The Korea trip - Harvard Kennedy school

 

  

 

A Korea trip by Harvard Kennedy School

Jieun Choi (jieun_choi@ksg09.harvard.edu), April 27, 2009

 

 

During the spring break 2009, a diverse group of 30 Harvard Kennedy School students participated in a Korea trip organized by the Korean Caucus and explored many parts of Korea.  They spent five days in Seoul, one day in Jeju, and one day on temple stay in Golguk. The group had meetings with several leaders of business and government and discussed with them their perspectives on various Korean issues. 

Of all, North Korea was the topic in which Kennedy School students were most interested. They had an opportunity to learn about many aspects of North Korea. They has a chance to meet the former South Korean president and Nobel peace prize winner Kim Dae-jung for two-hours in his memorial library.  They also met with executives of Hyundai Asan and discussed on the Gaeseong Industrial Complex and visited various places, including the War Museum in Yongsan, the DMZ, and the JSA. In addition, they had discussions with top Korean diplomats and a member of the National Assembly on South Korean foreign relations. They also had a meeting with students of Seoul University School of Public Policy and had a lunch at a restaurant owned by a North Korean refugee. 

 

                      

  

- Harvard Kennedy School Students - 

 

 I interviewed Brian Caouette, a first year Kennedy School student majoring in public policy and international development. He would love an opportunity to work on North Korean issues in depth in the future. Here is what he had to say:

 Q) What was the most interesting part in this trip?

The most interesting part to me was the border zone itself.  I was impressed at the intricacies of the security arrangement there.  We went to the military demarcation line at the 38th parallel.  One of the American JSA officers gave us a tour of the border area.  We actually sat at a conference table lying directly between the North and the South.  From a lookout, we peered across into the North Korean territory at Gaeseong Industrial Complex and at a North Korean mock city meant to give an impression of wealthy and prosperous North Korean society so that South Koreans may think considering defecting to the North.  This was a very powerful experience.

  

 

- Brian Caouette with a military policeman in the JSA -

 

 

Q) Did your opinions on North Korean issues change over the course of the trip?

I became aware of how widespread and salient thoughts of unification are in the minds of Korean political and business leaders, despite the recent cooling of relations between the North and the South.  I became aware of political factors involved as well as business motivations for unification.  I had not expected the later factors to be so relevant, yet the Gaeseong Industrial Complex has demonstrated that economic benefits of an opening could be enormous.  Our discussions also drew attention to the important role of China in relations with North Korea. I see enormous potential through unification from an economic development perspective.