Draft North Korea
| Title | North Korea (1948-Today) |
|---|---|
| Author | Lyndsey Twining |
| Actor | Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il, Kim Jong-un |
| Place | Kaeseong Industrial Complex, Pyeongyang |
| Event | Flood of 1995, 1990s Famine, North-South Families Reunion |
| Concept | Juche, Sunshine Policy, Korean Worker's Party, China, Soviet Union, South Korea |
North Korea, officially the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, was established in 1948 by Kim Il-sung. Kim was known as an anti-Japanese and pro-Communist independence fighter. In 1950, Kim attempted to reunite the Korean peninsula with Communist rule, attacking the South in what would become the Korean War. Following this failed attempt, North Korea initiated economic policies, emphasizing strengthening of the military and the development of heavy industry. A political philosophy of self-reliance, called Juche, was also propagated. This led to economic growth, and until the late 1960s, industrial development in the North surpassed that in the South. However, this growth slowed down in the 1970s as North Korea defaulted on its international debts following the 1973 oil crisis, which saw a drop in prices for the country’s native mineral resources. Self-reliance and a failure to diversify into light industry also weakened the economy. The fall of the Soviet Bloc in 1991, followed by the 1994 death of Kim Il-sung, who had been worshiped as a god, and then a massive famine in 1995 which lasted until 1998, was disastrous for the economy and people. Following the death of Kim Il-sung, the country was led by his son, Kim Jong-il. In the early 2000s, relations with South Korea improved via the Sunshine Policy and creation of the Kaeseong Industrial Complex, but its continued development of a nuclear program has worsened international relations. North Korea has also been under great scrutiny for its violations of human rights. The country has no free speech, and those that speak out against the government can be sent to work camps, tortured, or killed. In 2011, upon the death of Kim Jong-il, his son Kim Jong-un took over as leader of the country.
Glossary
- People
- Concepts
- Objects
- Related States
Media
Further Reading
Editor's Worksheet
Issues to Resolve
Media to be Produced
- Map of Gaeseong Industrial Complex
- Map of 1995 Flood
