GT1: North and South Korea Dispute

Group 5: Apolo, Benito, Gonzales, Guinid, Santamaria Section: A51

 What was the dispute about?

In 1950, after years of mutual hostilities, North Korea invaded South Korea in an attempt to unify the peninsula under its
communist rule. The subsequent Korean War, which lasted from 1950 to 1953, ended with a stalemate and has left the two
Koreas separated by the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) up to the present day.

The war arrived at worldwide extents in June 1950 when North Korea, provided and exhorted by the Soviet Union, attacked
the South. The United Nations, with the United States as the important member, joined the war on the South Koreans, and the
People's Republic of China came to North Korea's guide. After in excess of a million battle losses had been endured on the two
sides, the battling finished in July 1953 with Korea despite everything partitioned into two threatening states. Arrangements in
1954 created no further understanding, and the cutting edge has been acknowledged since the time as the true limit among
North and South Korea.
 What led to the dispute?
The dispute between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the Republic of Korea (South) started after
Japan invaded the Korean Peninsula leading a war against the USSR. In 1945, Japan was on the verge of surrender with the
USSR advancing through Korea. When Japan surrendered, the US had no base in Korea which led them fearing the possibility
of Soviet force’s full takeover of the peninsula. Because of the sudden surrendering of Japan, the US was not prepared leaving
the US troops behind.

In order to prevent the USSR taking over the whole Korean peninsula, the US suggested to have a temporary division among
the peninsula. During that time, the USSR was already present in the Northern region of the peninsula while the US troops
were still 500 miles away. Given a 30-minute time to decide, the two US army officers picked out the naturally prominent
thirty-eight parallel to mark the division of the region. They made sure that the places they chose were strong enough and
Seoul was on their side. The USSR then approved with the suggestion limiting their troops among the thirty-eight parallel
marks and US troops started gaining power in the South. During this time, the division was only meant for a provisional
administration arrangement, and under a new government, Korea will unite again.
 What led to the dispute?
The U.S took over South Korea while Soviet Union started preparing in North Korea. Both the U.S and Soviet Union wanted to control
Korea over a trusteeship to organize a government called U.S -Soviet Joint Council, but Korean netizens were deeply against this plan. Due to
conflict U.S handed over the decision to U.N but the plan or solution of U.N was to give both North and South Korea a fair regional election that
made Soviet Union refuse with the decision they made. In response, the U.N decided to make an election only in South Korea. President Rhee as
the first president of South Korea wants to reunite both peninsulas. Kim II-Sung, who ruled North Korea after the Japanese occupation and
established DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea). North Koreans argued that DPRK was the only legal government in Korean
peninsula but U.N during the conference confirmed that ROK (Republic of Korea), led by South Korea, was the only one that had the legal
measures. When the U.S withdrew South Korea, the two nations are now on their own.
The dispute began with 38 parallels between South and North Korea. The Korean war started with a surprise attack from the North
without any declarations. North Korea attacks the South from east, central, and west causing a bloody battle with a death toll of 2,000,000 from
ROK and DPRK. Despite having support from the U.S military and other countries, North Korea continued the war. This unending war and
conflict between these two nations was led because of the U.S and Soviet Union leading separately that divided the nation into half. The division
led the two nations with different beliefs and principles that brought massive changes among South and North Koreans. Korea, which was only a
single peninsula before, are now enemies to each other.
 What did the government from the opposing
countries do to address the problem?
Overcoming the years, after the Korean War as the two peninsulas were continuously governed by the rival governments. There were
high hopes that the 21st century will finally put the “Sunshine Policy” into action, the policy pertains to the reunification of North
and South Korea. In spite of that, knowing the reunification remained unsolved, there were multiparty negotiations regarding nuclear
issues between the two administrations. In 2000, South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung visited North Korea, he was reported as the
first Korean leader who traveled to the northern side. It was then that North and South Korea had an ultimate goal of national
reunification. The agreement led to a number of South Korean to attend cross border gatherings. In the same year, during the Olympic
Games the athletes of North and South Korea marched together under the flag of Republic of Korea.

It was not until the year 2009 in which the military and national goal of reunification agreements were turned down. Due to a South
Korean Warship exploded in which they suspected that the torpedo was fired from the North Korean Submarine. The raging fire
continued in 2010 in which along the border South Korean Military Base was bombarded by North Korean Artillery in which as a
response the South Korea did a counterattack. Up to the current generation the North and South Korea were still in rage which
resulted in South Korean National being banned from entering the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
 How was the concept and sense of nationalism observed and
considered in the different measures that were used to address the
dispute?
Nationalism is a supreme force that is capable of defining, combining, and dividing societies. In the views of Nationalists, individuals
in the state of nationalism consider themselves with other people to possess similar characteristics on citizenship, cultural heritage,
ethnicity, and shared history. It is a representation of the ideas about the nation, their values, and what is just and right for their nation.

In accordance to Y. Bae in 2015, both North Korea and South Korea possess different characteristics that establish their sense of
nationality. The concepts of nationality that are possessed by the former united countries is seen through the provided qualitative data
of the author. According to the author, the history of the two Korean countries is evidently seen through its differences in nationalism,
wherein Korea has undergone numerous changes in its political system. It all began during the fall of the Joseon monarchy to the
Japanese ruling. Just when independence was obtained, the division of the two countries occurred. A separation conducted by the two
of the most powerful nations, the United States, and the Soviet Union, resulting to the mass murder of individuals. It was during this
period when the nationalism in Korea was subjected to modification.
 How was the concept and sense of nationalism observed and
considered in the different measures that were used to address the
dispute?
The nationalism in Korea occurred through the process of modification and change. The premature version of nationalism in Korea was
in the form of self-preservation. A kind of nationalism that was a product of foreign threats. It was conducted by the Koreans to protect
the sovereignty of the country against what is considered to be unjust for their nation. The second form of nationalism in Korean
history is cultural nationalism. It occurred when Japan had attempted to implement its supreme cultural policies in Korea. The cultural
version of nationalism was conducted for the restoration, reclamation, and development of Korean culture, through enhancement in
history, religion, and language. This was subjected to suppression by the Japanese in the year of 1930. The last form of nationalism in
Korea was a product of the conflict between North and South Korea in the 1940’s. It was acquired after the division of the two Korean
countries, a division that occurred after 1100 years. This version of nationalism was acquired because of the difference in what they
considered to be nationalistic and real for the individuals of Korea.
 How was the concept and sense of nationalism observed and
considered in the different measures that were used to address the
dispute?
The difference in nationalism between North and South Korea are evidently seen in four major factors. Firstly, Korean nationalism is
fundamentally based on social construct, as a result of its susceptibility to the changes in the political system. Secondly, the conflict
between the two countries regarding political legitimacy to its nations have caused a negative impact on nationalism, formulating
nationalistic discourse. This creates two distinct historical perspectives. Thirdly, both the North and South Korea possess their own
ethnic nationalism. This could be elaborated as the two nations possess two distinct core characteristics. South Korean nationalism
focuses more on acquiring national prosperity, democracy, and industrialization. A nationalistic approach that differs from the North’s
version of acquiring national purity. North Korean nationalism focuses on the concepts of racial purity, and legitimization of
dictatorship. A kind of concept that is under conflict with the standards of international socialism. Its nationalism discourages the
impact of other nations to its state of nation, which rejects the influences of other nations. Lastly, because the two countries have
utmost difference in their concept of nationalism, the desire of reunification between the two countries would not conclude to success.
 How was the concept and sense of nationalism observed and
considered in the different measures that were used to address the
dispute?
Conclusively, the concepts that were observed in North and South Korea is a representation about the conflict in nationalism. This is
seen through the following: South Korea’s democracy against North Korea’s dictatorship; South Korea’s prosperity against North
Korea’s purity; The difference in social classes; And the stratification of nationals. This further proves the different types of concepts
utilized by the two countries, that are utilized to preserve the nationalism of each, how diversely it differs from other forms of
nationalism.
Reference:

Bae, Y. (2013). Analyzing the two different nationalisms in the two Koreas (Unpublished master's thesis). Brandeis University.

Bajpai, P. (2020, June 23). Why North Korea and South Korea Are Separated. Retrieved September 06, 2020, from
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/040515/why-north-korea-south-korea-are-separated.asp