All the photos of the harbor had to be taken from our car as we wizzed by. I could have lost myself with my camera in those cranes and in the harbor scenes, but no foot traffic was allowed in.
Busan Harbor is the fifth busiest in the world. The harbor size had to be increased, so it is moving to another location about an hour from Busan. The move has started but is not expected to be complete for many more years. (I know I was told the year — but it escaped my approaching 70 year old brain.)
Korea has many exports – ship building, textiles, electronics,… (again the full list escapes me). The ship building has 35 percent of the world market. Also Korea imports oil for refining it and exports it back to the Middle East. I was excited by the variety of exports…a country that doesn’t rely on just one item makes for a long-term stable economy.
Conversations take place with our guides that really have no accompanying photos. The interesting one is unification with North Korea…some older people want it but the younger generation …not so much. Reunification would be difficult economically on the south. When compared to the East and West Germany unification, these two countries would have a much more difficult time as the percentage of North Korea to South Korea compared to the percentage of East Germany to West Germany is much larger. The former East Germany still lags West Germany economically and that reunification is 30 years old and West Germans paid a solidarity tax of 7.5 percent on all personal income to provide capital for the newly formed country and advance the East German economy.
