Park shows interest in unification by merger

President Park Geun-hye and German Chancellor Angela Merkel shake hands after holding a summit at Merkel’s office in Berlin, Wednesday. / Yonhap

By Kim Tae-gyu

BERLIN — President Park Geun-hye said Thursday that a plan for the unification of the two Koreas will be drawn up after a thorough study of German consolidation is completed.

Park’s remarks indicate that her government does not rule out absorption of the impoverished North.

“Germany has already taken steps beyond unification and achieved national unity,” Park was quoted as telling German Chancellor Angela Merkel during their summit here.

“In a sense, Germany is a model case of peaceful unification, from which we have to learn lessons,” Park said.

The President said that the two nations will establish a cooperative system to analyze social and economic integration and international collaboration.

Seoul has been reluctant to talk about unification by absorbing the Stalinist state due to fears this will provoke Pyongyang. However, considering the vast gap between the economies and population size of the two states, a merger by the South is often seen as the only realistic option.

Merkel promised her full support.

“Discussions on unification are underway between foreign ministries of the two countries. We will support Korea’s efforts,” said the Chancellor.

“Germany was divided for 40 years and Korea has been divided for almost 70 years. I feel that it’s our duty to help South Korea achieve unification.”

On top of talks with Merkel, Park’s four-day state visit to Germany, the first since her inauguration, is full of events related to its unification.

While visiting the Brandenburg Gate, Park said that she was sure the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas will eventually be torn down just like the Berlin Wall.

Her visit to a Siemens plant after the summit was also related to bringing together the economically-developed South and the impoverished North. The flagship German firm is well-known for having successfully educated and trained employees from the former East Germany.

Park is scheduled to fly to Dresden today. After receiving an honorary doctorate from the Dresden University of Technology, she will deliver a speech there.

The address is likely to include the so-called “Dresden Doctrine,” which Park’s aides say would feature specific methodologies for unification and the tangible benefits for North Korea so as to attract positive attention from Pyongyang.

The capital of the German state of Saxony was demolished by carpet bombing during World War II and for many years remained an economic backwater. But it flourished after unification.

Park and Merkel also agreed to boost bilateral economic cooperation so that the two countries will be able to substantially increase trade volume, which reached a record-high $27.2 billion last year.

On the strength of the free trade pact between Korea and the E.U. that became effective in 2011, this amount is expected to increase further. Germany is Korea’s fifth-largest trading partner.

The two leaders first met in 2000 when Park visited Germany as deputy leader of the main opposition Grand National Party, now the governing Saenuri Party. Unification was again a subject for extensive discussion at that time.