International
North Korea Through the Lens of East Germany’s Past: The Korean Peninsula’s Future in German Reunification
By Admin
Since Germany’s peaceful reunification on October 3, 1990, the idea of “preparation for reunification” has become a central theme in South Korean discourse. For South Korea, which has long aspired to reunite with North Korea, Germany’s reunification serves as both an inspiration and a reminder of the challenges ahead.
However, as shown by the political and social situation in the former East Germany 34 years after reunification, the process of post-reunification integration is a long and complex journey.
Broadly speaking, Germany’s integration process has unfolded in two phases: the first focused heavily on economic integration, while the second revealed deep social and cultural divides that lingered long after economic reforms had taken place. These divides, fueled in part by the incomplete democratization of the former East Germany, exposed underlying tensions.
Immediately following reunification, more than nine million East Germans faced unemployment, a devastating economic crisis that became the government’s primary concern. During this time, the voices of East Germans, many of whom had lived under a 40-year dictatorship, were overshadowed by the urgency to stabilize the economy.
As reunification was largely led by West Germany, East Germany was viewed as an illegitimate state governed by the Stasi regime. East Germans, therefore, had little say in the process, further entrenching feelings of alienation and dissatisfaction.
Political theorist Ralf Dahrendorf had predicted in 1990 that the imposition of a democratic system in East Germany would be fraught with instability. His prediction seems accurate in light of recent developments. In the state elections held on September 1, 2024, in Saxony and Thuringia—both part of the former East Germany—the far-right populist party,
Alternative for Germany (AfD), surged in popularity. In Thuringia, the AfD won over one-third of the seats, allowing them to veto critical legislation. In Saxony, Die Linke, the successor to East Germany’s Communist Party, garnered only 4.5% of the proportional vote, putting their future representation in the state parliament in doubt.
However, thanks to direct elections, Die Linke managed to secure six seats, barely holding on as a parliamentary party. Their decline, combined with the rise of the AfD and the new left-wing party BSW (Bündnis Sara Wagenknecht), signals a transformation in the political landscape of the former East Germany.
This shift highlights a larger societal transformation in what was once East Germany. At the same time, scholars like Professor D. Oschmann have argued that East Germany was always a “West German invention”—a frame of reference that underscores the ongoing tensions between the East and West in unified Germany. Despite reunification, divisions persist, and the legacy of this separation continues to shape German politics.
For South Korea, Germany’s experience provides not only a vision of potential unification but also a cautionary tale. North Korea’s current stance on inter-Korean relations has become increasingly hostile. At a Central Committee Plenary Meeting on December 30, 2023, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un declared that inter-Korean relations were “no longer a relationship between compatriots” but rather “a hostile relationship between two states.” By January 15, 2024, during the Supreme People’s Assembly, Kim took this position even further, calling for the complete elimination of the concepts of “unification” and “compatriots.”
This shift mirrors East Germany’s response in the past. In 1969, West German Chancellor Willy Brandt renounced West Germany’s claim to be the sole legitimate representative of the German nation and effectively recognized East Germany as a state.
He emphasized the need to maintain national unity in the hope of eventual reunification. East Germany, however, responded by asserting that two separate nations and peoples existed: one capitalist (West Germany) and the other socialist (East Germany). East Germany even went so far as to ban the singing of its national anthem due to lyrics that emphasized a unified German nation.
As North Korea continues to distance itself from the notion of Korean unification, South Korea may find itself facing similar challenges. Just as East and West Germany navigated their conflicting national identities, the Korean Peninsula’s future may require navigating similar tensions and divisions.
Germany’s reunification provides a model, but it also serves as a reminder that reunification is not a simple process and that political, cultural, and social integration are just as vital as economic measures. While the road to reunification may be long and fraught with obstacles, Germany’s experience shows that even the most divided nations can come together—though the path may not be easy or linear.
