DIVIDED KOREA AND THE PATH TOWARD REUNIFICATION (1954-PRESENT)

k Map of Korea Map of Asia

DIVIDED KOREA Kim Il Sung (1912-1994): communist leader of North Korea from 1948 until his death, at which time his son Kim Jong Il took power.  Kim's given name was Kim Song-ju, but he took the name of fallen guerrilla fighter during the war with Japan. Kim Jong Il (b. 1941): eldest son of Kim Il Sung and Kim’s chosen successor, often referred to as “Dear Leader” in North Korean government statements even before his ascent to power following his father’s death in 1994. Kaesong: site of cease-fire agreement negotiation for the Korean Conflict. An armistice signed at Panmunjom on July 27, 1953, that separated the armies with a demilitarized zone, but otherwise left many issues unresolved. Syngman Rhee (1875-1965): first president of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and first Korean to receive a Ph.D. degree from an American university (Princeton, 1910). He had been in China during WWII, but he returned with US occupation forces. Park Chung Hee (1917-1979): 1961 military coup organizer and strongman leader of South Korea until his own assassination.  Although his rule was harsh, Park presided over South Korea’s economic growth and diplomatic emergence as a stalwart anti-Communist ally of the US.  

South Korea’s long struggle for democracy The risk of another attack by North Korean communists was repeatedly used as a reason for South Korea’s military to oppress their own people. This has resulted in rebellion by students, union activists, and others who are fighting for democracy in South Korea. In 1960 Syngman Rhee was ousted from power by a national uprising known today as the April 19 Student Revolution. Rhee later fled in exile to Hawaii. A general election was held that the pro-student Democrat Party leadership put forward the veteran but politically weak politicians Chang Myǒn (premier) and Yun Po-son (president). Yun soon left the government amid political squabbling. On May 16, 1961 Chang Myǒn's government is toppled by a military coup d'etat by Park Chung Hee (1917-1979). Park as leader of the Democratic Republican Party (DRP) began a series of government measures to industrialize South Korea and ruled as a dictator. For political security, Park’s government created the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA) in June 1961 to suppress all potential enemies, both domestic and foreign (i.e. North Korea). South Korea under Park continued to play a vital part on US Cold War plans for the regions President Lyndon B. Johnson requests that Park Chung Hee send soldiers to Viet Nam, and nearly 300,000 South Korean soldiers would serve in the US conflict.  

South Korea’s long struggle for democracy (cont.) In 1979 Park Chung Hee was assassinated by Kim Chae Kyu, director of the KCIA. In May 1980. responding to popular protests following Park’s death and the subsequent military take-over by General Chun Doo Hwan, the South Korean military targeted protesters in the southern city of Kwangju in a nine-day crackdown that led to an official death toll of 240, with many more casualties left unaccounted for. The event has since been called the Kwangju Massacre. Chun’s government faced public unrest, often in the form of students protest throughout its rule. Finally, on June 29, 1987, Roh Tae Woo (b. 1932), another form military leader, was designated as Chun's successor. Roh won in the national election when the two opposition candidates split the opposition's vote. After taking office in 1993, Roh's successor Kim Young-sam led an anti-corruption campaign that eventually led to placing Roh and Chun on trial for mutiny, treason and corruption for their involvement in the event of 1979-1980.

The Difficult Road of North Korea The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) was proclaimed on September 9, 1948, under Soviet supervision. Kim Il Sung (1912-1994), communist leader of North Korea from 1948 until his death, continued to rely heavily on Soviet and Chinese aid. Kim signed non-aggression pacts with each of the Communists powers when the Sino-Soviet split came in 1959. The guiding ideology of the regime was Marxism Leninism as well as Kim’s own chuch’e (self-reliance) philosophy. In 1987 the North Korea economy began to experience setbacks, forcing the government to make limited and largely unsuccessful contact with western powers. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 increased economic hardship. Natural disaster from1995-1997 led to widespread famine, and up to one million people may have died in the countryside. An increase of refugees across the Chinese border caused troubles in Sino-DPRK relations.

Future of the Two Koreas? ROK President Kim Dae Jung’s "Sunshine Policy" policy of government-to-government talks and economic assistance intended to improve relations with North Korea. Kim Dae-jung convinced Kim Jong Il to meet in a two Koreas summit in 2000. The "Sunshine Policy" was continued by Kim’s successor Roh Moo Hyun with popular support. Growing popular dissatisfaction with the US-ROK military alliance and the presence of US forces in South Korea have affected diplomatic relations. Meanwhile, several crises involving North Korea’s nuclear program have increased international tensions and have kept US attention on the region fairly constant.