'전환의 계곡'을 넘어-통일편익, 통일비용, 그리고 통일혜택

초록

The Korean unification is bound up with the dual product of benefit and cost. Existing studies on unification cost, however, have so far given attention to the cost only, rather neglecting the unification benefit. This common knowledge results in negative effects on people's perception of national unification. It would be difficult to calculate the exact amount of the unification cost in the future. The unification cost is not a fixed one, but a changeable one depending on the manner and process of the unification. Regardless of how large the unification cost might be, the unification benefit is possibly going to increase over time whereas the unification cost might be on a downturn. It can be argued that the unification on a long-term basis will bring more benefit than cost to Koreans. Discussions on the unification cost, therefore, critically depend on how to overcome the difficulties of 'valley of transition.' In fact, the unification at the early stage will saddle us with burdens to some degree, thereby leading to the excess of the unification cost overshadowing the unification benefit. It is the contention The paper contends that one of the most effective way of overcoming the difficulties of the 'valley of transition' would resume economic interchanges and cooperation between the South and the North. It also emphasizes the importance of a more proper unification strategy and policy that would reduce cost but increase benefit in the future.

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