Name: Janice Kim
Age: 22
Occupation: Student @ Wellesley College
Likes: Inception, doenjang jjigae, French
Dislikes: butterflies, yellow pencils
Now, to explain a little bit about where my interest in Korean unification comes from, at Wellesley I study International Relations with a focus on political science major and specific interest in East Asia, so quite frequently even in class I hear about North Korea, though often the discourse concentrates more on security issues rather than other aspects about the country. Furthermore, I’ve lived in Seoul all my life, and thus news about North Korea was not difficult to find as I grew up. At the same time, even though there is at least some basic knowledge about the North Korean regime and the situation of the Korean peninsula among the Korean public, I think that, especially among the young, there is much apathy exists towards the issue. This is what got me interested in working as an Overseas Student Correspondent. They often talk about how the young people are the future of the country. However, to quote someone I heard in passing a few days ago, “Future is now.” Precisely because the young people in Korea will soon become the leaders of the country, I believe that there should be more discussions now about the future of Korean peninsula among them, regardless of whatever the political tendencies or opinions they might hold. Instead of blindly criticizing and slandering those who have different views, there should be an active and productive dialogue about what would be best for the two Koreas as is now.
More important for the non-Korean readers to acknowledge though, is that the issue of Korean unification is not a solely Korean issue. Whatever may end up happening will undoubtedly change the power dynamics in North East Asia, which, as cliché as it might sound, in today’s globalized world will affect anyone and everyone around the globe. Through my activities as an overseas correspondent, I hope to be able to spread more knowledge about the two Koreas and provide an opportunity for both Koreans and non-Koreans to give a thought to the issue of Korean unification.
