Thursday, January 13, 2011
What We Did in Class Today Thursday January 13, 2011
Today in class, we took a test on North and South Korea. Since we came into school 2 hours late, our class time was much shorter than usual. The only thing we were able to do today was take the test.
Monday, January 10, 2011
What We Did in Class Today Monday January 10, 2011
Today in class, we went over some of the information that we gathered about North and South Korea as answers to the questions that we had to finish over the weekend. We talked about what will be on the test on Wednesday. I took the following notes on what we talked about:
North Korea has a communist rule
North Korea invaded South Korea
No one won the Korean war
No one won because they had a cease fire 4 million people died, cities were destroyed, tons of money was spent
The United States and the Soviet Union decided to help out North and South Korea
South Korea only borders North Korea
North Korea borders South Korea, Russia, and China
We are at the 37th parallel
The 38th parallel is the line that divides North and south Korea
In August of 1945 the 38th parallel was established
DMZ stands for de militarized zone
In South Korea they built a flag pole about 300 feet tall
In North Korea they built a flag pole over 500 feet tall it is the tallest in the world
South Korea's economy is in better shape because they can trade with other countries
North Korea's economy has problems such as no one will trade with North Korea except for China
South Korea's economy is really booming right now because of electronics - a lot of companies have started businesses there
South Korea's closest ally is the United States
North Korea's closest allies are China and Russia
Sunday, January 9, 2011
North Korea Project
- What is the official name of your Korea? The official name of North Korea is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
- Who is the head of your country? Give his title and a brief biography. The leader of North Korea is Kim Jong-il, and his title is Chairman of the National Defense Commission. His father, Kim Il-sung is the Eternal president of the country, even though he died in 1994. Kim Jong-il wasn't named the head of the Korean Worker's Party until 1997. He was not elected into power - he succeeded his father as leader. There isn't a lot known about him because he is rarely heard on radio or television broadcasts. He was born in Siberia on February 16, 1941, while his father was in exile in the former Soviet Union. The official North Korean story of his birth is that he was born in a log cabin at his father's military base in a high mountain and that a double rainbow and a new star appeared in the sky. There is some question about his health. He might have gastric problems or liver problems. He has several sons, but it is thought that his youngest son, Kim Jong-un will be the next leader of the country.
- Write a brief (75 - 100 words) history of your country.
The first people to live on the Korean Peninsula were from a Tungusic branch of the Ural-Altaic language family, who migrated from northwestern Asia. The main religions in North Korea are Buddhism and Shamanism. Christian missionaries worked in the area from the 16th-19th century, and before 1945 there was a fairly large Christian population in the country. Religious activity is now limited by the government. In the first century, the Korean Peninsula was divided into three kingdoms named Shilla, Koguryo, and Paekche. Many different groups fought over and ruled the country until Japan annexed Korea as part of the Japanese empire in 1910. At the end of World War II in August, 1945, Korea was divided into two zones. The U.S. lead the southern half and Russia took over the northern area. Eventually, two separate countries were formed with completely opposite political, economic, and social systems. In June, 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea and the UN sent troops to help South Korea. The war continued until 1953 when an armistice was signed. Relationships between the North and South are still not good today. There were some negotiations in the early 1970's, but nothing was resolved. In 1984, North Korea sent aid for flood victims in South Korea, but in 1987 they bombed a South Korean commercial airplane. Attempts at peace agreements in the early 1990's came to a stop because of concern over North Korea's nuclear weapon program. North Korea refused to allow inspections at certain sites where nuclear experimentation was suspected. Tensions continue between the two countries, and it is possible that fighting could begin again at anytime.
- Show where your country is on a regional map.
- What other countries and bodies of water does your country border? North Korea is located in East Asia on the north side of the Korean Peninsula. China and Russia border it to the north, and South Korea borders it along the Korean Demilitarized Zone. The Yellow Sea and Korea Bay are off the west coast and the Sea of Japan (East Sea) is off the east coast.
- What is the significance of the 38th Parallel? The 38th Parallel is the latitude line that once formed the boundary between North and South Korea. It separates the two countries and divides the peninsula roughly in the middle. After Japan surrendered at the end of World War II, the 38th Parallel was set as the boundary between the Soviet north and the American south occupied zones in Korea. It was supposed to be a temporary boundary, but in 1948, North and South Korea became independent countries and the 38th Parallel was the boundary. At the end of the Korean War in 1953, a new border was established through the middle of the Demilitarized Zone that cuts across the 38th parallel at an acute angle from southwest to northeast.
- What is the relationship between your Korea and the other Korea? The relationship between North and South Korea is not good. North Korea often does things to anger the South Koreans. In March, 2010 North Korea sank a South Korean patrol boat. North Korea signed an agreement with the United Nations that they would not build nuclear weapons, but it was discovered that they are doing it anyway. The North Koreans will not allow United Nation inspectors into the country to see what nuclear experiments they are doing. There is a lot of fighting and hate between the two Koreas. People cannot freely move from one Korea to the other.
- Describe what it is like just on your country’s side of the DMZ. Life on the North Korean side of the DMZ, it is very bad. If you try to leave the country, which you are not allowed to do, the guards will shoot you. You are told what to do by the government. It is a very violent and dangerous place to live. The government is accused of many bombings, kidnappings, and nuclear weapons testing. In the 1990's there was a terrible famine in North Korea that killed as many as 10% of the population. The military is very strong and controls the people and everything that happens in the country. There is very little trade with other countries and the government controls what trade there is. Most people are extremely poor and do not have jobs. Anyone who disagree with the government or try to act against it are tortured, starved, or publicly executed.
- What does the United Nations think of your relationship with the other Korea? The United Nations doesn't think that North Korea's relationship with South Korea is very good. The UN Security Council has condemned the test firing of missiles by the North Koreans and has demanded that they stop all missile launches. The UN Security Council had an emergency session in December, 2010 to try to resolve recent tension between the North and South Koreans. Both sides have said they will use their military to defend what each claim as their territory off the west coast, and the UN is very concerned that war could break out between the two sides very soon. It is doing what it can to try to keep peace.
- What is the major city in your country? The major city in North Korea is Pyongyang.
- Describe the role of the military. The role of the military in North Korea is very important. Leaders of the military are appointed by the head of the country and there is a "military-first" policy called Sŏn'gun. This means that the country's resources are given to support the army first above all the other needs of the country or individuals. The needs of the military are met before any other needs in the country. The military strength and well-being is more important than anything else in their society. The military is part of their political and economic systems. It also guides the country's domestic policies, international relationships, and overall culture of the country. The military is seen as the "supreme repository of power." The military upholds the laws and keeps people from leaving the country. They guard the border of North Korea, and they don't let anyone in or out of the country.
- What is the role of nuclear weaponry? North Korea has had a nuclear development program since the 1950's. They claim that they need nuclear weapons to protect their country from being attacked, but the bigger concern is that the North Koreans will attack other countries with the weapons. The
country claims that it has actually produced nuclear weapons, but there is no way to know for sure if this is true or how many weapons they have. The country will not allow inspections of its nuclear facilities and plants.
- Which superpower is your Korea’s closest ally? The superpower that is North Korea's closest ally is China.
- Can people enter and leave your country freely? Why or why not? People cannot freely enter or leave North Korea because the government will not allow this to happen. The borders are heavily guarded and anyone trying to enter or leave will be shot.
- What is the human rights record of your country? The government of North Korea might be the most oppressive in the world. The country is secretive and does not allow communication between its citizens and outsiders so the human rights record of North Korea is very difficult to know for sure. The government forces its citizens to by loyal and obedient by forcing citizens to spy on one another. Anyone who criticizes the government can be tortured, executed, or put into one of the country's ten violent concentration camps. Conditions at the camps are horrible and there are 200,000-250,000 people in the camps. It is estimated that 25% of these die each year. There is no due process in North Korea. Public executions are common. Most of the citizens are malnourished as the limited resources of the country are given first to the military and ruling class.
- Describe the role of the press (newspapers, TV, radio) in your country. The government of North Korea controls all communication to its people. All radio and TV stations, newspapers, magazines, and church sermons are controlled by the government. They all focus on praising the leader and government. Anyone who contacts a foreigner in anyway or listens to a foreign radio station is in danger of being tortured, put in prison, or executed. Travel outside of North Korea is forbidden. The people who live in this country only know what the government wants them to know and much of the information they receive is not true.
- How do elections work in your country? Elections in North Korea are really a formality because candidates are chosen by the country's ruler and only one candidate runs for a position. The leader remains in power until he dies or becomes very sick and then one of his sons is appointed to take over. The North Korean Parliament only meets a few times each year to pass laws that the ruling party requests. The leader determines who will be on the ballot and therefore chooses who will help him rule the country. When Kim Jong-il was appointed leader in 1994, he had to work with the lawmakers that his father had chosen. When the next election took place in 1998, he cleared out two-thirds of these people and replaced them with his own lawmakers.
- How does your country feel about the United States? The United States and North Korea have been enemies for a long time. The US helped divide the country into two regions at the end of World War II and then fought against the North Koreans in 1950's. The US put economic restrictions in place against the country for almost fifty years. North Korea does not want the US to interfere with its policies or government. The North Koreans complain that the US did not deliver the heavy fuel oil or light-water reactors that they promised in 1994. They also accuse the US of not lifting economic restrictions that were promised by President Clinton. They also don't like the US military buildup in Northeast Asia.
- Is your economy healthy and thriving? Give at least three statistics in your answer. North Korea's economy is not healthy and thriving. It is one of the most restrictive and closed economies in the world and the country faces significant economic problems. The country's gross domestic product per capita is ranked 49th out of the 54 Asian countries. It's revenue in 2005 was $2.88 billion, but it's expenses were $2.98 billion. The estimated real growth rate for 2009 was -0.9%.
- What is the religious makeup of your country? Do you have freedom of religion there? North Korea is one of the world's worse countries for giving its citizens religious freedom. Anyone who practices a religion that is considered unacceptable by the government is beaten, arrested, tortured, or killed because of their religious beliefs. Religion is like a cult that worships leader Kim Jong-il and his father. This is basically the state religion. The sermons at the state-authorized churches support the government and people are taken to church on tour buses. The North Korean government officially claims that the country's main religions are Buddhism, Confucianism, Korean Shamanism, and Syncretic Chondogyo. There is a small Christian minority. However, the Central Intelligence Agency has stated that the North Korean government is trying to create the false impression of religious freedom since the only religious activities that are permitted are those provided by government sponsored religious groups.
- What happened on November 23, 2010, that is important to both Koreas? On November 23, 2010, North Korea bombed the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong. This island is occupied by South Korean civilians near the border between the two Koreas on the peninsula's west coast. Two South Korean soldiers were killed and 14 people were wounded. The South Koreans sent up fighter jets and returned fire. This event increased tensions between the two countries.
- Who are Lisa Ling and Laura Ling, and what do they have to do with Korea? Laura Ling is a journalist who was filming a documentary along the border between China and North Korea. She was arrested along with another journalist named Euna Lee for illegally crossing the border into North Korea. She was sentenced to twelve years of hard labor in a North Korean prison camp. Lisa Ling is Laura's sister and she is a special correspondent to CNN. She contacted diplomatic officials in the US and publicized what was going on with her sister. She lead a campaign to get the U.S. involved so that her sister and the other journalist would be released. President Bill Clinton traveled to North Korea to meet with leader Kim Jong Il in August, 2009. The two journalists were released after 140 days in the North Korean prison.
Sources:
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2010/0929/North-Korea-s-Kim-Jong-il-cements-military-first-stand-with-key-appointments
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-23/north-korea-s-attack-on-southern-island-draws-criticism-from-u-s-europe.html
What We Did in Class Today Friday January 7, 2011
Today in class, we continued to watch the movie about Korea. We finished the movie, and after it, we talked about some different things that happened in the movie. We talked about why we think North Korea is so secrative, and doesn't let anyone leave the country. We talked about the leader in North Korea, whose name is Kim Jong - il, and how he rules the country. For homework over the weekend, we have to finish the rest of the questions on our Korea project.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
What We Did in Class Today Wednesday, January 5,2011
Today in class, we continued to work on our North and South Korea projects. As a class we discussed some of the information we have already gathered about Korea, such as the official names of the two Koreas and their leaders. We will continue working on our projects tomorrow in class. For homework tonight, we had to answer questions 4 - 10. Here are the questions and my answers.
- Show where your country is on a regional map.
- What other countries and bodies of water does your country border? North Korea is located in East Asia on the north side of the Korean Peninsula. China and Russia border it to the north, and South Korea borders it along the Korean Demilitarized Zone. The Yellow Sea and Korea Bay are off the west coast and the Sea of Japan (East Sea) is off the east coast.
- What is the significance of the 38th Parallel? The 38th Parallel is the latitude line that once formed the boundary between North and South Korea. It separates the two countries and divides the peninsula roughly in the middle. After Japan surrendered at the end of World War II, the 38th Parallel was set as the boundary between the Soviet north and the American south occupied zones in Korea. It was supposed to be a temporary boundary, but in 1948, North and South Korea became independent countries and the 38th Parallel was the boundary. At the end of the Korean War in 1953, a new border was established through the middle of the Demilitarized Zone that cuts across the 38th parallel at an acute angle from southwest to northeast.
- What is the relationship between your Korea and the other Korea? The relationship between North and South Korea is not good. North Korea often does things to anger the South Koreans. In March, 2010 North Korea sank a South Korean patrol boat. North Korea signed an agreement with the United Nations that they would not build nuclear weapons, but it was discovered that they are doing it anyway. The North Koreans will not allow United Nation inspectors into the country to see what nuclear experiments they are doing. There is a lot of fighting and hate between the two Koreas. People cannot freely move from one Korea to the other.
- Describe what it is like just on your country’s side of the DMZ. Life on the North Korean side of the DMZ, it is very bad. If you try to leave the country, which you are not allowed to do, the guards will shoot you. You are told what to do by the government. It is a very violent and dangerous place to live. The government is accused of many bombings, kidnappings, and nuclear weapons testing. In the 1990's there was a terrible famine in North Korea that killed as many as 10% of the population. The military is very strong and controls the people and everything that happens in the country. There is very little trade with other countries and the government controls what trade there is. Most people are extremely poor and do not have jobs. Anyone who disagree with the government or try to act against it are tortured, starved, or publicly executed.
- What does the United Nations think of your relationship with the other Korea? The United Nations doesn't think that North Korea's relationship with South Korea is very good. The UN Security Council has condemned the test firing of missiles by the North Koreans and has demanded that they stop all missile launches. The UN Security Council had an emergency session in December, 2010 to try to resolve recent tension between the North and South Koreans. Both sides have said they will use their military to defend what each claim as their territory off the west coast, and the UN is very concerned that war could break out between the two sides very soon. It is doing what it can to try to keep peace.
- What is the major city in your country? The major city in North Korea is Pyongyang.
What We Did in Class Today Thursday January 6,2010
Today in class, we talked about the answers to the questions that we had for homework last night. We talked about the relationship between North and South Korea and the relationship these countries have with the United Nations. We also discussed the DMZ and the 38th Parallel. We continued to work on answering the other questions we were assigned about Korea, and we also started to watch a movie about Korea. We will continue to watch it tomorrow.
Monday, January 3, 2011
What We Did in Class Today, Monday January 3, 2011
Today in class we started to talk about North and South Korea. This is the last unit that we will be doing before exams and end of our second semester. Mr. Schick divided the class into two sides of the room. One side was called North Korea, and the other side was called South Korea. I was assigned to the North Korea side of the room. Each group was given questions to look up. After we have all the answers, we have to put together a presentation using Powerpoint or another similar program. Each group started working on the questions during class, and we will continue to work on them Wednesday because we don't have class on Tuesday.
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