I want to commend a post at Pat Lang’s blog by long-time diplomat and scholar William R. Polk on the history of Korea from about 1920 to the present to your attention. It certainly present a dramatically different view than the one you’ve been deluged with on practically a daily basis. It’s long and the first of two parts (the second part hasn’t been published yet). The abbreviated version is that there are no clean hands in this story.
Not sure I understand your “dramatically different” comment. I read a piece by a NK scholar a couple weeks ago that was remarkably similar, although with fewer axes to grind. But no, there are no clean hands. Are there ever? But that doesn’t change the current interests of Russia, China, the US and the Koreas.
Perhaps it’s in Part 2, but I was left saying to myself “nice history lesson, but how does it lead to action?” You can sit around and wait until NK has perfected things, or prevent it. And if Polk is correct that the population is still pissed off, the Un-ites are still pissed off or that the actions of the past justify reunification, do you really want them in their hands? A fellow in comments seems to have a better understanding of Un and his band. They are garden variety thugs. Soon to have dangerous toys.
The story that you hear in the American press is one of heroes and villains, with Americans wearing the white hats. The reality is more like countries with interests pursuing their interests and no white hats to be found.
No, there is no plan of action there. Since I’m not particularly well-informed on Korea’s history I found the background helpful. I wish more Americans understood how long we supported military dictators in South Korea prior to its transition to a more liberal democratic system.