After North Korea permanently sealed the border with South Korea, Yoon Suk-yeol proposed a unification plan.

Recently, North Korea has tightened its border controls significantly, while South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has been active in Southeast Asia, making a series of grand statements about unification.

This situation has sparked considerable discussion, worthy of our in-depth contemplation.

When it comes to inter-Korean relations, their volatility is akin to a roller coaster, sometimes harmonious and at other times tense.

Just a few years ago, the two countries maintained relatively good communication, but now they find themselves in intense opposition.

Since Yoon Suk-yeol took office, he has clearly leaned toward aligning with the United States, which has angered and threatened North Korea, ultimately leading to its decision to seal the border and cut off rail and road connections with South Korea.

As the ancient saying goes, “A mountain cannot accommodate two tigers.”

The geopolitical situation on the Korean Peninsula is complex, with countries like the United States and Russia eyeing the region, trying to gain benefits.

In such a complicated situation, is Yoon Suk-yeol's ambition for unification somewhat unrealistic?

On October 9, the General Staff of the Korean People's Army suddenly announced that rail and road links between North and South Korea would be severed, a move that shocked the outside world.

North Korea stated that this decision was prompted by the frequent military exercises between South Korea and the United States and the deployment of nuclear weapons around the peninsula.

Feeling cornered, North Korea felt compelled to take defensive measures and issued a strong warning to the outside world.

Notably, on the morning of the 9th at 9:45 AM, North Korea also called the U.S. military to explain this decision, seemingly hoping to avoid misunderstandings.

However, the decision not to directly notify the South Korean military holds deeper implications.

Looking back to 1953, when the armistice agreement to end the Korean War was signed, South Korea had no signature authority on the agreement, as at that time, the South Korean military was essentially an extension of the U.S. military, with command powers held by the American side.

Therefore, North Korea believes that communication with the United States is more direct and effective.

Meanwhile, Yoon Suk-yeol is currently on a visit to Southeast Asia, having visited the Philippines, Singapore, and Laos, where he has made numerous noteworthy statements.

In the Philippines, he proposed joint patrols in the South China Sea and expressed a desire to sell weapons to them, clearly intending to stake a claim on the South China Sea issue.

At a think tank event in Singapore, Yoon Suk-yeol further mentioned the need to achieve unification of the Korean Peninsula through peaceful means and emphasized that unification would present opportunities for regional maritime hubs and the opening of Eurasian markets.

While this sounds highly idealistic, in reality, it is merely theoretical rhetoric.

Yoon Suk-yeol's plan involves spreading the "awareness of freedom" among the North Korean people and seeking international support for South Korean unification.

This old and often-discussed theory seems to overlook the complexities of reality.

The entangled interests on the Korean Peninsula are deep-rooted; how can South Korea easily achieve unification relying solely on its own strength?

Additionally, South Korea faces numerous domestic issues, such as the management of stationed troops and a decreasing young population.

In such circumstances, Yoon Suk-yeol’s actions undoubtedly signal goodwill toward the United States. However, the result has been an increasingly tense situation and military confrontations, leaving little room for dialogue and communication.

When will the disputes on the peninsula cease? The standoff between the North and South is a source of deep concern.

The ideal of unification is beautiful, but the road to achieving it is exceptionally difficult.

Yoon Suk-yeol has described his emphasis on relations with the U.S. as the “cornerstone of South Korea's diplomatic policy,” a statement that undoubtedly elevates the status of the United States.

In contrast, he stresses a “rules-based international order” regarding other countries, essentially drawing a line.

This series of actions by Yoon Suk-yeol has made inter-Korean relations even tenser and the regional situation increasingly complicated.

His vision for unification is, in reality, nothing more than a castle in the air; the issues on the Korean Peninsula are far from simple.

The future situation requires further observation, but one thing is clear: prolonged confrontation is not beneficial for either side.

Countries should calm down and sit at the negotiating table; perhaps this would lead to a resolution.

Otherwise, the Korean Peninsula is likely to become a powder keg.

In this dramatic situation, North Korea's border lockdown and Yoon Suk-yeol's unification vision are undoubtedly two shocking extremes.

In the great power game, the fate of small countries is no trivial matter. Whether Yoon Suk-yeol is genuinely naïve or merely pretending to be so is worth our deep reflection.

Achieving unification is no easy feat, and reality constantly reminds us that inter-Korean relations are becoming increasingly rigid and the regional situation ever more complicated.