North by South Korea
As the Asia-Pacific region reckons with the scars and legacy of the Korean war, the stark contrast between the peninsula’s dueling states couldn’t be clearer.
In North Korea, Supreme Leader Kim publicly teared up at a military parade commemorating the birth of the Workers’ Party of Korea and apologized for the hardships endured by his country. His speech, as relayed by The Guardian, contained the following: “Although I am entrusted with the important responsibility to lead this country upholding the cause of the great comrades Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il thanks to the trust of all the people, my efforts and sincerity have not been sufficient enough to rid our people of the difficulties in their lives.”
It was unclear to which issues Leader Kim was referring. North Korea has jealously guarded the statistics related to how the coronavirus epidemic has impacted the country, claiming instead to be virus-free while Kim regularly disappears for months on end. It is, however, clear that North Korea is under increasing diplomatic and economic strains; on the one hand, US-imposed sanctions due to nuclear ambitions have resulted in significant economic hardship. On the other, the regime faces isolation even from its closest (and only) partner, China, with Party Leader Xi Jinping closing the border in order to effectively contain the epidemic. In a recent diplomatic exchange with the Prime Minister of Japan, Leader Xi expressed increased frustrations over the relationship with North Korea. Indeed, Xi Jinping is facing his own economic troubles, with the ongoing trade war against the United States resulting in the complete destruction of supply lines necessary for the development of cutting edge telephone and computer technologies within mainland China. This, coupled with food shortages since the decimation of the swine population last summer and the ongoing flooding in the Yangtze River Basin, has hampered China’s ability to prop up the North Korean dictatorship, a sobering assessment in the face of the historical truth that China was instrumental in winning and then maintaining the territories now administered by the Kim Dynasty and their government.
On the other hand, South Korea is enjoying significant international prestige. The country has demonstrated one of the most effective anti-Covid measures in the world, resulting in minimal loss of life (444 deaths since the start of the pandemic at the time of writing). This response, in addition to an unprecedented success in regards to South Korean cultural power projection (see: Hallyu) has increased the Moon government’s soft power. The economy has suffered due to the effects of the virus, noting a spike in unemployment and an impact on job offerings; however, this has been partially offset by an increase in government spending over the past few years. While this has increased the size of the South Korean national debt (a fact exploited by the opposition conservative party, the People Power Party), the IMF has stated that this remains at entirely manageable levels. The country has also enjoyed greater democratic engagement since the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye in 2017, who is currently serving a twenty-four year prison sentence. In addition, South Korea’s military is increasing its combat potential, unveiling their plans for a cutting-edge new aircraft carrier to be completed in 2030.
When viewed side by side, the disparity in success between the North and the South serves to highlight the progress enjoyed by the southern half of the peninsula on the 70th anniversary of the start of the Korean War. Relations between the two remain strained, despite having thawed considerably for a time between 2016 and 2019, with several summits aiming to increase relations between the warring states. This rapprochement has largely ended since the state-endorsed … aggressive demolition of the Liaison Office in Kaesong in June, supervised by Supreme Leader Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong. It is unclear how this situation will evolve, but President Moon Jae-In has continually emphasised a desire to improve relations, despite setbacks caused by the somewhat inconsistent approach to diplomacy employed by Kim.
Shane McLorrain
Sources:
Kim Jong-un sheds tears as he delivers rare apology to North Korea over failings
F-35s Could Make South Korea’s New Aircraft Carrier a Powerhouse
The true impact of North Korean sanctions
How COVID-19 Wreaked Havoc on South Korea’s Labor Market
South Korea’s Corona-Diplomacy in the Soft Power Race
Kim Jong-un sheds tears as he delivers rare apology to North Korea over failings
Xi tells Japan’s leader he shares concern over North Korea kidnappings
North Korea blows up office used for talks with South
Korean War ‘Must End, Completely and for Good,’ Moon Tells UN
Pulling US Troops From South Korea Won't Empower the North
South Korea Looks to Cap Public Debt, But Is It Actually a Problem?
South Korea's Imperfect But Maturing Democracy – The Diplomat
EUnited Front?
In a recent interview given to French news organization Le Monde, High Representative of the European Union Josep Borrell outlined some of the key geopolitical issues facing the Union, both in light of the Covid-19 pandemic and as regional and world actors shift the international relations landscape.
From the difficult relationship with Turkey - compounded with the country’s apparent disregard for calls to halt foraging activities off the coast of Cyprus - to the possible avenues for cooperation with adversarial or rival powers such as Russia or China, Borrell demonstrated that his approach to foreign affairs, to diplomacy, is more often conciliatory than it is aggressive.
The EU has been having trouble establishing itself as a world power distinct from China or the US, sometimes echoing American positions, other times setting itself up as a middle man; and internal strife has not been kind to the development of a grand strategy for geopolitical success. Brexit and tensions arising in Central and Eastern Europe - going against the grain of some of the bigger European gears (France, Germany…) - have been significant setbacks to creating a truly united European front. On top of that, some external allies have become less predictable, less dependable.
The attitude of the United States towards all its allies, Europe included, under the Trump presidency has been criticized by many European leaders, notably for breaking with the previous framework of US-Europe relations as complimentary in favor of a more “individual responsibility of each country” approach - to put it delicately.
Surprisingly, Borrell notes that the behaviour of the US these past years has allowed for a much needed self-contemplation. The EU was engaged in “strategic sleepwalking”, and has been forced, albeit for its own good, to rethink its economic, financial and commercial ties worldwide, and to take clearer steps towards European sovereignty and - perhaps more importantly - independence and leadership as a world power.
In contrast to this epiphany, the outline of Borrell’s approach to China is concerning. In his words, there is “no reason to crusade against China” despite being ideological opposites, and the goal should be to streamline and smooth out economic relations with the authoritarian regime. Granted, there is no playing without the powerhouse that is the Chinese market at present; however there is in our eyes significant dissonance between emancipation from the US and acceptance of China as it is currently.
In any case, his statements mirror those of Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Weimar Triangle (France, Germany and Poland) Jean-Yves Le Drian, Heiko Maas and Zbigniew Rau. In a joint statement this week, where they similarly delineated European foreign policy and perspectives on neighbouring tensions and conflict, the three ministers gave an overview of the future of EU-China relations.
“There is a need to rebalance economic relations with China in a spirit of reciprocity and mutual interest in order to address current asymmetries in market access and to contribute to a level playing field. We also want to achieve meaningful commitments in the field of sustainable development, biodiversity and climate, in line with the objectives set out in the Paris Agreement. Our three countries believe that European unity is essential to achieve concrete results. Furthermore, we remain gravely concerned about the human rights situation in China, including developments in Hong Kong and the treatment of persons belonging to ethnic and religious minorities, particularly in Xinjiang and Tibet.”
In addition to these sentiments, a European summit was to be held in November aimed at creating a united EU stance on China, presumably one more assertive than before. Sadly, it was cancelled by Angela Merkel due to fears of Covid propagation.
The timing is unfortunate, as EU leaders have been trying to reach an agreement with the Chinese government on a deal to allow for more access into China for foreign investors before the end of the year (obviously the current chaos-state of the world has not helped either).
Nonetheless, not all is lost for the possibility of further China-EU cooperation. After all, Huawei has just recently opened up a brand new 700m² office in one of the highest-rent neighbourhoods of Paris, and plans to develop its activity in France further with plans to open a factory in the Alsace region.
Independence and leadership, you say? We’d rather have the cash, thanks.
Noé Sainderichin
Sources:
Josep Borrell : « L’Europe n’a aucun intérêt à mener une croisade antichinoise »
Merkel cancels November EU summit in Berlin over virus outbreak
Malgré ses déboires dans la 5G, Huawei continue à investir en France
Japan’s Battle With Despair
One of the most tragic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic in Japan has been a spike in suicides, with data showing a sharp increase as early as August. Most recent estimates for September point to a staggering 1805 suicides over the course of the month.
Depression, anxiety, loneliness; these factors have all been heightened by the pandemic. Isolation related to lockdowns, rising unemployment, and more, are known strains on mental health; in a country like Japan where suicide is alarmingly widespread the consequences seem to be dire.
While the country had registered a significant decline earlier in 2020, the numbers show this long-running and ever-pressing societal ill is worse now than it was a year ago. The National Police Agency of Japan stated this week that the nationwide trend has been upwards for three consecutive months since July.
Worst of all, the demographics of this ongoing suicide wave are fundamentally concerning: while men make up the majority of suicides, the data show significant increases in the number of women (a 40% jump) and children (more than double from last year) ending their lives. To compound this already disastrous situation, suicidal thoughts have been heard from children as young as 5.
Doubly catastrophic for Japan is what this situation means for the country’s demographics as a whole. A report by The Lancet earlier this year pointed to Japan’s population decreasing by half by the year 2100.
The spike in suicides is particularly concerning, as the overall 15% increase in August also suggests a decrease among a different demographic : salaried adult men. Indeed, while the Japanese government has taken few official measures to combat the coronavirus epidemic, businesses have largely pivoted to heavily support telecommuting. The decrease in work-related anxieties for adult males has had a contradictory effect on their household and support networks, largely due to an uptick in domestic abuse and psychological strain aimed at children.
Japan is an outlier : social and historical factors have created a society in which domestic violence and abuse are rarely reported. The uptick of both is therefore all the more concerning, as it is no doubt merely the tip of the iceberg. The increasing number of suicides is doubly chilling, as it highlights a wave of despair that sweeps not just the isles but the entire world; studies are beginning to emerge showing the increasing levels of domestic misery and suicide among many demographics across multiple countries.
The Concorde International Review reports cautiously on the subject of suicide because there are indications that some forms of media coverage can have a copycat effect. If you have suicidal thoughts or feel distressed, do not hesitate to seek help. You can find out where help is available in your country by visiting the website https://www.befrienders.org/.
Noé Sainderichin and Shane McLorrain
Sources:
The rise of 'corona divorce' amid Japan’s domestic violence shadow pandemic
Japan Domestic Violence Fears Rise Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
Suicides in Japan fell below 20,000 to record low last year
1,805 suicides reported in Japan in September
Suicide Spike in Japan Shows Mental Health Toll of Covid-19
The number of suicides among Japanese citizens jumped in August, worrying officials