Korean Reunification in the 21st Century: Policy Legacies, External Factors, Nuclear Realities, and Emerging Voices of the New Generation

Abstract The issue of Korean reunification remains one of the most significant unresolved questions in contemporary international politics and East Asian studies. Since the division of the Korean Peninsula in 1945 and the subsequent outbreak of the Korean War, the two Koreas have evolved into sharply contrasting political, economic, and ideological systems. While South Korea emerged as a democratic and technologically advanced capitalist state integrated into the global economy, North Korea developed into a centralized socialist regime characterized by authoritarian governance, military prioritization, and nuclear deterrence. The persistence of division has transformed the Korean Peninsula into a critical site of geopolitical competition involving major regional and global powers, including the United States, China, Japan, and Russia. This paper examines the historical evolution, historiographical interpretations, and contemporary debates surrounding Korean reunification. It argues that reunification should not be understood merely as a territorial or political merger, but as a multidimensional process involving ideological reconciliation, economic restructuring, identity reconstruction, and regional security transformation. The study traces the changing historiography of reunification from Cold War realist frameworks, which emphasized military confrontation and ideological competition, to post-Cold War liberal and constructivist approaches that focus on engagement, interdependence, identity formation, and peace-building mechanisms. In doing so, the article highlights how scholarly discourse has shifted from deterministic notions of reunification toward more nuanced interpretations shaped by globalization, nuclear politics, and regional strategic rivalry. The paper critically evaluates major reunification models , including the absorption model inspired by German Reunification, gradual integration through economic and cultural cooperation, confederation-based proposals, and the possibility of a long-term peace regime without immediate political unification. Particular attention is given to South Korea’s engagement strategies such as Sunshine Policy and Nordpolitik , which attempted to reduce tensions through dialogue, economic exchange, and diplomatic normalization. The article also explores the limitations of these approaches in light of North Korea’s nuclear ambitions , recurring military crises, and shifting domestic political priorities in South Korea. This study investigates the structural obstacles to reunification, including economic asymmetry between the two Koreas, the humanitarian implications of integration, divergent political cultures , and t he strategic calculations of neighboring powers. It argues that while sudden reunification through regime collapse remains a theoretical possibility, such a scenario could generate severe instability, refugee crises , and regional conflict. Consequently, the article contends that gradual and functional integration remains the most feasible pathway, although it requires sustained political commitment, regional cooperation, and a stable security environment. By combining historical analysis, historiographical review, and contemporary policy evaluation, this article contributes to broader debates on nationalism, post-Cold War order, conflict resolution, and regional security in East Asia. It concludes that Korean reunification, rather than being an imminent event, should be understood as a long-term and evolving process shaped by both inter-Korean relations and wider geopolitical transformations in the international system.