Kim Jong-un - a different path?

[Astronuc]

North Korean leader, in rare address, seeks end to confrontation with South
http://news.yahoo.com/north-korean-leader-rare-address-seeks-end-confrontation-024100592.html

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for an end to confrontation between the two Koreas, technically still at war in the absence of a peace treaty to end their 1950-53 conflict, in a surprise New Year's broadcast on state media.

The address by Kim, who took power in the reclusive state after his father, Kim Jong-il, died in 2011, appeared to take the place of the policy-setting New Year's editorial published annually in the past in leading state newspapers.

. . . .
Kim's statement "apparently contains a message that he has an intention to dispel the current face-off (between the two Koreas), which could eventually be linked with the North's call for aid" from the South, . . .
. . . .

It would be great if N Korea can make peace with the south - finally - after 59 years.

It does seem to make for a promising year and future.

 

[encorp]

I have been reading about this topic extensively lately, in book and news article.

These countries will stay separate probably forever, though a regime shift in the north would be nice - financially speaking the norths entire natural resources are Chinese owned/operated - it'll more likely remain as a Chinese commercially dominated province.

The south does not really stand to benefit from any form of reunification, though their only interest is that they keep the north from having ties with Japan.

Anyways, here's a great article from 2006 on the subject.

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2006/10/when-north-korea-falls/305228/2/

Also, I have a feeling this is a carefully planned tactic to force more attention on them by the west. This is the regimes major way to keep aid coming and to keep power. Without this attention the country will divide amongst sub groups and begin to fall apart.

EDIT: Ahh, yep read the article now - it's definitely linked to aid. This is a weird thing for him to do, because it will be seen as weak from the people. He's trying to balance something.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

One can always hope. I won't take it seriously though unless they fire that news anchor. She's a provocation all by herself.

 

[rootX]

It comes after series of missile tests under his leadership. His speech seems bit odd or out of place but still promising IMO

 

[TheMadMonk]

Been promising speech for years but nothing ever seems to happen. I won't hold my breath.