...The Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea is a country on the Korean peninsula in Asia. More colloquially known as North Korea, it is infamous for its numerous human rights violations and oppressive government. Harsh conditions, severe famine, a communist dictatorship and many other factors contribute to the reasons why many North Korean citizens would want to defect. Defection is a long, arduous event with many obstacles, which can make or break someone’s life, and is a taboo topic in North Korea. Not only is defection risking your life, but it is risking the lives of your family as well. North Korea feeds constant communist propaganda to their citizens, and controls all aspects of international media. This is common knowledge,...
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...Inc. Bringing Western Culture to South Korea via Nursing Home, Plastic Surgery, Clothing and Makeup Jacob Schwarz Executive Summary My reason for writing this study is to determine the feasibility of building a nursing/retirement home, a plastic surgery outpatient center, and a cosmetic and clothing store in Seoul, South Korea. In my opinion, South Korea is welcoming to this venture; this can be seen in the upcoming research. In this report, I explore the geography of Seoul, South Korea. I learn of the growing, large, population and the population density of 45,000 people per square mile (“Population Statistics,” 2013). Next, I review the demographics and find out that minority groups consist of 2.2% of the population (Population Statistics, 2013). While reviewing the demographics I found that the education system is extremely strict; though it is more lenient now, it is still success driven (Chakrabarti, 2013). I also found that religion is not going to be an issue with this venture, in my opinion. There are two major religions; the major Christian religion will be implemented in the venture (Koo, n.d.). Education and demographics are important to a global business venture, though I believe the economy is most important. I present information about South Korea’s economy, and how it has transformed from an aid recipient to a donor country (Globalization, n.d.). Here is where I mention the chaebol’s success, which accounted for 55.7% of South Koreas GDP in 2010 (Globalization...
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...NORTH KOREA Nicholas Eastman There are a few different countries that, in my opinion, would be enjoyable to visit and study their culture. One country in particular seems to stick out to me. I have always been taught about democracy in school, as well as other government styles, but have never first hand experienced another style of government. For this reason I chose North Korea, based on their centralized communist ways. I opinionate this to be an interesting way of life and would like to learn more about how people live under a communist government. From what I know about North Korea, rules seem strict and the people do not have the same rights as we do in the United States, which leaves me wondering how my life would be different, living under the same conditions as North Koreans. The geography of North Korea represents a peninsula, attached to Manchuria, China, and a small portion of the USSR (Geography). This 600 mile long peninsula is just above the 38th parallel, with a size of just above 45,000 square miles (Geo). With this, it makes the country itself smaller than the state of Pennsylvania. The make-up of the land in North Korea consists of several mountain ranges, lined up north to south, with small valleys in between each (Geo). This does not allow for many rural areas, leading to large cities populated by millions of people. The Yalu River forms a portion of the northern border with Manchuria (Geo). The mountains in the country prevent large farms, which...
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...Grace Lee 105 Korea The Political Philosophy of Juche Grace Lee Introduction The political philosophy known as juche became the official autarkic state ideology of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in 1972.1 Although foreign scholars often describe juche as “self-reliance,” the true meaning of the term is much more nuanced. Kim Il Sung explained: Establishing juche means, in a nutshell, being the master of revolution and reconstruction in one’s own country. This means holding fast to an independent position, rejecting dependence on others, using one’s own brains, believing in one’s own strength, displaying the revolutionary spirit of self-reliance, and thus solving one’s own problems for oneself on one’s own responsibility under all circumstances. The DPRK claims that juche is Kim Il Sung’s creative application of Marxist-Leninist principles to the modern political realities in North Korea.2 Kim Il Sung and his son Kim Jong Il have successfully wielded the juche idea as a political shibboleth to evoke a fiercely nationalistic drive for North Korean independence and to justify policies of self-reliance and self-denial in the face of famine and economic stagnation in North Korea. Kim Il Sung envisioned three specific applications of juche philosophy: political and ideological independence, especially from the Soviet Union and China; economic self-reliance and self-sufficiency; and a viable national defense system.3 This paper begins with a discussion of the three...
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...sent U.S. troops to aid South Korea from being invaded by North Korean communist armies. The UN had successfully cleared the North Korean invaders from South Korea; however, Truman with the support of General MacArthur decided cross the 38th parallel to fight communism in North Korea which ended up backfiring. Truman discharged General MacArthur because he went against his orders and made public statements about expanding the war into China. | Truman’s decision to get involved in the Korean War reinforced the U.S. as a global police. Many civilians were supporters of MacArthur and were outraged when Truman discharged him. Much of the outrage stemmed from civilians not fully understanding the war and their disappointment with Truman not going forth and taking over North Korea. | Moving OnCh.2 p. 36-40 | 38th Parallel | This is the latitudinal line that divides North Korea and South Korea. North Korea initially crossed the boundary in 1950 which prompted U.N. involvement ultimately resulting in the Korean war. Truman tried going north of the line in order to defeat communism in North Korea. However, Chinese troops pushed U.S. forces back across the parallel. After the armistice in 1953, the line was re-established as the border between North Korea and South Korea. | This line signified the distinction between communism and capitalism as well as Soviet and U.S. power. The 38th parallel is still considered the border between North and South Korea. | Moving OnCh.2 p. 36-40 | ...
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...North Korea’s culture is one today that can be miss interpreted unknown in many ways due to the split of North Korea and South Korea back 1945. Culture today can be defined by several different aspects such as to consider, but not to limit to; arts, customs, religion, practice’s, music as well many more. When looking at North Korea’s culture they have provided multitudes of changes with food and society’s trends due to the immigration of Koreans to the U.S. Among the arts, and customs being a widely practiced culture amongst American’s is coming more and more common. Korean culture is vastly spreading across America along with countless other countries. The biggest culture inherits that American’s have enriched themselves in is the Korean...
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...After North and South Korea were divided along the 38th parallel, it has been continued for 70 years. The reunification of Korea has been controversial for decades, and the interest and expectation of unification has been growing after the reunification of Germany. As the expectation was growing, the problems that can be raised from the United Korea have been discussed (Cumings, 2010). Different political view, national economic status, and cultures between North and South Korea can cause serious problems, and it can possibly leads the United Korea to be undeveloped country. North Korea have been living in the communist political system. In North Korea, people are brainwashed in communism and restricted the basic human rights under severe monitoring system of government. Unlike North Korea, South Korea emphasizes the implementation of human dignity and support the freedom and equality by supporting the liberal democracy (Shuja, 2003). The extreme polarization of political view can cause staging a coup and even cause assimilating one to the other. The unification of Germany shows how the national unification cause a severe economic depression. The united Germany ended up mass unemployment, and the unemployment cause increasing in suicide rate (Kaiser). The critical different economic status and the cost of unification can result in economic aggravation. According to Woolf, "In then-current dollars, the estimates cover an enormous range between $400 billion and $3.6 trillion"...
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...Masculine Virtues in Friend and Joint Security Area In most cultures, masculine virtues are seen as superior, and are represented by qualities such as integrity, loyalty, discipline, strength, and courage. At a time when South Korea was feeling anxious and uncertain about its state, the entertainment industry provided its citizens with films that portrayed these desired masculine qualities to give them hope of recuperation. Two of these films, Friend and Joint Security Area, depicted brave and loyal men and the filial relationships that they formed with each other to inspire a nation that had forgotten that it had these values. In 1997, the Korean financial system collapsed and its stock market plunged (Paquet, 61). As a result, South Korea faced bankruptcy and had to depend on the International Monetary Fund to bail its economy out. The humiliation of having to rely on the IMF left the nation vulnerable and desperate for a way to recover its pride. As a result, the people of South Korea welcomed jop’ok, or gangster, style movies that redefined and exercised manhood (Shin, 118). Friend, the archetype of a jop’ok style movie, featured four male friends who embodied the masculine virtues Korea was seeking in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Similarly, Joint Security Area also featured four courageous male friends, but the movie wasn’t part of the jop’ok cycle. Its characters were soldiers and personified bravery, loyalty, and courage in the face of adversity. Both movies were...
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...Cultural Awareness of North Korea By SGT Anderson, Alvin, D. ALC Class 718-12 SSG Rockhold North Korean Cultural Awareness Outline Understanding and respecting cultural differences is critical to our success in the world forum. We cannot hope to be a successful, diplomatic military without cultural awareness. 1. What Is Culture? a. The Definition of Culture b. Characteristics of a Culture 2. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea c. About North Korea d. The Korean War 3. Juche e. Kim Il-sung f. The Effects of Kim Il-sung and Juche 4. Diplomacy With North Korea g. The Threat North Korea Poses h. Hope For the Future A diplomatic relationship with North Korea may not be possible at this time, But taking the time to get know and understand their culture and their angst against the US may help us further our relationship with them in the future. Alvin Anderson SSG Rockhold ALC 718-12 May 19, 2012 North Korean Culture What is culture? Culture is many things. Culture is almost everything. The word culture is very broad and encompassing. There is no simple, universally accepted definition for the word culture. It is by definition: the behavior and beliefs characteristic of a particular social, ethnic or age group. It is characterized a group of peoples’ traditions, religion, food, customs and language. Culture is dynamic. Culture is static. It both changes with the times and...
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...Korean Peninsula.The Korean peninsula consists of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) on the northern part of the peninsula and the Republic of Korea (ROK) on the south, dividing on the 38th parallel. The peninsula split up in the 1950s during the Korean War, which involved the Communist North against Democratic South Korea. As the Korean War broke out on the peninsula in 1950, the United Nations Security Council recognised North Korea’s act as an invasion. Due to the fact that North Korea ignored the United Nations’ call for a ceasefire, the United States, United Kingdom and many other nations sent forces towards the peninsula in order to defend South Korea. Although a cease fire agreement have been signed in July 1953, North and South Korea are technically still at war to this very day. Since the Korean War divided one nation, whom share the same culture, values and language, they were separated because of two enormous political ideology differences, that the leaders believed in. We can safely say the Korean War was an “Ideology War”. The North being more towards socialism / communism (left wing) and the South being a firm believer in a semi-western, democratic (right wing) ideology. There isn’t only different ideologies within the politics, but also economically and educationally are being influenced by this ideology. Often we ask ourselves whether we can see Korea as one again in the future? Is unification in the peninsula a sustainable option? Or...
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...“The Cleanest Race: How North Koreans See Themselves – and Why It Matters,” by B. R. Myers (excerpted) Korean schoolchildren in North and South learn that Japan invaded their country in 1905, that Japan spent 40 years destroying its language and culture, and then withdrew. Yet the truth is more complex. For much of the country’s long history, the national identities of Koreans and Chinese were mutually indistinguishable. Believing their civilization was founded by a Chinese’s age in China’s image, Koreans subscribed to a Confucian worldview that put their country in a position of permanent subservience to China. It was not until the late 19th century, under Japan, that Koreans took measures to establish Koreas independence, and imbue the people with a sense of national pride. The Japanese freed the peninsula from China only to take it for themselves. Opposition to Japanese rule grew from 1905 until patriots declared independence in 1919. The authorities responded with a brutal show of force. The Japanese started a colonial propaganda machine, which did not stamp out Korean pride. Instead it asserted that Koreans shared the same ancient bloodline and benevolent ruler as the Japanese. Both peoples belonged to one “imperial” race that was superior to all others. Japan and Korea were seen as one body. Koreans had languished too long under China’s shadow – now was the time to become part of a Japanese whole. It was in this period that Korean nationalists revived the legend of Jan’gun...
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...was a military conflict between the Republic of Korea, supported by the United Nations, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China (PRC), with military material aid from the Soviet Union. The war was a result of the physical division of Korea by an agreement of the victorious Allies at the conclusion of the Pacific War at the end of World War II. The Korean peninsula was ruled by Japan from 1910 until the end of World War II. Following the surrender of Japan in 1945, American administrators divided the peninsula along the 38th Parallel, with United States troops occupying the southern part and Soviet troops occupying the northern part.[2] The failure to hold free elections throughout the Korean Peninsula in 1948 deepened the division between the two sides, and the North established a Communist government. The 38th Parallel increasingly became a political border between the two Koreas. Although reunification negotiations continued in the months preceding the war, tension intensified. Cross-border skirmishes and raids at the 38th Parallel persisted. The situation escalated into open warfare when North Korean forces invaded South Korea on 25 June 1950.[3] It was the first significant armed conflict of the Cold War.[4] The United Nations, particularly the United States, came to the aid of South Korea in repelling the invasion. A rapid UN counter-offensive drove the North Koreans past the 38th Parallel and almost to the...
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...Will North Korea in due time undergo changes or experience implosions sooner or later ? Is a big changing or a revolution similar to the Arab Spring possible in North Korea? The answer from me and most scholars and intelligence analysts has been ‘‘NO’’ The Pyongyang regime’s stability in the aftermath of the events in the Middle East and North Africa is an ‘‘old question’’ that was answered in the 1990s when the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, North Korea) faced the most critical test of its life, and survived. The collapse of the Soviet Union, the drastic cuts in patron aid from China, and the onset of famine that killed hundreds of thousands all constituted the ultimate test of DPRK stability, and the regime staggered on through it all.(1) There are five potential variables that could bring the Arab Spring to North Korea’s doorstep: individual socio-economic development, rates of economic growth (rising expectations), demography (youthful population), the contagion effect, or regime type. Do we see the possibility for change in the DPRK from any of these? Not really. In the months since Kim Jong-un has been in power, most telling is the way he remains overshadowed by his late father and grandfather. Kim jong Un's a contrast to his introverted dad, Kim Jong Il. In power for more than a year, Kim is very much an extrovert who loves to appear in public, watch his beloved hoops and deliver speeches. "Much of his behavior may be political theater aimed at convincing...
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...His name known throughout all tribes and nations. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, the Bible presents God’s missionary purpose for humanity. For this reason, Christians involved in missions will travel to dangerous places to proclaim God’s name and saving power. According to the People Groups website, since the year 2014, there are a total of 11,168 people groups in the world and 6,544 are unreached people groups. All unreached people groups are in dire need of the Gospel and it is God’s intention to have His people reach them. One unreached people group who are in desperate need for God is the Koreans in North Korea. With a population of 25,360,100 and a communist government that regulates all aspects of freedom, including religion, for its people, explains why North Koreans are approximately one percent evangelized. North Korea is ranked as the number one country where Christians are most persecuted for their belief. God remains faithful to His intent on reaching all peoples and Koreans are not the exception. In order to bring the Gospel to them, much planning, preparation, and training must take place before taking such a dangerous journey. It is the intention of this paper to devise a strategy to bring God’s name to this unreached people group. This paper will first discuss their background, historical events, language, society, and religions. Second, this paper will include a brief review of the history of...
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...Values, Norms, Traditions, and Narratives of North Korean Culture Even though the cultural values of North Korea are always evolving,I felt that the following values and norms are fundamental to their culture. Harmony in personal relationships is a dominant force in a Korean’s life (Moerch). Facts, logic and conclusions are often not nearly as important as how one is looked upon by others. Friendships are tight-knit and valuable. It is an insult to refuse a friend’s request. It is even less forgivable to fail a superior. These friendships are possible because everyone does his or her best to preserve the harmony of good feelings. The bearer of bad news may smile to soften the blow, or they may avoid giving the news, even if s/he is merely the messenger and in no way responsible for it. It is very hard for Koreans to admit failure and it is devastating to lose face in Korean culture. The directness of Westerners is thoroughly unpalatable to many Koreans (especially older and/or more traditional people), whose self-esteem is often on the line. In Korea, it is very important to maintain “kibun” or the feeling of being in a in a comfortable state of mind. Kibun has no literal translation in English. However, it can be described in terms of pride, face, mood, or state of mind. In order to maintain a Korean’s sense of Kibun, particularly in a business context, one must show the proper respect and avoid causing loss of face. In a culture where social harmony is essential, the ability...
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