Korea
Korean Peninsula Facts –About the size of Minnesota –Began as a colony of Japan 1910 –Linguistically and ethnically different from China and Japan –Powerful neighbors who often fight over the area (China, Japan, Russia)
Korean Peninsula Mountains upper half Speak Korean Language and culture closely related to Japanese All of Korea had very similar heritage, culture, resources until Korean War
Post-war outcomes Battle ended near it started Stalemate: cease-fire at 38 th parallel –Still to this day no formal peace treaty DMZ (demilitarized zone): Border between North and South Korea –Also known as ‘no mans land’ –Mines, barbed wire, traps, tunnels
North v. South
South Korea Capitalist economy with close ties to the U.S. Included as an ‘economic tiger’ with Taiwan and Singapore Major industrialization Major electronics industry and culture
North Korea Very strict Communist government –Kim il Sung (founder) –Kim Jong il (recently deceased leader) –Kim Jong Un (current leader) Included in the “axis of evil” One of worlds strongest militaries Poverty, malnutrition, hunger, poor to no health care –90’s famine killed nearly 3 million Extreme opposition to foreigners
North Korea Juche: self-reliance, little economic exchange, pride in own country, little care or communication with outsiders Major threat for Nuclear weapons Recently expelled aid workers and U.N. nuclear inspectors
Kim Jong Un
While you watch… How did North Korea become the country of North Korea? –What roles do that play in North Koreas legacy and North Korea today? List 3 examples of ‘juche’ Consider this: what are the strengths of Kim Jong il’s leadership style? What are his weaknesses?