Avoiding the Apocalypse – The Future of the Two Koreas - Softcover

Noland, Marcus

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0881322784 ISBN 13: 9780881322781

Publisher: Peterson Inst Int Economics, 2000

Synopsis

On the Korean peninsula one of the greatest success stories of the post-war era confronts a famine-ridden-and possibly nuclear-armed-totalitarian state. The stakes are extraordinarily high for both North and South Korea, and for countries such as the United States that have a direct stake in these affairs. This study (*), the most comprehensive volume to date on the subject, examines the current situation in the two Koreas in terms of three major crises: the nuclear confrontation between the United States and North Korea, the North Korean famine, and the South Korean financial crisis. Out of these, the future of the peninsula is then explored under three alternative scenarios: successful reform in North Korea, collapse and absorption (as happened in Germany), and "muddling through" in which North Korea, supported by foreign powers, makes ad hoc, regime-preserving reforms that fall short of fundamental transformation.

About this title

About the Author

Marcus Noland, executive vice president and director of studies, has been associated with the Institute since 1985. From 2009 through 2012, he served as the Institute's deputy director. His research addresses a wide range of topics at the interstice of economics, political science, and international relations. His areas of geographical knowledge and interest include Asia and Africa where he has lived and worked, and the Middle East. In the past he has written extensively on the economies of Japan, Korea, and China, and is unique among American economists in having devoted serious scholarly effort to the problems of North Korea and the prospects for Korean unification.

Edition details

• Publisher: Peterson Inst Int Economics
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0881322784
• ISBN 13: 9780881322781
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 456