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KAUPA Letters

KAUPA Letters

DOI

10.5703/1288284318460

Abstract

This third essay highlights the critical role of unifying visionary leadership in advancing Korea’s unification—a goal that cannot be achieved through policy frameworks or economic integration alone. While shared history, language, and culture provide the foundation for national unity, it is bold and ethical leadership that transforms these foundations into strategic action and reconciles entrenched ideological and institutional divides. A brief analysis of prominent figures in Korean history—Dangun, Kim Choonchu, Wang Geon, Yi Seong-gye, King Sejong, Yi Sun-sin, Kim Gu, Syngman Rhee, and Park Chung-hee—reveals recurring leadership traits such as moral authority, long-term vision, cultural stewardship, and inclusive governance. These qualities were instrumental in transforming national crises into opportunities for renewal. Unifying leadership is thus presented as a vital linkage mechanism—bridging historical wounds with future aspirations and converting systemic fragmentation into a shared national purpose. Given the unprecedented 80+ years of division between North and South Korea, such leadership is more essential than ever. While global precedents—from Egypt and China to Germany and Vietnam—offer instructive comparisons, Korea’s path forward must be grounded in its own historical experience and moral imagination, capable of uniting not only territory but also hearts, minds, and a collective vision for the future.

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