It’s not the one you might think. The most interesting observation:
“Not to be overlooked is the massive economic cost of reintegrating an antiquated North Korean economy into the modern economic world. The contrast between a backward North and a modern South recalls the challenges of reintegrating East Germany with the modernized West, a process that severely inhibited economic growth all across Europe for nearly a decade and which has lingering side effects that persist even now. South Korea and China will inevitably bear the brunt of these costs, but the second-order effects on the U.S. economy deriving from decreased demand for the U.S. treasury securities might threaten yet another hit on an already strained U.S. credit market.”
Amen. That’s why I immediately distrust and dislike people who advocate intentionally collapsing the North.
Yeah, sending millions of refugees across the border into China (many to certain death, and most all of them to what essentially would be a prison) is probably not a great idea.
I really like the analogy to the German reunification after the end of the Cold War. It seems like there is a lot to be gained from studying that closely in the event (hopefully) that NoKo finally implodes enough to hand power back to the people. Of course, I think that there is a greater danger of the current NoKo population being so isolated and brain-washed (compared to EG) that they will be virtually helpless for quite some time. I expect China understands that as well.