South Korea, by contrast, takes an unfriendly line, even gloating about the north's economic crisis. Koreans tend to perceive compromise as weakness and this implies loss of face. Korea's neighbors may prefer a divided country, relieved that it consumes some of its pent-up zeal in mutual propaganda wars. Both sides would participate simply to preserve honor and display courage. Hardliners on both sides dream of absorbing the other side through military conquest or inner collapse, but this is unlikely.
Mutual isolation is likely as people are accustomed to it, but undesirable.
The most promising approach involves a series of steps leading to economic interaction between North and South Korea, and ultimately to political cooperation and security. These would require some changes in attitude. For example, South Korean students advocating contact with the North have been ignored and treated like criminals, but experience in Eastern Europe and the Philippines has shown that a nonviolent response can be far more productive. Students can make concrete proposals. Democracy means dialogue, not only electioneering.