양안관계의 패러다임 전환은 가능한가

Abstract

Unlike the German case in which West Germany unilaterally absorbed East Germany, the Cross-strait case in which both China and Taiwan have steadily developed the relationship over a long period of time may provide the Korean Peninsula with more useful references. However, the recent tense atmosphere in Cross-strait, which came to a head around the Sunflower Movement, urges us to rethink the way of the Cross-strait cooperation for the last decade. While it is true that the substantial achievement of the Cross-strait cooperation is the result of smart utilitarianism putting tricky political issues aside and placing economic cooperation in the forefront, the overall way of utilitarianism has deteriorated the emotional gap between people of both sides badly. It tells us that the so-called peaceful development of Cross-strait is possible only when it creates certain space where civil societies from both sides can engage in the process of cooperation and reconciliation. The Cross-strait issue is a long-term issue. It is time for both sides to slow down the speedy economic-centered cooperation and look for a way to get to the integration at the emotional level in the long run. For this, comprehensive discussion on a variety of models of Cross-strait governance is required. This is the lesson we should take from the Cross-strait model when we think of the North-South Korean relationship.