1. One Nation Split Into Two
North and South Korea
One Nation Split Into Two

2. Korea Was Once Whole Korea was once part of China until 1895.
Korea ruled itself until Japanese occupation. Japan wanted Korea’s resources.
During WWII Korea was a source of food, metal, and other war-time materials. Japan took what they wanted and left the Koreans with nothing. Koreans were even forced to fight in Japan’s army, but were seen as inferior.
By the end of WWII and the US liberation, Korea was occupied by the US. The US provided rations and supplies.
However, Korea was fought over by the US and USSR. To compromise, Korea was divided on the 38 parallel.

3. Conflict Begins with the Cold War
North Korea was supported by the USSR and ruled by a communist dictator, Kim IL Sung.
South Korea was supported by the US and set up a democratic republic.
Each side thought they should rule Korea as one whole country
The Korean War, from June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953, was known as “the Forgotten War”. It was also a Cold War between the United States and its allies and the communist powers of the People’s Republic of China and the Soviet Union (also a UN member nation).

4. The war was never ended. Finally in 1953 both sides agreed to a cease fire: DMZ created along the 38th parallel. Technically they are still at war.
Korean War

5. Korea Rebounds
Whether discussing North or South Korea, both have recovered from foreign occupation. Whenever Korea has been torn apart from war, they seem to pick up the pieces of their lives and put their country back together again. What makes this situation unique is that North and South Korea had different ideas on how to recover, thus splitting the country into two.

6. North Korea
North Korea is communist; therefore, the people have little say in their government. They also have a command economy where the government makes all decisions on what products are made, how much, wages, etc. Economic growth is slow due to command economy, wars, droughts, and conflicts. N. Korea has a low standard of living, poor healthcare, and the literacy rate is low.

7. They spend a great deal of their money on the military instead of its people, including nuclear weapons!!!
Many North Koreans are farmers and work on cooperatives, 300+ families working together, like communes

8. Koreans Learned from the Chinese
Chinese ideas migrated to Korea: Style of writing, printing techniques, Confucianism, and Buddhism. However, North Korea discourages religious freedom.
Instead, they worship their leader, Kim IL Sung II as a god/ deity. All credit is given to their leader.
South Korea worships Buddhism and Christianity.

9. South Korea is Different!
South Korea’s government is a republic where people vote for their leaders.
They have a market economy (free enterprise system) where the price of goods is determined by supply and demand. South Korea is known as an “Economic Tiger” because it has rapidly and aggressively improved it’s economy since the Korean War. Other “Economic Tigers” include Japan and Taiwan. All three trade regularly with the US and other nations around the world.

10. South Korea is like Japan…
Both Japan and South Korea have homogeneous populations.
The majority of the population lives in urban centers (cities).
Both have benefited from the large amount of coastal land, they use the seas by providing transportation routes for easy trade.
South Koreans, like Japan, have a high standard of living and a high literacy rate because of it’s economic success. South Korea exports cars and electronics!

11. Both are economically interdependent with the US
Both are economically interdependent with the US. Americans want and need Japan’s and south Korea’s high quality products, Japan and South Korea need the market to sell to.
Both South Korea and Japan see their most valuable resource as their people or their workforce.