Young S. Koreans wary of unification

Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo poses with children during a ceremony to mark "Unification Week," an annual campaign aimed at nurturing learning experience on inter-Korean unification, at Nine Tree Convention Gwanghwamun in Jongno-gu, downtown Seoul, in May. / Courtesy of Institute for Unification

By Yi Whan-woo

Younger generations in South Korea are less supportive than older people about unification with North Korea, according to a recent report from Seoul National University's Institute for Peace and Unification Studies.

A total of 48.4 percent of those aged 20-34 last year responded that inter-Korean unification was necessary in the annual report, titled "Unification Attitude Survey 2015."

During the same time period, 55.7 percent of the people aged 35-44 viewed unification as necessary, while 63 percent of those aged 45-54, and 72.5 percent of those aged 55-74 thought the same.

The four age groups were divided accordingly depending on incidents linked to inter-Korean relations and the Cold War that took place when they were teenagers. Some of the incidents include the fall of Saigon (1975), the death of North Korean founding leader Kim Il-sung (1994), the first inter-Korean summit (2000), and North Korea's deadly torpedo attack on the South Korean naval frigate Cheonan (2010).

Support for unification in 2015 was lower than 2014 in all age groups, except for those aged 55-74.

A teenager girl and her father hold unfold pieces of placards that read "Let's make friends in North Korea" while participating in a program during "Unification Week" in May at Gwanghwamun Square in downtown Seoul.
/ Korea Times

In 2014, 55.9 percent of those aged 20-34, 63.4 percent of those aged 35-44, 68.2 percent of those aged 45-54, and 72.2 percent of those 55-74 responded positively toward a single Korea, respectively.

The report claimed that people aged 55 or older or those born in 1960 or before were likely to follow the government's policies on inter-Korean relations.

The report also concluded that President Park Geun-hye's theory of "unification as a jackpot" announced in 2014 may have influenced those in this age bracket to be more positive about unification the following year.

The President said unification would be a huge boon for South Korea's economic growth and likened the potential benefits to hitting the jackpot.

Meanwhile, indifference toward unification has been rising among those aged 20-34.

In 2007, 26.4 percent in this group responded that they are satisfied with Seoul's relations with Pyongyang or were not interested in unification. The percentage rose to 27.3 in 2008 and 32.5 in 2009.

The rate fell to 29 percent in 2010 but bounced back to 32.3 percent a year later before retreating slightly to 31.7 percent in 2012, then climbing to 34.3 percent in 2013, 36.89 percent in 2014 and 45.3 percent in 2015.

Only 17.7 percent of those aged 55-74 said they were indifferent toward unification last year, while 27.8 percent of those aged 45-54 and 32.3 percent of those aged 35-44 responded the same way.

"In this climate, unification is unlikely to be a jackpot unless there is a notable change in inter-Korean ties," the report stated.

It raised concerns about growing hostility toward North Korea regardless of people's ages, saying, "Such sentiment will make Seoul's pursuit of peaceful unification difficult."

Between 2007 and 2015, the overall rate of people from the four age groups who viewed North Korea as "a partner for cooperation" fell from 50 percent to 85 percent, according to the report.

Over the same time period, those who regarded North Korea as a "hostile country that they should keep an eye on" rose from 20 percent to 40 percent.

Unification education

The Ministry of Unification, which handles inter-Korean affairs, said it has been bolstering efforts among first and secondary school students to promote the importance of a single Korea

Since 2013, it has been running "Unification Week," a program of special classes and programs about unification during the last week of May.

About 15,000 elementary, middle and high schools joined the campaign this year.

Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo gave a lecture at a high school on Jeju Island while other ministry officials gave lectures in other schools.

"There's no doubt that the Korean people should live as one as we did for thousands of years in our history," Hong said.

"We should keep in mind that unification is our historical mission, and education will serve as a tool to realize our goal."

During Unification Week, the government held an exhibition at Gwanghwamun Square in downtown Seoul. It offered a wide range of programs, such as drawing contests for first and secondary school students to get a better understanding on inter-Korean relations.

In other programs, selected university students were invited to join a model Cabinet meeting and share their thoughts on North Korea policies at the Institute for Unification, a government-run research center in Seoul.

"I hope ‘Unification Week' will contribute to opening the era of unification," Hong said.