February 10, 2014 University of Asia and Pacific Manila, Philippine

The Global Problematiques of Himalayan Zone (WPIO) - Seeking Korea ModelKIM Jin-Hyun (Chairman, World Peace Forum)I. What is 'Asia'? - 'Asia' as an Exonym and New concept of AsiaThe term Asia does not belong solely to Asia, Asian people, or Asian culture. Asia is a term often used by the West to describe and generalize a collective body of Eastern countries. The term Asia can also be interpreted as a geographical terminology that arises from the way Western countries, especially European countries, perceive countries in the East to be fundamentally Non-Western. Essentially, the term refers to a collective geographical region that lies east of the Mediterranean Sea an Orientalist concept. The original geographical concept had an inevitable tendency to refer to those countries whose civilization greatly differed from Western civilizations (Hellenism, Hebrewism, Christianism ), such as regions where Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Islamism met with India, China, and Assyria. In short, the original concept of Asia referred to civilizations that had Non-Western cultures and had much older histories. However, strictly speaking, this original concept of Asia has never existed nor has ever been acknowledged in these Eastern countries in question. Furthermore, there has not been any standard designation, value, symbol, or rule that has represented the collective body of Eastern countries as a whole. Even now, the term Asian simply refers to a person who is of Non-Western origins in Asia Region. People who live in Asian regions do not share a common identity as Asians. In short, the term only refers to people who are not of Western, Caucasian, and Christian origins, but are from countries that possess a long and deep cultural history. Therefore, there is a fundamental difference between European countries and the existence of a common European identity and Asian countries that lack such a common identity. In the case of Europe, the post 1945 era played a significant role in forming a common European identity. The establishment of the ECSC (European Coal and Steel Community) in 1952, EEC (European Economic Community) in 1958, the E.U. (Europeans Union) in 1993, common currency in 1999, the Eurozone, the European Parliament, and the ECB (European Central Bank), all serve as examples that illustrate how a common European identity was able to be formed. In Europe, there is a term referred to as Citizen of Europe. This term results from the fact that citizens from E.U. member states have the freedom to work, live, and vote for European Parliament in any other E.U. member state. This phenomenon is not simply an extension of economic interaction after the Second World War. Even as early as the 17th century, European royal families had a common identity formed after the French language, French fashions trends and political marriages with members of other European royal families. Furthermore, Jewish merchants such as the Rothchild family were already engaging in Europe wide cross-border trade and acting as catalysts for the integration of credit. The existence of a common history, ranging from the Roman Empire, Christianity, and the Crusades during eleventh to thirteenth centuries, can also be accredited for creating European solidarity and a common European identity formed under a shared history. Compared to this, the people of Asia lack such a shared history and thus do not have a common culture or religion. Asia also does not have a shared history of fighting against a common enemy as a collective unit such as Asia against Europe, Asia against the Americas, Asia against Africa, Asia against Christianity, or Asia against Islamism. Although China did dominate the East Asian world under its zhaogong cefeng diplomacy, and Genghis Khan conquered Central Asian and expanded his empire all the way to the borders of Europe, such examples cannot be seen as examples of a collective Asian history. Such examples are merely incidents of extraordinary exploits made by China and Genghis Khan. In light of such facts, it seems imperative to examine the question of whether Asia can be viewed as having a collective region, history, culture, civilization, religion in a fundamental manner, regardless of whether ongoing territorial disputes among countries such as Korea, Japan and China can be ended or not. (Kim Jin Hyun, "The Era of Ultimatum Could Asia be the Alternative to the West and the New Mainstream of Civilization of Sustainability", Asia Forum lecture at Seoul National University, Nov 25, 2009)

Such question closely relates to the question regarding the meaning of an Asian Hub, and which part of Asia this concept of an Asian Hub assumes or refers to. In recent we have often heard of Asian hub airport, financial hub, distribution hub, education hub, and one Asia. According to the perspective of UN, the concept of Asia most closely matches with the ESCAP (Economic and Social Commission for Asian and Pacific, UN), which coincides with the European publics view of Asia. This view identifies Asia as a body of countries spanning from the East of the Mediterranean Sea, Central Asia, India, and to the Pacific Ocean. The next view is APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation). The APEC view states defines 22 states spanning from The United States, Canada, Russia, Chile, and Mexico, to several countries lying in South East and North East Asia. East Asian Summit refers to ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations), Korea, Japan, and China. Although the term North East Asia is used often in a geopolitical context, North and South Korea, China, Japan, Mongolia and Russia do not have an organization such as ASEAN. While South Korea, China, Russia, Japan, Mongolia, and North Korea have been participating in the Greater Tumen Initiative lead by the UNDP (United Nations Development Program) since 1990, the program has been deteriorating over the years to the point where now the Greater Truman Initiative is more or less a project lead by China only. As seen in examples shown above, there are no clear indications of a common Asian identity in ESCAP, APEC or East Asian Summit.I try my best to avoid using the term North East Asia. While it was sometimes inevitable for me to use the term North East Asia or East Asia while writing English essays from 1980s the North East Asia region is in fact properly called the Yellow Sea (Hwang Hae) and East Sea (Dong Hae) Area. The term Yellow Sea and East Sea has originally been endonyms that have been closely associated to countries such as China, Korea and Japan. Therefore it is possible to substitute these terms instead of North East or East Asia. The concept of Asia is an exonym. This region has to have an appropriate term as an endonym that incorporates the common geopolitical proximity and history of Confucianism, Buddhism and tradition of these countries. Hence the invention of the terms Yellow Sea and East Sea Area, as both words are geological ocean-centric terms. The Western perception of Asia can also be defined endogenously as the areas surrounding the West Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean (or WPIO for short). The nature of WPIO is also an exonym. However WPIO is not a term that fundamentally has its roots in Western geological perceptions. WPIO is less of a term that describes the perception of Asia from the Mediterranean Area, but more of a term that the West uses to describe the general West Pacific and Indian Ocean region through the eyes of the inhabitants living in that particular region. Such bafflement arises from the fact that there never was a collective body of countries known as Asia and that the Asian identity and integration is a product of modern colonization of Asian countries by the West, European advance into Asia, and the duality of assimilation to and resistance (exclusion) against foreign influences by these Asian countries.

. The limit of the functionalistic Economic determinism The Myth and Reality of East Asian Community The familiarity with the term Asia is largely due to the accommodation of Western influences by the Asian region. In short, the concept of Asia is a product of both Eastern and European states either accommodating or rejecting the influences injected by the West. The case of Indians immigrating to Hong Kong, Singapore, and Penang due to Great Britain are examples of accommodation made by Asian states towards the influences of the West. As a result the demographics of these three areas largely consist of Malaysian, Chinese, or Indian people with their culture being an amalgam of Confucianism, Buddhism, Islamism, and Hinduism. Under the colonial rule of Great Britain, these areas became diverse cities that served as the embodiment of Asia. The Far Eastern Economic Review, the first media outlet to cover Asian issues that was established in Hong Kong in the late 1950s can be seen as another example of Asia accommodating British imperialism. The case of the Indian Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore kindling the flame of independence in Korea during its occupation by Japan, with a poem titled The Lamp of the East can be seen as an example of the latter category of rejection. Asian states resisting against foreign influences, Korea and India, who were resisting against Japan and Great Britain, were able to form a common identity of states resisting towards a foreign enemy through Tagores poem. The development and the results of Asian resistant nationalism from 18th to 20th century differ greatly depending on who the target of a states resistance is. Therefore, there are fundamental differences in the reaction of India, Myanmar, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Middle Eastern Arab states that were resisting against the West; Korea that was resisting against Japan; China that was resisting against both the West and Japan. These differences were based on the degrees of intensity of resistance, the patterns of power imposed by western imperialism in Asia, and the responses of the intellectuals and activist resistance movement of nationalism in the local. The most important aspect of this dynamic is that for the first time, all of Asia shared a common experience under Western and late Japanese imperialism. Thus, through this common experience these Asian states were able to form a common recognition of states that were ruled by a foreign colonialism and thus were actively resisting against that power. During the Cold War Era, while Asia did not manage to form a mainstream flow but was able to engage in a series of Third World Movement which includes the Bandung Conference. Such activities later on extended to form the first Pan-Asian multilateral organization known to us as ASEAN. (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Thus, an important fact that must be emphasized is that this common identity of Asia was not an indigenous product but rather a product of interaction with Western or foreign imperialism. Despite the non-indigenous creation of an Asian identity, experiences of the cold war from 1945 to late 1980s, the post cold war era after 1989 (the breakdown of Berlin Wall and dissolution of the Soviet Union) to the terrorists attack to World Trade Center in New York and Pentagon in 2001; the post-post cold war era after 2001 and especially the economic crisis of 2008, caused the decline of unilateralism of United States and the notion of The U.S. and the Rest. Such turn of events inevitably had profound effects to Asia. The Common Market Plan under ASEAN, the economic cooperation among ASEAN +3 (China, Korea, Japan), U.S. lead Trans Pacific Partnership, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership which involves China are the notable examples of economic regionalism of Asia. This begs the question of whether such economic functionalism, in consideration of ASEAN and the TPP, can result in further solidarity among Asian states toward the establishment of Asian community. The analyses made by former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kwan Yew, a guru strategist, make us think a lot. Lee mentioned before first East Asia Summit held in Kuala Lumpur late November, 2005 that an East Asian community would need another 200 to 300 years to form. It may be possible for such a community to form in about 200 to 300 years. However, only an economic community can be formed in terms of the next 50 to 100 years. Our experiences are different from the history of Europe, which went through two devastating World Wars. Therefore Europe realized the desperate need for a unified community. Since Asia has never experience the same history as Europe, Asia has never thought about a desperate need to form a unified community or international organization. Although the demographics in terms of race of Korea, Japan, China and Vietnam are nearly identical, there are still many grievances that have yet to be solved. (Towards the Japanese leaders) Japan must do what Germany did. Japan must apologize for its war crimes and pay suitable compensations. However the leaders of Japan are busy paying their respects to the Yasukuni Shrine instead of apologizing. There are many war criminals included in the Yasukuni. This is why the problem never ends (Nihon Keizai Shimbun interview, August 11, 2005). It is also worth noting that Lee Kwan Yew caused controversies by asserting that the western style democracies did not suit to Asia in a 1994 edition of the Foreign Affairs Journal). The reason why Lees interview is quoted is due to the fact that Korea and Japan, despite sharing values, ideologies, political systems, and standards are experiencing increasingly worsening diplomatic relations. The most important issue to understand is that the functionalist approach, such as economic trade and the cultural exchange between adolescents, imposes a limit in forming an international community that transcends the boundary of sovereignty. Here, we must observe the argument made by Koh Byung-ik, a professor and scholar of East Asian history at Seoul National University. According to Koh, while Korea, China and Japan may appear to have similarities such as sharing Confucian cultures, their fundamental histories and natures are so different that it is hard to perceive these states as pertaining to a common culture (The Tradition and Transformation of East Asia, 1996, Munhak kwa Jisung). Recently, Jo Dong-il, a professor from Keimyung University has been attracting attention for arguing against Kohs notion. According to Jo, there have been the concept of East Asia that included Korea, China, Japan, and Vietnam in the past, and Buddhism, Confucianism and Chinese letter lied in its center. And a move to formulate an east Asian community based on medieval prototype is attracted (Jo Dong-il, Theory of Civilization of East Asia, 2010, Jisiksanup). Therefore, the question is to discern which argument is the most relevant. There is one more thing to add. Toshio Watanabe, a leading Japanese scholar on Asian economics, argued against this notion of an East Asian community but rather argued for a maritime alliance with the U.S (, , 2008, )). This can be seen as a revival of the Fukujawa Yukichs 1885 Escape From Asia (and into Europe) argument in Meiji Era. It is based on the confrontation against China and emphasized that in order to survive, Japan must isolate itself from Asia and secure alliances with maritime states, United States. In light of such theory, ASEAN, TPP and APEC are elements of a new anti-China school of thought. Thus, professor Ha Yong-Suns assessment that The difficulties associated with the reality of whether an Asian community can be created, is often underestimated, and the future possibility of whether such a community can be created is overestimated seems quite applicable to current trends (Ha Yong-Sun, The Truth Regarding the Asian Community Myth, 2008, E.A.I). Considering the difficulties discussing the formation of a community within the Yellow Sea and East Sea Area, the question of whether Asia as a whole can establish such a community seems even more difficult to answer. Currently, it seems difficult to construct such a community as a comprehensive unity of values, ideology, culture, systems. While there are rhetoric of the Beijing Consensus, which are largely opposite of the Washington Consensus and the rhetoric of Chinese model compare to the Anglo Saxon model, there is no rhetoric that pertains specifically to a wider Asian region. Despite such, Asia undeniably share a particular set of grievances, opposition and criticism (including resistance) and thus do share a vague feeling of a unified community at times. For example, according to Zbigniew Brzezinski, political scientist and former National Security Advisor to the Carter administration, wrote in his book that the world is shifting away from the age of U.S supremacy to a new age where China and India are on the rise. In other words, global power is shifting from the West to the East (Zbigniew Brzezinski, Strategic Vision: America and the Crisis of Global Power, 2012, Basic Books, N.Y.). The East, Brzezinsky referred to is not the Middle East, Africa or Russia, but ASEAN +3 and the Indian subcontinent(WPIO). While the shift of power gives off a rather fateful feel, Asia lacks experience, subjects or values that can lead about this gradual shift of power. If the U.S. can lead the TPP into success and integrate it along with ASEAN and ASEAN +3, then this will mark out the true goal of the U.S. to bring about a rebalancing and shifting power and influence from Asia to the Pacific Rim We may say Americanized WPIO. The more and more the Asia Problem is discussed, the more bafflement arises.

. The Himalayan Zone The epicenter of global problematiquesShifting our views from the traditional Asia discussion raised by the West, or ASEAN, East Asian Summit, RCEP, TPP discussions, to observing the global perception of the humankind, sustainability of the Earth village, and the globalization of Western modernization brings, raises awareness of ontological issues of modern civilization and life resources such as water, energy, and food that we can view China, India and all the states lying in close proximity in a single unit. In other words, we can view states lying on the Himalayas, such as China, Mongolia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam as states that are in the Himalayan Zone (We may call it the First Himalayan Zone). We can further expand this notion of a Himalayan Zone by including states that directly influence the zone, such as Korea, Japan, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand. (We may call it the Second Himalayan zone). Due to cultural and religious rigidity I intentionally exclude Islam Middle East and Central Asia and Christian Russia. (See Map) Map. Himalayan Zone (West Pacific and Indian Ocean)

This collective area has a population of 3.5 billion now and also more than a half of the 9 billion population of whole world within 2040-2050. Not only does the Himalayan Zone possess geographical relevance and capacity, but in terms of the global future, population and urbanization, life resources and environment pandemic, geopolitics and global balance of power, the Himalayan Zone will be the key area in deciding the fate of the Earth village in the 21st-22nd centuries and therefore, we call Himalayan zone the epicenter of a global problematiques. The area is already the center of this collection of issues and is expected to worsen in the future. This is not to say that the focus in this area should pertain to military issues like G2 or China-India or China-Japan conflicts only, but should extend to debates regarding energy, food, environment and the sustainability of life. Thus the Himalayas can be regarded as a significant geographical unit on which such issues will revolve around. China has already surpassed the U.S. in terms of energy consumption, automobile sales, and CO2 emissions since 2009 with the level of per capita income of 5,000 dollars annually. China has rapidly become a state that features the worlds largest energy and resource consumption, automobile manufacturing and sales, the largest nuclear power plant construction scales (aiming 400 units before 2050) and serious environmental footprints and damage. China is expected to beat the U.S. in becoming the top oil importing state by 2020 (International Energy Agency, "2011 World Energy Outlook"). Such a speculation is not too far-fetched, as it only took 5 years for China to become a world leader in soy bean imports from being a traditional bean exporter prior to 1996 (it beated Japan, traditionally the largest soy bean importing state for 30 years). Right now, China is responsible for more than 57% of the entire worlds bean imports and is ahead of Japan by 10 times. It is also worthy to note that China has become a major importer of corn from 2009 and second largest rice importer in 2012. The problem proposed is that countries lying around the Indian Ocean region are catching up fast to China at an alarming speed. The same pattern will soon show up in countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Vietnam. Compared to 2008 when China possessed nearly 5.181 million automobiles (equivalent to 4% of the entire Chinese population), the number of automobiles has surpassed 100 million since 2011. Thus, there are predictions that China, who currently possesses the capacity to produce 17 million automobiles a year, will have the capacity to consume more than 40 million automobiles annually by 2020 (Zhang Laiu, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, IHT. Sept.17.2010). Given such speculation, one expert believes that the third world countries, including China and India, will possess nearly 3 billion automobiles in 2030, which is about three times larger than the current total number of automobiles in the world (Chandra Nair, "Can the Planet Support more America", IHT, June 6. 2011). (In 2011 IEA estimated the world has 1.7 billion automobile in 2035 and China alone share 400ml and India 160ml. Even such a conservative IEA estimation, year 2025 China will have more automobiles than US+Europe.)In the case of Beijing, things are more dramatic; 2,300 automobiles in 1949, 7,700 in 1978. 1 million in 1997, 3 million in 2007, and over 6 million in 2012. Thus China places regulations even on automobile licenses. India also, is a country with a rapidly increasing automobile market (8% a year). Then, let us observe this whole issue in terms of a more absolute standard called life resources. The next chart displays the reserves, production, and consumption of oil per region. For reasons pertaining to the reality of the worlds petroleum statistics, the Middle East has been placed in its own category, with Central Asia being included in Europe. Here, the meaning of the term Asia Pacific is closer to the Himalayas. Table I) The distribution of petroleum for regions (BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2010)RegionConfirmed reservesProductionConsumptionAuthors opinion

Middle East56.60%30.30%8.70%Absolute abundance

Central and South America14.90%8.90%6.60%Abundance

Europe (Central Asia included)10.30%22.40%23.60%Slight shortage

Africa9.60%12%3.70%abundance

North America5.50%16.50%21.70%Shortage

Asia-Pacific3.20%10%31.10%Absolute shortage

World100%100%100%

From the table, it is evident that compared to the amount of oil that the Asia Pacific consumes, its reserves (3.2%) and outputs (10%) are absolutely insufficient, especially in light that its current consumption of 31.1% (which is expected to disproportionately soar in the future) is vastly greater than Europes and Africa consumption of 23.6% and 21.7% . While the North American region also has a larger level of oil consumption compared to its reserves or production, the dramatic increase of shale gas and oil will eventually allow the region to surpass Russia and become a world leader in oil exports in 2020. A table analyzing food resources shows the same dynamics as oil. Table II) Arable land and population per region (Global Strategic Trends - Out to 2040, Fourth Edition, 2010, DCDC, Ministry of Defense, U.K )

Arable Land (as a % of global total)% of Global PopulationAuthors opinion

SE Asia & Pacific2953Absolute shortage

OECD, Europe, Central Asia4622Absolute abundance

Africa1111Self sustaining

Middle East, North Africa45Slight shortage

Latin America, Caribbean109Abundance

The British Ministry of Defense produces a report that details and analyzes global trends (Global Strategic Trends) every 2 years. According to this report, the Himalayan region (South East Asia Pacific region) is the only global region that has arable lands to population proportions that renders the area unable of becoming self-sustaining (Population of 53% but arable land is only 29%). It is surprising that in fact, the OECD countries, which involve most of the first world countries spanning from Europe to Central Asia, have an absolute abundance of arable land compared to its population. Thus, we must understand that there are no western first world countries that have disproportionate ratios of arable lands and population. In the case of North America and Europe, the level of food production so heavily outweighs the actual domestic consumption, that there are various limits or regulations put in place to keep food production in check, thereby mitigating surplus agricultural products. Compared to such, Korea and Japan that rely on imports for 90% of their food (except rice) and energy are becoming more and more dependent on foreign imports. Furthermore, China is also becoming more dependent on imports as well as it undergoes extensive industrialization and urbanization. Suddenly China ranked second largest rice importer (2.3mt) in 2012, expecting the largest one before long. It would be worthy of note that Philippine the founder of Green Revolution in 1970s and rice exporter 1978-83, was conversely changed importer from 1984 on and recorded the largest importer (2.45mt) in 2010. Thus we may say that the reality of life resources of East Asia is fundamentally different than that of the Western first world. This problem regarding life resources is why the Himalayas cannot be the center of power but can only be the epicenter of an ontological global problematiques pertaining to the inability of these states to be self-sustaining. As an example, due to such problems is why the Himalayas is an area where there are much debates regarding nuclear issues (especially nuclear waste disposal problems). Following such, we must perceive living in the Himalayas as an effort to resolve these given challenges regarding food and energy as to increase our overall sustainability, rather than simple as a means to seek power or wealth. This point of view can be observed in the Living Planet Reports produced by the W.W.W.(former World Wildlife Fund) every 2 years.

Table) WWF 2010 Living Planet Report2007F.P gha (per capita)Biocapacity gha (per capita)

U.S83.9

Canada714.9

Finland6.212.5

Sweden5.99.7

Norway5.65.5

Russia4.45.7

Australia6.814.7

China2.21

India 0.90.5

Japan 4.90.6

Korea 4.70.3

World Average2.71.8

According to the Living Planet Report which is based on the ecological resource consumption, supply of 150 countries and their biocapacities according to a per capita (global hectare), the first world countries including The U.S., Denmark, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, England, France and Germany have the supply capacity that is vastly greater than that of Korea, Japan, China and India. Excluding the U.S., most of these first world countries have an abundance of biocapacity and supply as well. Out of these 150 countries, Singapore holds the last place, with India being the 140th, Japan being the 131st, Korea being the 140th, and China being the 118th, although Chinas rank is expected to plummet rapidly in coming years. This report further shows that the Himalayan region lacks life resources and sustainability and fortifies the notion that the region can only be the center where a collection of global problematiques convene. (Kim Jin Hyun, The World Peace Envisioned by the Republic of Korea-Emergence of "Himalayan Zone Problematiques" and Approach to Global Sustainability (Alternatives) 2050 - in 10 years lesson and Challenge of World Peace Index, International Workshop, World Peace Forum, Seoul, Korea, November 17, 2010). The Calling of Republic of Korea, - Seeking A Korea Model; 'First Runner in the Midst of the Future Global Problematiques (Elder Brother of the Third World and Avant Garde of Future Experiments Surpassing Western First World.)The case of Koreas development is exceptional according to the standards of the western world countries and the experiences of the third world countries. First of all, Korea belongs to a fault line where continental clashes of maritime forces occur. It is an attribute of a peninsular. The same can be said for Italia, Iberia, Greece, the Balkans, Sinai, and Indo-China. As a result, all of these peninsular shares painful experiences of war. However, there is no country like Korea that has experienced constant clashes of overwhelming marine and continental forces. The 7 Years War against Japan during the 16th century, the Sino-Japanese War during the late 19th and middle of 20th century, the Russo-Japanese War in early 20th century, the Second World War in the 20th century and the division of Korean peninsula, 1945 and Korean War, 1950-53 were all examples of instances where supreme continental forces (Ming, Qing, China, Russia) clashed against supreme maritime forces (Japan, United States and indirect way Great Britain) to exert their influence over the region. As a result, Korea has become a peculiar state that has been in a cease-fire with North Korea for over 60 years and has the most fortified demilitarized zone in the world. Korea is also exceptional in that it has spread its people to China, the state possesses the most powerful continental force in history; Russia, that held bipolar global hegemony during the Soviet era; the U.S. which has revealed itself to be the most powerful marine force in the world since the opening of the Panama Canal, 1901; Japan, who was a historical naval power house and second largest economy until 2010. Thus, 400,000 to 2 million Koreans are living as ethnic minorities in each of these four big world powers. I attribute such a phenomenon to the modern clashes between historic maritime and continental forces in the Korean peninsula. While other countries such as China, India, Japan, Jewish, Italy, Greece, and Afghanistan have several emigrants to one or perhaps two big world powers, there are no cases where there are emigrants living amongst these historic and contemporary four big powers. Furthermore, it is important to distinguish the fact that many Koreans did not willingly emigrate to Japan, China, Russia and the U.S. but were forced to relocate there by Japan and Russia. The second reason why Korea is a peculiar state is due to the exceptionality of its modernization process. Korea was colonized by Japan, a non-white and non-Christian force, while the Western colonial powers were conquering Africa, the Middle East, and Asia during the 18th to 20th century. Compared to the West which did not have any direct civilian or military contacts before their colonial expansion policies and therefore used to control its colonies via indirect methods through local leaders, Japan which had several direct contacts and tragic clashes predating 1910 implemented a much harsher and direct system of control for Korea until 1945. Furthermore, due to historical invasions attempted and made by Japan, Korea already had great hostility towards Japan which fueled its resistance efforts. The Japanese occupation allowed Korea to become more easily accepting and accommodating of Western values, modernization and ideologies compared to other third world countries. The most specific example is the acceptance and toleration of Christianity and the disposal of traditional Confucianism and the monarchy. We can observe this example by noting that most of Koreas leading independence fighters were Christians. Rhee Syngman, Kim Gu, Ahn Chang-Ho, even Kim Il-Sung family and other members of the domestic freedom fighters who lead the 3.1 Movements were mostly Christians. Due to Rhee Syngmans presidency and overwhelming U.S. influence during the post Korean War era, Korea more or less became a de facto Christian state (Christianity consists of more than 30% of present population). This is an interesting dynamic as countries such as Angola, Ghana, Uganda and Kenya that did not have an established classical religion accepted Christianity during the colonization process. However, there are no non-western states that already had pre-established traditional religions of Buddhism, Confucianism and Islam that became a state that has more than 10% of its population of Christians. It is interesting to notice that more than a half of the social power elites were mostly Christians in Korea. (In this sense we may define South Korea as de factor Christian state). Except the Philippines, such an example cannot be found in China, Japan, Vietnam, ASEAN Countries, India and the Arabian states where Christianity was introduced much earlier than in Korea. The third reason is Koreas modernization revolution. According to the global trend during 16-20th Century where Western Powers were shifting their influence toward Asia, Korea was the last country to open its door to the global order established by the imperialist West. As the last hermit kingdom, Korea went through several harsh experiences during the late Joseon Dynasty era. The successful modernization of Korea despite colonization, war, poverty, division of the nation and cease-fire can be seen as a Korean Modernization Revolution. Freedom Houses Freedom Index and EIUs Democracy Index indicate that among the 140 states that gained independence after 1945, Korea is the only state to reach civil liberties and political democratization levels on par with the First World standards. In fact, the Democracy Index of EIU places the democracy rank of Korea as being higher than that of Japan. Using Simon Kuznets theory of Modern Economic Growth(Simon Kuznets, Modern Economic Growth Rate, Structure and Spread, 1966, Yale Univ. Press). Korea is the only state that can fulfill the three criteria of continuous growth of population, income and advancement of industrial structure. (While UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Brunei, Singapore are non-western third world countries that pass Kuznets criteria of income, they are states that cannot pass the criteria of continuous advancement of industrial structure). Korea possesses a level of technological and scientific advancement (R&D/GDP ratio of 3%, world third highest) that is unprecedented in third world countries, and information communication infrastructures and mobile technology advancement that even surpasses that of first world countries. Thus Korea has become a test bed for the global IT industry. Korea also possesses great advancement of education (4th highest expenditure on public education and highest ranked education expenditure if including private sector) and high levels of global marketing of its culture (such as Psy, K-POP, globalization of HallyuKorean Wave). The records Korea holds in these areas are praised on a global level. Not only has Korea leaped through the gap from being a third world country to a first world country, it is the only new country that is a member of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) that now provides economic assistance to other third world country and third largest philanthropic service volunteers abroad especially in developing world. President Kim Young Sams theory of the 5 Great Powers and President Lee Myung-baks assessment that Korea is no longer a small country in the fringes... Korea is a country that stands in the middle of global focus and will continue to go further, are more or less political rhetoric. Considering Korea has held the G20 Summit, Nuclear Security Summit, and the International Conference on Cyber Security in recent (considering that China and Japan have yet not) it is not far-fetched to argue that Korea maybe in a position to lead a new world order. The fourth reason is due to increasing symptoms of social pathology. On the base of the achievement of rapid and compressed modernization, there are a series of social disintegration. It is surpassing Japan in terms of the worlds lowest birth rates and highest speed of aging population. According to the statistics of OECD, Korea also has the highest rates of social disintegration such as divorces, non-married single rates, suicide rates, and abortion rates. In addition, there are other problems such as school violence, verbal violence, loss of faith in public institutes, incredibly high rates of fraud and perjury, which are resulting in the publics lack of faith in fairness and government- also known as a 'hallowing out phenomenon' . (For details, see Kim Jin Hyun, "Living in Republic of Korea", Special lecture, Incheon Catholic Seminary, Incheon, Korea, June 21, 2011). Korea, Trend SetterSuch characteristics imply that Korea currently stands in the middle of a geographical area where the aforementioned global problematiques meet and that solving this problem is imperative for Koreas advance into the future. Firstly, the example of Koreas success sends a global message that in order for third world countries to succeed, Koreas modernization revolution must be a model to this process, and if this modernization process occurs while breaking the solidarity between generations then there will be social disintegration such as the hollowing out phenomenon. Secondly, Gideon Rachman, an British columnist wrote that Japan has been setting the global trends with its rapidly aging population, policy and government directed towards such an workforce, social welfare, the worlds largest fiscal deficit to GDP ratio of 230%, and financial structure distortions (Gideon Rachman, "Japan offers an unsettling glimpse of all of our futures," Financial Times, Oct. 15, 2013). Rachman argues that one of the main reasons for such is due to Japans orientation to keep its social solidarity through traditions and customs, internally oriented and non-open policies. Korea is walking the same path in terms of its population structure, welfare, and fiscal problems. Furthermore, in order to resolve the lingering 18th~20th century era nationalistic issue of the reunification of Korea, Korea must be open, cooperative and thinking in terms of global perspective, and encompassing four big powers for the sake of security. In particular, it is imperative for Koreans to do so in order to tackle the problematiques especially regarding life resources, and be a pioneer of the Himalayan zone. In a manner of speaking, Korea has become the elder brother of third world countries and a country where the harsh realities of global problematiques challenges such as life resources are more severe than the western world - the largest life resources consumer at present. Thus, Korea must be a leader in attempting to resolves these ontological questions. In light of such, Korea has become a trend setter and could not help but become one. The questions and debates raised regarding the environment and energy were and are mainly from European and North American idealists. As shown in chapter III, Europe and North America are geographical areas where there are a relative abundance of life resources and environmental biocapacities. Thus there are too many optimistic theories regarding Korea that are originating from the eyes of Westerners who do not truly understand nor have experienced the global problematiques ongoing in Korea. Jacques Attali of France included Korea within the 11 states that were leading powers of the world. In particular, Attali focused on Korean culture and technology, arguing that "Korea continues to surprise the world with its cultural and economic model, outstanding technology and cultural dynamism. Therefore China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, and even Japan attempt to emulate the Korean model" (Jacques Attali, Une Breve Histoire de l'aveni, 2006, Librairie Artheme). Jim ONeill, the chairman of Goldman Sachs who coined BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) talks much MIST (Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea and Turkey) in recent. Right after Moody upgrades Koreas credit rating to Aa3, same level with Japan and China he commented emotionally as follow, South Korea happens to be only populated country that in my life time has transformed its income from that of an African country to being that of a G-7 country It is an example that all these other countries can learn from (IHT, Aug 28, 2012) In 2005 Goldman Sachs has produced reports predicting Korea to have the highest income in 2050, and in 2012 the Economist produced a book that is worthy of mention. According to the Economist, the GDP per capita of Korea will surpass that of the U.S., Germany, France, and Japan by 2050.

Table ) Wealth in comparison to the U.S.GDP Per capita, U.S. has a rating of 100

201020302050

World average22.730.342.3

West Europe71.971.374.2

East Europe 27.437.750.6

Middle East and North Africa2030.648.5

Latin America23.430.943.4

Asian developing countries11.922.638.9

Sub-Saharan Africa4.77.813.7

Korea63.187.8105

U.S.100100100

Germany76.282.987.7

France72.170.175.2

Russia33.550.471.9

Great Britain73.969.571.1

Italy62.254.760.1

Japan71.863.758.3

China15.93252.3

Brazil23.833.149.1

Thailand19.429.848.5

India7.114.834.5

Indonesia9.316.429.5

"Megachange : The World in 2050" (The Economist, 2012)This table measures the sense and eye-sight of foreigners by the standard of economic and technology change. This is not an analysis of the reality of our lives. If we intensively study our experiences and exceptionality in a syntactic way in regards to the world history and geography, we can assess that Korea can be and must be a global hub capable of establishing a new civilization- global sustainability, Pax Universa. The first reason that allows us to reach such an assessment is that Koreans possess the DNA of creation. Inventions such as Hangeul letter, the bronze bell of Sangwonsa temple, and the Annals of Joseon dynasty, the metal type printing of Jikjisa temple are all indigenous inventions that possess levels of technology and creativity that even China could not follow at the time. In cases like this, we are able to discover the intrinsic value of Korean culture. An anthropological value of Korean civilization can be found in the theories of Professor Jo Dong-il, who emphasized the subjective creativity of Korean culture, and Christian historian Ham Seok-heon (Korean History Reading by Jesus Will, 2005, Hangilsa)The second reason is due to the Korean ideology of emphasizing peace and catholicity due to its extreme experiences of external oppression, war, colonization, modernization and ultra modern test bed. The East Asia Peace Theory of An Jung-geun, who assassinated Ito Hirobumi in 1909 that insists on military alliances among Korea, China and Japan, and the Declaration of Independence in 1919 provide a global vision of peace and universal humanity. Today, Korean independence will mean not only daily life and happiness for us, but also it would mean Japan's departure from an evil way and exaltation to the place of true protector of the East, so that China, too, even in her dreams, would put all fear of Japan aside. This thought comes from no minor resentment, but from a large hope for the future welfare and blessing of mankind. Such a notion provides a guiding voice for Korea while chastising China and Japan for its past misdeeds. Even in the constitution declared on April 4th, 1919 by the Provisional Government of Korea in Shanghai that was established shortly after the Declaration of Independence, it is written that Korea must fulfill its God given duty by making use of its founding spirit and work for the collective progression of human civilization and cooperate in international organizations. So Korea wants to join the League of Nations. Rhee Syngmans declaration of the Korean goal establishing the first Asian Christian state in 1919; Kim Gus cultural state theory not pursuing military and economic power; An Jae-Hongs Da Sa Ri theory (all living together); the Christian Pax Koreana theory declared by some Christians groups and Monsignor, Jung Ui-chaes "The third millennium of human common culture" theory, and president Park Geun-hyes propositions to establish a world peace park in the demilitarized zone are all attempts made by Koreans to reach for the establishment of a peaceful global community. Korea has no choice but to accommodate and create the new world order of sustainability due to its history, experiences and geographical location. And more detailed; The bi-polar experience (extreme delay and extreme precocity); Extreme isolationism (the last hermit Kingdom) and extreme opening. Brutal colonization by the second class imperial Japan and the experiences of Korean War and cold war era with the most advanced the U.S. and U.S.S.R due to the division of Korean peninsula in 1945. Korean War experience, in which most of the world powers were involved; Koreas participation in the Vietnam War; reach out to the Middle East for construction business; pursuing on open market, industry, education, migration, culture and religion allowed Korea to become a state capable of possessing great intrinsic global value, universalism. Absolute shortage of life resources and its fated interaction with the four great powers (including ethnic minorities lining amongst the four great 4 powers). The Korean modernization revolution brought on by the creative DNA of two generations and the virtuous cycle of modernization brought on by the west, and its implications on social disintegration indicates that Korea must become the center of the Himalayan zone, and become a test bed center of the world challenging the sustainability of life, peace and safety. The collection of ontological problematiques in the Himalayan zone also indicates that Korea has a calling to become the center of global peace (Pax Universa) and a new world order so that we can maintain our peaceful lives. The future of Korea and the Himalayan zone problematiques is not dependant on a model of Beijing, Washington, Belgium, Stockholm, Sao Paolo and Bhutan. Therefore: We must reengineer, reorganize and reevaluate the sources of the successful Korean modernization revolution. In light of extreme success of modernization, we must have insight and sincerity on how to resolve the lack of life resources and the symptoms of hollowing out phenomenon and social disintegration such as the corrosion of the family system and the middle class, worsening bipolarization of income, greedy financial capitalism, and fiscal deficit, populism politics and dysfunctional governance. Because we have participated and succeeded in modernization, we have an obligation to understand the desperate nature of the global problematiques such as life resources, climate change, environmental degradation, widening income gap, dysfunctional governance in the democracy and developing world and also non-conventional threat such as pandemic and terrorism (including cyber terror) throughout the world. This is our first step in establishing a future world order, peaceful global civilization, and establishing our place as a world leader that transcends any notions of a West or East. Such path cannot be taken by states such as those in the West that have an abundance of life resources and have historically had monotheism. Third world countries that are self-centered like Sinocentrism and are generally focused on anti-western politics and sectarianism are also incapable of walking such a path as Korea. Only Korea, who has fully experienced the history of old traditional classic civilization, digested Western modernization on a full scale and stands in the middle of present and future global problematiques, is in a position to respond and find a viable solution for these global challenges.Korea is the first runner to be challenged by future global problematiques and is in a position to provide answers to these problematiques which arise from Koreas potentiality and capability given by its historical D.N.A., modern extreme dichotomic experiences and absolute dependency on life resources from outside world. For more discussion; Kim Jin Hyun, A proposition for the Global Welfare Tax The road to create an intellectual environment for a new global interdependence systems and global welfare for the masses, paper presented 16th World Conference, Society for International Development, Colombo, Sri Lanka, August 13-16, 1979. Kim Jin Hyun, From DMZ to Global Peace Zone (GPZ), Keynote paper, International Conference on DMZ Conservation, Ministry of Environment and Gyeonggi-do province, Kintex, Ilsan, Gyeonggi-do, Korea, Oct 23, 2008.22