Within a very short time, communist North Korea could become as politically unstable as East Germany was at the end of the 1990s. What can we learn from the German experience? The problems following reunification are still felt economically and politically in the new federal states today. Reunification seems to be a generational project. When the Stone Age communist system in North Korea comes to an end, Koreans can learn a lot from the successes and mistakes of the German reunification process. Solid and thorough preparation means clarifying the starting conditions in order to pave the way for effective – and hopefully efficient – policies: Not only capital investment, but also migration – in both directions – is important; the links between micro- and macroeconomic effects must be thoroughly analysed. Furthermore, sound "reunification management" means that reunification can be viewed as a worthwhile "business investment" that utilises the hitherto untapped human and physical capital in the North. It is important that both sides exploit this long-term potential in order to make short- to medium-term sacrifices economically sustainable and politically feasible. Finally, unification must be embedded in an international framework that takes into account the security concerns of neighbouring countries.
The book was written in the early 2010s and reflects the perspective of that time.