1. Korea is a peninsula in East Asia.

2. Korea’s location allowed for cultural diffusion from China.

3. Korea’s location also made it vulnerable. Korea became a Japanese colony in 1910.

4. But after the Second World War and the defeat of the Japanese military, Korea was divided.

5. Yet again, Cold War tensions had influenced world history.

6. The Soviets controlled the North and Kim Il-Sung led a Stalinist regime in North Korea.

7. An American-backed government ruled the South.

8. The 38 th parallel served as the dividing line between North Korea and South Korea.

9. But in 1950, the North Korean army crossed the 38 th parallel. The South was invaded.

10. The Korean War lasted for three years. Finally, the North Korean armies were pushed back.

11. Once again, the 38 th parallel served as the dividing line and in addition, a Demilitarized Zone or DMZ was created on the border.

12. While Kim Il-Sung served as the Communist dictator of North Korea, he maintained a command economy and insisted on Juche or self-reliance.

13. Kim Jong-Il, Kim Il Sung’s son, followed his father as leader of North Korea. It was the first ever dynastic succession in a communist nation.

14. Kim Jong-Il isolated North Korea and severely punished critics.

15. Kim Jong-Il controlled all information in North Korea.

16. Dear Leader, as Kim Jong-Il is known, even started to develop a nuclear program.

17. Sadly, the Korean Peninsula is a land where the potential for conflict still exists.