Contrasting the Korean Peninsula

I. Divided Korea A. At the end of world War II Japan lost Korea. B. The allied forces agreed that Soviet forces would occupy the peninsula, North of the 38 th parallel and U.S. forces would occupy the peninsula South of the 38 th parallel.

C.Korea was suppose to become a unified and independent country but the occupying countries could never work out an agreement D. The occupying powers therefore set up separate governments

E. The two sides fought a war which ended in a draw, the DMZ zone was established. – A 51 mile long no-man’s land of mines, barbed wire, tank traps and underground tunnels

II. Government A.North Korea is ran by tightly controlled communist government. 1. The government maintains its grip by putting 1 out of every 20 of its population in the military out of every 40 people have spent time in the gulag 3. Mobile phones and the internet are forbidden, except for the elite, and radio and television sets are made to tune only to government stations

B. South Korea has a republican form of government 1. The population of South Korea enjoy many freedoms that their neighbors to the North do not. 2. They have a large amount of broadband internet and have access to a variety of television and musical entertainment.

III. Economy A.North Korea has a command economy, the government owns and operates almost all aspects of the economy 1. North Koreans, are on average 15 times poorer than their southern counterparts. 2. North Korea has close economic ties with China

B. South Korea has a capitalist economy, in which prices are set by supply and demand. 1. South Koreas has a much more prosperous economy than North Korea 2. South Korea has close economic ties with the United States

IV. Culture A. Both North and South Korea have adapted many ideas from China Chinese culture Diffusion Koreans adopt Chinese culture

A. Culture of North Korea 1. Communism has molded the culture of North Korea 2.The North Korean government only allows art that glorifies communism or the folk tradition 3. North Korea’s culture is heavily influenced by the military

B. Culture of South Korea B. South Korean artist have more freedom and often draw from their own culture as well as the Western art