The Effects of Korean Unification on US Military Presence in Northeast Asia

Hendelson's main argument in the piece is that he agrees in order to maintain order and stability, at least for the next 10, 15 or so years, it is necessary to maintain US military forces throughout East Asia. It is important, not only in the ROK to help protect South Korea from the threat of nuclear weapons, but to protect Japan as well. Also, it is partly to make sure the North Korea is not including themselves in activities not condoned by the US Military forces in the area, such as the continuation of building and storing nuclear weapons within the country. Also, the US is remaining in the area selfishly as well, to maintain our national interests. However, all the reasons stated in the article are mostly legitimate. The US presence allows for protection from security threats of the NKPA as well as using the military to fufill the needs of our country too. Some of the threats that are cited in the article include, most obviously, a threat that all countries have post September 11th, is the threat of attack by international terrorists. Also, if Korea were to unite once again, some other threats would be posed by other East Asian countries, China and Japan. Japan can be seen as a potential threat with the technology is has and the warfare it is capable of waging, though Japan has not acted on the defensive since their defeat in World War II. Though the author believes that it could be a possibility from the wearing down of US-Japan relations in recent years. It would be necessary for the US to maintain itself in the country even if it were to reunite because of the problems reunification would pose. The US is important to the ROK for many reasons, including the military forces it provides. The United States would be able to help defend the ROK against the NKPA hostile forces if any conflict were to arise. Also, reunification would significantly affect the economy of the ROK, as well as be costly to the nation. The United States could be there to help lessen the effects on the South Korean economy while possibly helping with the costs. Reunification could significantly improve the countries' relations without outside forces. If the country was unified, the relations could significantly improve with China, however could possibly be detrimental to the Korean-Japanese relations.
The article states that the United States has focused on maintaining bi-lateral relations with Asian nations but trying to open up multilateral nations among those same nations. It is important for the United States to do so because the relationship it holds with countries such as North Korea, and South Korea differ greatly. The US views North Korea as a security threat, while holds mostly amicable relations with its southern counterpart. This is important because if the three countries were connected through multilateral nations, the relationship would be complicated, with could potentially hurt relations between North and South Korea as well.
The author concedes that at the current moment, it is necessary to maintain US forces within Asian nations, however if the countries were reunified and stabilized, potentially the forces could be removed. Though it would not be immediate as to not damage the nation but help it suceed as one. Though the author does say if one country, such as South Korea wants US troops out, it could potentially cause Japan to make US forces leave the country as well, which would be damaging to the US's own self interest. The author states that the US military needs to find new ways to maintaining forces in the area without necessarily being in a foreign nation.
The articles that we read for monday are contrasting with this particular article because they make it seem that Koreans no longer want the US military in the country, while this article makes it seem that US forces are necessary. Also, the part about if South Korea asking the military to leave, that Japan would do the same, or vice versa, when supposedly South Koreans harbor a great dislike for Japan.

Pan-Korean Nationalismm, Anti-Great Power-ism, Anti-Americanism

When the author uses the term “pan-Korean nationalism” he is referring to a feeling that had developed at the end of the Cold War that erupted in highly altered forms of nationalism throughout East Asia. This developed because such forms of nationalism had previously been repressed in years during and pre-Cold War. These types of feelings have altered countries, such as South Korea’s, relationship with the United States and other foreign nations outside of East Asia. When the author uses the term “Anti-Great Power-ism” he is referring to the desire that Koreans hold to escape exploitation and victimization that South Koreans have experienced by countries such as the United States. These feelings began after World War II, and are present in recent times. Both terms are closely associated with Koreans changing their beliefs on identity and nationalism within their country. These notions resulted in a significant change in political interest and power within South Korea. The generation gap between the old and the young cause the two groups to feel differently about both notions. The young think of the Cold War in a different context, that of which the situation on the Korean Peninsula is as a result of the post-Cold War situation. The main conflict is the young view North Korea without feelings of dislike in the same manner that the old do, as a result of the differentiating views the two hold on the outcome of the Korean War. The struggle over history that the author could be referring to is not so much a struggle over historical events, but how the two conflicting groups view such events. These two groups, the old and the young, see their pasts in different contexts. Such differences cause the struggle as they do not hold the same viewpoints on the outcome or causes of external conflicts, for instance the Cold War, or even internal conflicts, such as the Korean War.
I think one of the most memorable events of our time that shape the way we view the future is the events of September 11th. As a result of that day, we entered a war, which at the current time, Americans can’t seem to remember the reason why we did so. Though, when it occurred, there was basically an outcry for war that was heard all across the country. Now, there is a lot of opposition to the war, and the American people are looking to end the conflict. The issue of the war seems to be the basis of the presidential debates, and of the presidential election of 2008. This is similar to that of the Korean problem, though there aren’t two separate groups, there are two opposite feelings among one group, Americans as a whole, that changed within a matter of a few years.
The cleansing that is referred to is the South Korean national assembly looking at historical issues and debating what actions to take as a result. However, the issues that are being examined are issues relating to Japan, rather than relating to the United States. South Korea is trying to enflame the nationalism felt by the people even more by defending its actions in the past and demeaning those taken by other countries. The United States currently has troops in the area as a result of the nuclear weapons that South and North Korea are supposedly creating. The United States feels threatened by these countries making such weapons and feels the need to make sure that their production is ceased and all nuclear weapons in existence confiscated and/or destroyed. The American betrayals that the Koreans refer to are mostly that of the United States actions with other East Asian countries. If the United States visits another East Asian country, Koreans are usually offended. This also refers to, more recently, the actions that the Bush administration has taken towards Korea. When Clinton was in office, he was more accepting towards Koreans with his foreign policy, however Bush has halted the progress that Clinton had made for a more anti-Korean attitude he has taken on since assuming the presidency. The feelings of “anti-great power-ism” the Koreans hold, for the most part are feelings of Anti-Americanism. Koreans, more recently have begun to dislike the United States mostly as a result of the Bush Administrations stance on the country. Though, this can also be related to the countries relationship with Japan as well. For the most part, Koreans hold a deep dislike and distrust for the country, however the feeling is not mutual. Koreans, as a result of past actions taken by Japan holds deep distaste felt by a majority of those in the country, though when looking at polls, the same feelings do not hold true for Japan-Korean relations. These feelings of dislike by Koreans of Japan is as a result of the Todko/Takeshima conflict. The article does not talk a lot about Koreans relationship with China but it does cite it as a major player in the Korean War. The US is said to be important in the reunification of North and South Korea because as a result of past US action, the country was colonized and split into two.
One way in which the country is reassessing its history is as a result of new information discovered since the conflict. The Korean War is not all that it had once seemed to be, rather than one conflict, it may have been two. The war, which had once been seen to be fought against communism, is now seen as something very different from recent interpretations. The Anti-American sentiment now is focused on the actions that the United States took during the Korean War, as it is been reassessed. The anti-us sentiment is now felt by almost all people within the country. The core of the US-ROK relationship is that the US sees North Korea as a threat. Though, this threat no longer seems credible to the younger generations in South Korea, which may affect the relations between the US and Korea very greatly. Relations between North and South Korea have changed in recent years following the Cold War. Though the relations are perfect, South Korea has more recently “warmed up” to North Korea, seemingly as a result of mutual feelings of Anti-Americanism felt by both countries.

Major Forms of Environmental Insecurity

The most obvious environmental problem China is facing is extreme pollution throughout the entire country as a result of industrialization. Oil pollution has increasingly become a problem, as well as air pollution with the rising emission of sulfur dioxide. Also with the record amounts of coal China utilizes each year, they emit large amounts of carbon dioxide as well. Deforestation is also a problem in East Asia. Deforestation causes environmental problems such as toxic pollution and acid rain and is responsible for biodiversity loss. There are also adverse affects of deforestation to humans. For the most part, the problems in East Asia are brought on by human activity such as urbanization and industrialization, as well as fluctuation of the economy. Environmental problems can cause interstate tensions because it is impossible to keep such problems within the borders of a single country. This has become a problem between China Japan and South Korea as a result of the air pollution China has produced in recent years. Another problem that affects China the most is the resource scarcity that the people experience which causes migration from areas in China to surrounding countries which has been the cause of some apprehension. The problems are being addressed with state institutions throughout East Asia. For the most part, environmental problems are not linked with security issues because they are not seen as a security issue. Generally and Traditionally, environmental "safety" is not seen as a security problem.