Reem Haddad, Beirut/ Lebanon

The impact of Korea's reunification on the world political landscape seems to be
lost in the Middle East especially Lebanon, where conflicts keep interests
confined to the region.
"We have never been asked about our position about a reunification of Korea"
said a high-ranking government official. "Officially, we haven't declared a
stance. However, since we are an Asian nation we, of course, encourage such a
reunification. A stronger Korea will also strengthen our relationship vis-a-vis
business dealings?br South Korea, he added, was one of the first countries to invest in downtown
Beirut an area which was completely destroyed during the 16-year Lebanese civil
war. Solidere, a real estate company, was assigned to rebuild it just after the
war ended. To revive downtown Beirut, foreign companies were encouraged to invest
and open offices in the area.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese government is struggling to find ways of dealing with
the consequences of the civil war, among them thousands of displaced Lebanese, a
middle class reduced to a poverty-stricken population, high unemployment and a
faltering economy.
There is also the problem of finding a solution to the approximately 350,000
Palestinian refugees living in camps throughout the country, and finding a way to
revive the landmine-infested southern area after the Israeli withdrawal. After
22-years of occupying much of southern Lebanon, Israeli troops withdrew five
months ago.
"The society here is entangled in many issues like the Israeli withdrawal,
elections, and economic problems" said Hee Seog Kwon, the first secretary at the
south Korean embassy. "don't think the Lebanese have the time and energy to think
about issues concerning world affairs" European affairs, however, are followed
more attentively because of the close geographic proximity.
South Korean embassy officials have been monitoring the newspapers in the country
and have noted that very few articles written about the meetings of the two
countries. "By impression with the Lebanese opinion is that they lack basic
facts"continued Seog Kwon. "They just know the basic simple facts before and after
the historic meeting"
For businessmen like Shabeeb Assad who sells Korean-made mobile phone equipment,
reunification means that "Korean productivity will definitely increase"
"They are hard working people and if the country is reunited, than it's double the
productivity. This means more work with my company" he said. But for Bassem
Kashab, who sells Samsung products, a reunification "Will not affect my business
either way" he said.
Television scenes of Korean families reuniting has especially struck a chord in
the heart of Palestinian refugees. Many have not seen their relatives in 52 years,
since the state of Israel was created. In 1948, the country known as "Palestine,
ceased to exist when thousands of its inhabitants were turned out of their homes
and took refuge in neighboring Arab countries. Instead, European Jewish immigrants
settled in Palestine and the country became known as the state of Israel. The
television scenes of Koreans embracing brought tears to the eyes of Mohammed
Assadi. A Palestinian refugee living in the Ain al Hilweh camp in the southern
town of Sidon, Assadi saw his sister for the first time two month ago. The Israeli
withdrawal from south Lebanon prompted hundreds of Palestinians to rush to the
border and meet up with long lost relatives who they last saw 52 years ago.
With some difficulty they recognised each other and stood there holding hands
through a barbed wire fence. Siham, Assadi's sister - was only two years old
when her parents left her with her grandfather in the village of Deir al Assad in
Akka and fled to Lebanon. They thought the journey would be too much for a little
girl and anyway they were told that they would be returning to Palestine in just
one week. They never saw their daughter again. Assadi was born a few years later
in Lebanon.
A few days after the families reunited at Israeli-Lebanese border, Israel's
prime minister ?Ehud Barak ?forbade Palestinians from further approaching the
border. The images of Koreans embracing each other brought back the memories. "I
want to see my sister again" said Assadi. "I want my family to be reunited"