what happened then is not as easy as one would imagine. Any facts are easily forgotten, and many are taken for granted, often incorrectly, leaving the history to be buried with those who carry those facts. The answer to these two demands is the creation of a Korean history school that would teach everyone and everywhere, help research, cross-check the facts, and find those who are forgotten. And the faster it happens, the better it will be, as generations are passing by and people are vanishing. Embracing everyone's story will bring people closer, rekindle people's desire to be together, and lay the foundation for Korean unification. And maybe one day, the Day of Liberation will become the Day of Unification.

Eugene Lee (mreulee@gmail.com) is a lecturing professor at the Graduate School of Governance at Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul. Specializing in international relations and governance, his research and teaching focus on national and regional security, international development, government policies and Northeast and Central Asia.