Pak, Kiejoon

Abstract
North Korea has been serving as a geopolitically vital buffer zone to China against Japan and the U.S.; so, China does not endorse a unified Korea. China wants to keep the status quo by supporting impoverished North Korea with food and fuel aid. There are, however, some indications of changes in China’s attitude toward North Korea. This is because of never-ceding demands of food and fuel while ignoring the advice of adopting the Chinese-style economic reform. The in-depth cost-benefit analysis of a unified Korea from China’s perspective demonstrates: China’s expected benefit from business cooperation and investments with a unified Korea would be far greater than its incremental cost from the increased military deployment along the border after unification. Some Asian Studies experts even claim that Beijing might allow North Korea to collapse if a unified Korea under Seoul would be more favorably disposed toward Beijing. To this end, Korea must gain the endorsement of China’s powerful military leaders who have become more outspoken and influential on foreign policy. Many wealthy overseas Chinese businessmen who have been heavily investing in Mainland China have already established strong and confidential relationships with powerful military generals in China. South Korea should use the overseas Chinese leaders’ influence to persuade the military leadership in order to endorse the unification of Korea. When South Korea succeeds in bringing in the overseas Chinese businessmen to join its cause by providing them with economic benefits they cannot refuse, they would become the true harbingers of the unification, which in turn would expedite Korea’s unification.
LINK