South Korea and North Korea.

Korea has a long history going back to ancient times. Korea it has been governed by
different kingdoms. For centuries it is struggled under Chinese domination but at the end of
the nineteenth century, it decisively asserted it is independence, creating the Korean
Empire. Korea is a peninsular country in the northeastern corner of the Asian continent.
Nowadays is divided into North and South Korea. Both nations have been separated for
over 50 years.
The North and South Korea occupies 220,911 square kilometers, or 84,500 square miles.
The present population of both North and South Korea is approximately 68 million. The
Korean War (from 1950 to 1953) ushered the Korean peninsula into a hostile and
confrontational era. At the end of the war, South Korea and North Korea have been in an
armistice (Mi Sun Park and Hyowon Lee, 2014, 164).
Both nations are beautiful but they are different in many aspects and their political and
economic system changed. The South and the North have employed dramatically different
political and economic systems, and people in these two countries, as a result, have
developed a strong sense of disparity toward each other (Miejeong Hanand & Sei-Hill,
2004, p.327). The relative peace between the South and the North following the armistice
was interrupted by the different political and economic system that they have and this
caused how the South Koreans perceive the North Koreans. Since these two countries have
been separated into the South and the North many families were separated.
One half of the population in South Korea practices religion and the North Korea has
different religions like Buddhist and confucianist, some Christian and syncretic
chondogyo (Lagura, 2012 p.4).Like many countries North and South Korea have different
religions.
Both South and North Korea had been one nation before the Korean War, therefore their
climates are similar. North Korea has a combination of a continental climate and an oceanic
climate, with four distinct seasons. Most of North Korea is classified as being of a humid
continental climate with warm summers and cold, dry winters. In summer, there is a short
rainy season that the Koreans call changma and South Korea has a temperate climate with

four distinct seasons. Winters are usually long, cold, and dry, whereas summers are short,
hot, and humid. Spring and autumn are pleasant but short in duration.
All South Koreans and North Koreans speak the same language and share a common
cultural heritage although some dialect differences exist within both Koreas. Nonetheless,
various parts of the country are known for their different dialects, such as the Jeju dialect of
Jeju Island and the Gyeongsang dialect spoken around the cities of Busan and Daegu
(Korean Language). North Koreans refer to their Pyongyang dialect as munhwa ("cultured
language") as opposed to South Korea's Seoul dialect, the p'yojuno ("standard language)
Food represents a powerful part of the identity of a nation and in the last decades the role of
this part of human culture has started to receive much attention from tourism and economy
in many countries. For tourists who want to travel to the Far East without any knowledge of
the region. It can help open the eyes of anyone interested in getting a clear view of the
regions culture and people. South and North Korea are beautiful countries with a variety
food However; they have also notable for culinary differences and locally distinctive foods.
The food of the two nations are dissimilar because being farther north, it has a longer
winter and shorter summer. This negatively impacts agricultural production and South
Korea has a longer growing season that assures a greater bounty of fresh vegetables and
better-nourished livestock.
The South Korea meals are planned using a colour structure representing the five elements
to achieve optimal attractiveness, with respect to the visual appeal of the dish, as well as
health. Water, wood, fire, metal and earth are represented by food colours yellow, green,
red, white and black, respectively. Janet Shin (February 2010) describes the five elements
as hidden codes of Korean culture. They are well known and ingrained in Koreans daily
lives, instead of being learned as a difficult philosophical concept. The basic tastes of a
food, referred to as seasonings, are also grouped into five categories: salty, sweet, sour,
spicy and bitter (Korea Tourism Organization, 2008d). South Korean food commonly called
hansik. With the evolutions in dining afforded by new food offerings, breakfast for todays
urban Korean consumer may consist of Western-style foods such as toast, eggs and milk
Rice dishes and kimchi are staple North Koreans food. In a traditional meal, they
accompany both side dishes (panch'an) and main courses like juk, pulgogi or noodles. Soju

liquor is the best-known traditional Korean spirit. Other dishes served there include gray
mullet soup with boiled rice; beef rib soup, green bean pancake, sinsollo and dishes made
from terrapin. People said that North Korea food is saltier than the South Korean food but
their food is delicious as the South Korean food.
According to a market analysis report (2012) the population of South Korea is estimated to
be over 48 million and the education is highly regarded by the South Korean government
and supported by parents (p. 3). North and South Koreans have an excellent education;
children go through one year of kindergarten, four years of primary education, six years
of secondary education, and then on to universities. Children attend school 5 days per
week, with each class session in high school lasting 50 minutes, also the academic year run
from March to December.
Sorensen said South Korean students have recently achieved the highest mean scores is
science and math in the International Assessment of Educational Progress (IAEP)
administered by the Educational Testing Service to 13-year-olds in 19 countries (1994,
p.10). The instruction methods that North Korea uses consist of either lecture by the
teachers of the cramming method. There are self-discovery instruction methods, like
experiments, discussions, and lab work, undertaken to a certain extent in natural science or
technological fields
North Korea like many countries has many different festivals and celebrations the first one
is the International Workers Day, as it is elsewhere in world, on May 1, with Pyongyang
seeing a huge folk festival in Toesongsan Park along with sporting events and parades. The
second festival is the dragon boat taking place at the beginning of spring in early June. A
visit to the major event in Pyongyang is an approved tour activity. Other festival is victory
day, this important festival on July 27 marks the day on which the Korean War armistice
was signed, and involves mass dancing and military parades. The other one is the liberation
day, held on August 15 as part of the huge Mass Games festival in Pyongyangs main
stadium.
South Koreans celebrate the Lunar New Year by visiting hometowns or vacationing in
resorts. The other major family holiday is Chuseok (Harvest Moon Festival), when family
members visit ancestral tombs (including those of immediate ancestors) to clean the grave

site and leave food offerings in honor of the dead. Other holidays include Independence
Movement Day, Childrens Day, Buddha's Birthday Memorial Day, Independence Day,
National Foundation Day, and Christmas. Arbor Day, Armed Forces Day, and Korean
Language Day are marked by various celebrations but are not public holidays.
The traditional North Korean clothing is worn by the Koreans in auspicious occasions. The
modern men and women of North Korea have adopted the international dresses like jeans,
t-shirts, trousers. But there is certain traditional Korean clothing for men and women.
Hanbok is the traditional Korean dress and it is often characterized by vibrant colors and
simple lines without pockets. The hanbok is worn as semi-formal or formal wear during
traditional festivals and celebrations.
The national costume, hanbok, is worn by north and South Korean during national
holidays. Traditionally, people wore white clothes, reserving colors for the upper class or
during festive occasions. Rubber shoes and sandals have been replaced by designer shoes
and sneakers; however, even these are removed when entering a house or other area where
shoes are not permitted. The Cultural Spotlight area has an in-depth section on Traditional
Clothing.
The Korea Peninsula was divided between a Soviet backed government in the north and an
American backed government in the south. The division of Korea into two halves had come
at the end of World War II. Both nations speak the same language; another aspect that they
share is the clothing with unique textures is a delight to watch but they have different
ideologies after separation, also they share the same culture but their culture is different
from each other because their perspective is different, so they have developed distinct
contemporary forms of culture. Both North and South Korea continue to officially claim
sovereignty over the entire peninsula and any outlying islands. Despite the animosity,
reconciliation efforts have been present from the very beginning of the separation between
North and South Korea. Relationships between North and South Korea became increasingly
strained and the war between the two Koreas is sad because many families were separated
during the war and nowadays the war between the two Koreas continues and both nations
continue to create nuclear weapons.

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[http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_4_8_2.jsp].
Lagura, Glenne (2012) Updated and compressive comparative details between South and
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Mi Sun Park & Hyowon Lee (2014) Forest Policy and Law for Sustainability within the
Korean Peninsula
Miejeong Hanand & Sei-Hill (2004) South Koreans perceptions of North Koreans and
implications for public relations campaigns
Shin, Janet. (2010, February 25). Yin, Yang and 5 Elements in Local Culture. The Korea
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