North Korea in World North Korea in World GeographyGeography CoursesCourses

CountryCountry in Crisis in Crisis

By: Ken Chu at Bergen Community College

EAST

ASIA

KOREA

LAND USE PATTERNS

RUGGED MOUNTAINSINDUSTRIAL AREAMAIN RICE PRODUCINGSECONDARY RICE PRODUCINGFREE TRADE ZONE

Historical EvolutionHistorical Evolution

Three Kingdoms Period (Three Kingdoms Period (11stst-13-13thth centuries CEcenturies CE): Koguryo, Paekche, Silla.): Koguryo, Paekche, Silla.

Strong cultural & political ties with Strong cultural & political ties with Imperial China; transmitter to Japan.Imperial China; transmitter to Japan.

Choson period (1392-1905): Yi Choson period (1392-1905): Yi Dynasty, feudalism, Confucianism, Dynasty, feudalism, Confucianism, Seoul made capital.Seoul made capital.

Japanese colonization (1910-1945).Japanese colonization (1910-1945).

Democratic Peoples Republic of Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK)Korea (DPRK)

History of DPRKHistory of DPRK 1945-1950: Liberation & Foundation1945-1950: Liberation & Foundation 1950-1953: Korean War-Division along 381950-1953: Korean War-Division along 38thth

Parallel. Parallel. 1958-1970: Recovery & Growth1958-1970: Recovery & Growth 1970-1990: Stagnation & Decline1970-1990: Stagnation & Decline 1990-present: Crisis & Collapse1990-present: Crisis & Collapse

Totalitarian Leadership:Totalitarian Leadership:• Kim Il Sung “Great Leader”Kim Il Sung “Great Leader”• Kim Jong Il “Dear Leader”Kim Jong Il “Dear Leader”

Basic Geographic ConceptsBasic Geographic Concepts

Regional ComplementarityRegional Complementarity• North Korea—raw materials & industryNorth Korea—raw materials & industry• South Korea—agriculture & populationSouth Korea—agriculture & population

Juche IdeologyJuche Ideology--independence, self---independence, self-reliance, isolationism, nationalism, reliance, isolationism, nationalism, communism, absolute obedience to leader communism, absolute obedience to leader and party.and party.

NORTH-SOUTH CONTRASTS NORTH KOREA

– 55% of the land, 1/3 of the population, extremely rural

– Antiquated state enterprises– Inefficient, non-productive agriculture– Limited trade – former Soviet Union and China

SOUTH KOREA– 45% of the land, 2/3s of the population, highly

urbanized– Modern factories– Intensive, increasingly mechanized agriculture– Extensive trade – US, Japan, and Western

Europe

THE KOREAS

POPULATION 23,700,000

50,200,000

GNP (BILLIONS) $ 21.3 $ 508.3

GNP/CAPITA $ 920 $ 8,600

AGRICULTURE RESTRICTIVE GOOD

– (as % of GNP) 25 % 8 %

– (% work force) 36 % 21 %

Profile of a dictator: Kim Jong IlProfile of a dictator: Kim Jong Il

Official versionOfficial version• Birth marked by Birth marked by

double rainbow and double rainbow and new starnew star

• Composer of six Composer of six operasoperas

• Designer of huge Designer of huge tower in capital tower in capital (Pyongyang)(Pyongyang)

• Protector of Juche Protector of Juche ideology and ideology and brilliant generalbrilliant general

Unofficial versionUnofficial version• Playboy reputationPlayboy reputation

—permed hair and —permed hair and platform shoesplatform shoes

• Allegedly Allegedly responsible for responsible for nation’s nuclear nation’s nuclear programprogram

• Suspected of Suspected of ordering a number ordering a number of atrocitiesof atrocities

Relations with other NationsRelations with other Nations ChinaChina RussiaRussia JapanJapan South KoreaSouth Korea United StatesUnited States Non-aligned movementNon-aligned movement Current Issues: nuclear weapons, Current Issues: nuclear weapons,

militarism, famine, human-rights militarism, famine, human-rights violations, refugees.violations, refugees.

What allows N. Korea’s foundering What allows N. Korea’s foundering economy to keep ticking?economy to keep ticking?

Weapons salesWeapons sales $560 million/year$560 million/year

Legal non-military Legal non-military tradetrade

$600 million/year$600 million/year

Food AidFood Aid NANA

Illegal drug traffickingIllegal drug trafficking $100 million/year$100 million/year

Money counterfeitingMoney counterfeiting $100 million/year$100 million/year

Remittances from Remittances from overseasoverseas

Up to $100 Up to $100 million/yearmillion/year

DPRKDPRK ROKROK USAUSA

Population Population

(Millions)(Millions)2323 5050 290290

Land Area Land Area (Square km)(Square km)

121,540121,540 98,48098,480 9,629,0919,629,091

GDP (billions GDP (billions of dollars)of dollars)

2222 931931 10,08210,082

Defense Defense Budget Budget

44 1414 396396

Defense % of Defense % of GDPGDP

3434 33 3.33.3

Active-duty Active-duty troops troops (millions)(millions)

1.11.1 .685.685 1.41.4

ReservistsReservists 66 4.54.5 1.01.0

Prospects for the Future?Prospects for the Future? Implosion Implosion ExplosionExplosion Assimilation Assimilation ReunificationReunification

Foreign policy: How Foreign policy: How to deal with the to deal with the regime.regime.

Is there a grand Is there a grand bargain?bargain?