Transcript North Korea: “Choson” Darkness

North Korea “Choson”Darkness
• Comparing the
size of North
Korea to the
U.S.
Choson Dynasty
1392-1910
*Successor to the “Koryo” Dynasty.
*The Choson Dynasty ruled the entire
peninsula.
*Dominated by the Yi family
*Centered in Hanyang (present day
Seoul)
*Hierarchical feudal system with
Confucianism the focal point.
Japanese Occupation
1910-1945
*Seized crops and natural resources
*Sent Koreans to Japan as forced labor.
*Did modernize there infrastructure
*Made people take on Japanese names.
*Brutal occupation still resented by
Koreans today.
A Divided Peninsula
*After WWII, an arbitrary line was
established at the 38th parallel. Why?
*To appease and prevent further Soviet
expansion across the peninsula.
*The U.S. created the line to insure
that Seoul remained in the democratic
region.
*This was an unnatural boundary,
dividing families and a common people.
An Unnatural Division
North Korea is geographically
bounded by China and the
Soviets.
Yalu and Tumen Rivers separate
NK from China and USSR.
Very mountainous
Very cold winters
Hot, humid summers
Coal and iron ore throughout
South Korea is similar in
geography yet generally less
harsh.
Not as brutally cold in winter
More fertile farmland and
fishing waters.
Considered a very
beautiful country.
The Korean War
*June 25, 1950 – North Korea crosses
the 38th parallel and attacks the
South.
*President Truman directs General
Douglas MacArthur to send in U.S.
troops.
*The UN approves military action and
17 nations begin driving North Korean
forces north.
Korean War
• Some 2 million Koreans would die over
the next 3 years.
• Americans would suffer over 50,000
casualties.
Cease Fire – still unresolved
*July 27, 1953
https://youtu.be/-X7nbwFxGRU
*DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) – 2 ½
miles wide, 151 miles long
*Nearly 2 million troops are
stationed along the DMZ
As many as 38,000 U.S. troops
stationed here.
https://youtu.be/5hg3hDCbSvI
https://youtu.be/gSedE5sU3uc
Kim il-Sung – The Great Leader
• Dictator for life
in which a god-like
persona would make
North Koreans
dependent on him
for everything in
life.
• His death in 1994
led to massive
demonstrations of
grief.
Life in North Korea
*A strong communist country that
was fairly successful until the
fall of the Soviet Union.
*Financial support ended after
1991.
*Economically and politically
isolated with some support from
China.
*After the death of Kim il-Sung
the country would plunge into
greater darkness.
Kim Jong il comes to power
• After il-Sung’s death
in 1994 his son emerges
as the “dear leader”.
• Loss of Soviet financial
support and climate led
famine, creates a
political dilemma for
the Kim regime.
– Do I accept outside
Western aid?
– Do I ignore the problem
and perpetuate the
problems by blaming the
West?
Kim Jong il’s legacy
• 1 to 2 million died
of starvation
• Nuclear program
began with open
attempts to develop
a weapon of mass
destruction
• Multiple “verbal”
threats to South
Korea, Japan, and
the U.S.
Propaganda of the Kims
Kim Jong un
the “Supreme Leader”
• Has increased
rhetoric against the
U.S.
• Cracked down hard on
any dissent including
his own uncle.
• Continues method of
holding power through
threats.
How does he do this?
Holding power
• Control the media and
promote propaganda
accusing the U.S. and
others of threatening
North Korea.
• Crush political
dissent through
prison camps and
public executions.
– It is a FEAR
them, or FEAR
him mentality.
North Korea Today
• VIRTUALLY NO
DEVELOPED
INFRASTRUCTURE AS ANY
WEALTH GOES FOR
MILITARY AND DEFENSE
SPENDING.
• military products;
machine building,
electric power,
chemicals; mining
(coal, iron ore,
limestone, graphite,
copper, zinc, lead,
and precious metals),
metallurgy; textiles,
food processing;
The Reality
• Per capita income of • Increasing people are
$300
risking their lives to
escape mainly through
• Lifestyle comparable
China.
to Somalia or the
Congo
• China tries to prevent
this and does not want
• Food shortages are
the North Korean
still common
government to fall.
• 1 out of every 100
Why?
people are in a
• https://youtu.be/IGU_Br
political prison
RlvB8
camp.
www.libertyinnorthkorea.org
https://youtu.be/KzUIU5PvLOo
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu3R3us7iHk&list=PLuKgWhduhklQR2uqYCE_aSZgfJLsy4fx
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0zwirfmGIU&list=PLuKgWhduhklQR2uqYCE_aSZgfJLsy4fx
North Korea