Merz calls for Korean unity in freedom — Deutsche Welle

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, during a visit to the demilitarized zone in South Korea, called for Korean unity in freedom. He said that Germans know how painful the division of a country is, and that commitment to values and readiness for dialogue can bring down walls.

As Deutsche Welle reports, the prospects of reunification between South and North Korea currently appear distant. The two states remain deeply divided by their political systems, levels of economic development and geopolitical alliances.

Attitudes in South Korea

Chu Jae-woo, a professor of foreign policy at Kyung Hee University, noted that younger South Koreans increasingly perceive North Korea as a separate neighboring state — poor and threatening. According to him, they do not have the same emotional connection with the North as older generations, and more and more people are asking why reunification should be pursued.

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A study by the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies at Seoul National University, released in September, showed that 39.1% of South Korean residents consider unification impossible. This is the highest figure since the survey began about two decades ago. Concerns include the high cost of developing the North's infrastructure, including roads, hospitals and schools.

Pyongyang's position and the economic gap

Formally, the South Korean authorities have not abandoned the goal of peaceful unification based on freedom and democracy, enshrined in the constitution. At the same time, Chu Jae-woo recalled that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced in December 2023 a constitutional change and the impossibility of peaceful reunification. He called South Korea a hostile rival.

According to DW, North Korea's revised constitution was approved in March 2026, after which the regime began removing references to reconciliation and national unity. According to Bank of Korea statistics for 2024, North Korea's nominal GDP stood at $31.7 billion, while South Korea's was $1.85 trillion, meaning it was 58 times larger. Chu Jae-woo also pointed to the opposing strategic orientations of the two states: Seoul is an ally of the United States, while Pyongyang is linked to China and increasingly closely to Russia, an aggressor state.