The Two Koreas

1
The Two Koreas

• Chapter 17
• Section 3

2
A Divided Land

• 1945- Koreans celebrated Japanese defeat in WWII
  with joy and hope
• After WWII, U.S. and Soviets agreed to let Korea
  regain independence
• Troops were sent to Korea to accept Japanese
  surrender
• Soviets occupied above 38th parallel
• U.S. occupied below 38th parallel
• As cold war rivalries increased, Soviets helped
  communists gain power in the North
• Likewise, U.S. back non-communists in the south
• 1948- Korea officially split into North and South
  Korea

3
War in Korea

• Clashes still occurred between the two
• UN Involvement
• U.S. saw N. Korea invasion as communist threat
• UN voted to send troops to S. Korea
• With these troops, both the South and the North
  fought constantly
• Aftermath of the War
• Stalemate ending
• 1953 both signed armistice
• Korea was still divided at the 38th parallel
• The war left the two areas in a ruinous state

4
South Korea Today

• Government
• With confucian background, authoritarian rule was
  accepted
• Syngman Rhee, 1st president, and other successors
  were strict about peoples freedoms
• They believed this was necessary to regain
  stability and promote economic growth
• 1960 protests forced Rhee to resign
• 1980s- democratic elections took place
• Today, the government is still suppressive but
  oppostion groups have also won rights

5
South Korea Today

• Economic Growth
• 1953- faced great difficulty with rebuilding
  cities because of the great refugee population
• With aid from the U.S., great progress has been
  made and today it is one of the most
  industrialized Asian countries
• Government has tight control over the market
• Exports automobiles, textiles, electronics
• With industrialization also comes environmental
  pollution

6
South Korea Today

• Social Change
• New middle class emerged
• Industry drew farmers to the urban areas
• Nuclear families are more common than extended
  families
• Women have more rights and jobs in factories
• Many Confucian traditions and values are still in
  place

7
North Korea Today

• Closed society under communist dictatorship
• 1948-1994 Kim il Sung established totalitarian
  state
• Complete obedience was to him
• Isolated N.Korea to practice self-reliance
• Very few imports and exports today
• Kim Jong IL took over after his father
• After 1995, natural disasters resulted in famine
  and economic failings
• It forced government to increase trade and permit
  foreign investment

8
Outlook for the Future

• Hope to reunite land still exists
• A nonagression pact has been signed after 1990s
• There is still fear and suspicion between the two
  countries
• North Korea has nuclear weapons and missiles
  which threaten many other countries around the
  world