With the confirmed commitment of North Korean People’s Army forces to support Putin’s war in Ukraine, it is likely that the symptoms of disdain for unification will deepen. This should not distract the United States and the ROK-US alliance from its long-term goal of resolving the “Korean Question,” which is the unnatural division of the peninsula.

The dangers of ‘unification disdain’: Why the US can’t afford to be complacent

At a recent seminar, speakers repeated a common refrain that peaceful unification is a pipe dream that can never be achieved because Kim Jong Un will never agree. Those who believe this are right. Yet this illustrates the erroneous but very common assumption that the approach to peaceful unification can only include an agreement between the leaders of the North and South. As a result, any recommendation to plan for peaceful unification is simply rejected. Therefore, effective planning to establish acceptable and sustainable political arrangements that will protect and advance U.S. and alliance interests is sidelined. The myopic and exclusive focus on denuclearization serves no one’s interests except those of Kim Jong Un.

Unification: the way out of a zero-sum dynamic on the peninsula

The situation between North and South is zero-sum. Neither side can acquiesce for obvious reasons; Kim Jong will not relinquish power and South Korean leaders will not allow nearly 50 million South Koreans to be enslaved in North Korea’s guerrilla dynasty and Gulag state. The only option is the establishment of a free and unified Korea that will serve the interests of all Koreans on the peninsula (except Kim Jong Un).

Kim Jong Un attacks the South’s unification plan as aimed at regime change and absorption, but the South should still move forward and plan for peaceful unification. Such planning provides the basis for unification through all possible avenues: war, internal instability and regime collapse, or internal change in the North that results in the emergence of new leaders seeking peaceful unification. No one should hesitate to call for peaceful unification that would result in a free and unified Korea, especially if it means that Kim Jong Un will no longer be in power.

We must be clear. The only way to end nuclear and military threats and human rights atrocities is to establish a secure, stable, non-nuclear, economically vibrant, free and unified Korea.

Empowering North Koreans: the key to internal change

Getting information to North Korea is the key to change. The information will help educate North Koreans on how to take collective action to create the conditions for change. Yes, it is a threat to the regime. There should be no fear in admitting this, as Kim Jong Un is already demonstrating that his greatest fear is the Korean people. The existential threat to the regime is the example of the prosperous and free South, since Koreans in the North desire to live free like their brothers and sisters in the South. Change cannot be imposed by external forces, otherwise unification will fail. Change must come from within the Korean people.

Public planning for unification: gaining moral ground

An effective strategy requires a clearly defined end state or an acceptable and sustainable political arrangement. Although denuclearization is important, it remains insufficient and inaccessible if Kim Jong Un remains in power. Although he should always have the opportunity to change his behavior, the Korean people and the ROK-US alliance cannot count on expecting him to do so.

The Republic of Korea Unification Doctrine 8.15 has seized a moral high ground for the Korean people. This should be a major consideration for all political, diplomatic, economic and information activities regarding the Korean Peninsula. Meanwhile, the military must continue to deter war and the use of nuclear weapons until the Korean people create the conditions for internal change. The ROK-US military alliance must adopt this objective as the military objective of its campaign plans: to establish the military and security conditions to support the political process of unifying the Korean people.

Conclusion

There is no middle ground. The only acceptable and sustainable political arrangement for the Korean Peninsula is unification. Policymakers and strategists in Washington must abandon outdated ideas and accept the reality that unification – whether through peaceful transition or catastrophic change – is inevitable. A coherent strategy that prioritizes planning for peaceful unification is not just an aspiration; this is essential to ensure economic integration and long-term stability of the region. As the North Korean people become aware of their inherent rights, the seeds of internal change will germinate. The United States must stand with South Korea and proactively shape a future where unification aligns with the values ​​of freedom, democracy, and human dignity – ensuring peace not only for the Korean Peninsula , but for the world. Any other solution would be a betrayal of the principles that the United States claims to uphold. The only acceptable end state is a United Republic of Korea.

David Maxwell is a retired U.S. Army Special Forces colonel who spent more than 30 years in the Asia-Pacific region. He specializes in Northeast Asian security affairs and irregular, unconventional and political warfare. He is vice president of the Center for Asia-Pacific Strategy and a senior fellow at the Global Peace Foundation. After retirement, he served as associate director of the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University. He is a board member of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea and the OSS Society, and is editor-in-chief of the Small Wars Journal.