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Divided Korea:. Genesis of a Nuclear Flashpoint Whence the “Axis of Evil?”. South Korea GDP Per Capita $20,400 Military Expenses $21.06 billion Military as share of GDP 2.6% Population 48,846,823 Infant mortality 6.16 deaths/1,000 live births. North Korea GDP Per Capita $1,800
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Divided Korea: Genesis of a Nuclear Flashpoint Whence the “Axis of Evil?”
South Korea GDP Per Capita $20,400 Military Expenses $21.06 billion Military as share of GDP 2.6% Population 48,846,823 Infant mortality 6.16 deaths/1,000 live births North Korea GDP Per Capita $1,800 Military Expenses $5.21 Billion Military as share of GDP 31% Population 23,113,019 Infant Mortality 23.29 deaths/1,000 live births Two Koreas Today
Geography • Division roughly along the 38th Parallel • North Korea: Communist, anti-American • South Korea: Capitalist, pro-American
Korean History • 1910 Japanese Annexation • Western and US Complicity • Taft-Katsura Agreement • Domestic Independence Movements • March 1st Movement, 1919 • Independence Movements in Exile • US Based: Syngman Rhee • China and Soviet Based: Kim Il Sung
Korean History • Repression under Japan • Japanese Language • Japanese Names • Japanese Education • Forced labor and military service, • “Comfort Women”
WW II in Korean History • World War II • Pearl Harbor • US Plan: Germany first, then Japan
WW II in Korean History • Cairo Conference: 1943 • Korea to be occupied • Korean Independence “in due time”
WW II in Korean History • Yalta Conference: • Feb. 4—11, 1945 • USSR to join war on Japan 3 months after German surrender • USSR to participate in occupation of Korea • Potsdam Conference • July 17—Aug. 2, 1945 • Yalta Conference arrangements for Korea Confirmed
WW II in Korean History • August 6, 1945, Atom bomb on Hiroshima • August 8, 1945, Russians enter the war against Japan, fulfilling their Yalta Conference agreement • August 9, 1945, Atom bomb on Nagasaki • August 10/11, 1945 (about midnight), young colonels, Dean Rusk and Charles Bonesteel, under orders from Gen. McArthur, draw a division line at the 38th parallel, keeping the capital city, Seoul, in the American area. • August 15, 1945, Japan Surrenders.
Cold War History: Korea • USA/USSR tensions emerge almost at once • USA envisions capitalist democracy • USSR envisions communist government
South Korean History • October, 1945 • Syngman Rhee returned to South Korea from the US • Welcomed as a nationalist resistance leader by US leadership.
North Korean History • October, 1945 • Kim Il Sung returns to North Korea from Manchuria • Welcomed by Soviets as a nationalist resistance leader
Cold War History: US • Containment 1947 • George Kennan writes Mr. X article • Coins term and policy of Containment
Emerging Cold War conflict between USA and USSR Joint elections impractical Two separate Korean Governments established 1948 “Elections” in both North and South Korea Two Koreas
Republic of Korea (South) Syngman Rhee’s Government 1948-1960 Pro-American Capitalist Anti-communist Pro Christian Authoritarian Corrupt Inept Democratic People’s Republic of Korea(North) Kim Il Sung’s Government 1948-1994 Pro-Soviet / Pro-Chinese Anti-American Communist Becomes anti-religion Authoritarian Isolationist Two Koreas
Korean War • January 12, 1950 • United States Secretary of State Dean Acheson • US Press Club: RE: America's Pacific defense perimeter • Implies that the U.S. might not fight over Korea • This omission encouraged the North and the Soviets
Korean War • War begins June 25, 1950: North Korea Invades • Incheon landing, September 15 - September 28, 1950 • Chinese entry, October, 1950 • January 4, 1951, Communist Chinese and North Korean forces recapture Seoul. • MacArthur was removed from command by President Truman on April 11, 1951. • Stalemate, July, 1951
Korean Division • Originally 38th parallel • Post Korean War: Red line called the DMZ
Korean War Ends • Cease Fire July 27, 1953 • Neither Korea Signed Armistice • State of war continues • Both Koreas considered themeslves the only legitimate authority • Both Koreas had aurhoritarian dictatorships at least through 1987
Post Korean War History • South Korea: 40,000 US troops remain to guard South Korea • US supports pro American authoritarian regimes • North Korea: Chinese troops leave • North argues that South Korea is an occupied country, not independent • North sees US troops as a threat
South Korean History • South Korea • Corruption, incompetence, and cheating on elections leads to Syngman Rhee’s departure 1960 • Military Coup brings Military to power in South Korea
South Korean History • Park Chung Hee leads South Korea • Military Dictator • Harsh discipline • Anti-communist • Economic development for national security • Fantastic economic growth • Terrible human rights
North Korean History • Kim Il Sung in North Korea • Juche Ideology • National independence • Aligned with USSR and China • Plays them off against each other until 1991 • Standard pattern of brinksmanship to get what he wants
North Korea • North Korea sees 40,000 US troops on its southern border as a major threat • South Korea is simply a colony of the US. • NO need to work with SK, it is the US that matters. • Develops Juche ideology of independence • Economic independence • Military independence • Focus on People’s needs • In reality, Juche is a failure both in independence and in People’s needs.
North Korea • Authoritarian • Anti religious persecution • Inefficient production, very little economic growth • Becomes progressively less secure as South Korea outgrows the North
North Korea • Cold War ends • Communist Block Collapses 1991 • North Korea can’t play China and Russia against each other • South Korean President Roh Tae Woo (1988-1993) launches “Norde Politic” drive and normalizes relations with China and Russia, Isolating North Korea
Northern Crisis • Isolated North Korea has difficulty feeding its population • Bad weather • Communist incentive structure • Poor distribution • No more cheap resources from China and Russia • 25-30% of GDP spent on military
Nuclear Crisis • North Korea launches Nuclear program, 1990 • 1994: NK Withdraws from membership with International Atomic Energy Agency • Jimmy Carter visits Korea representing Clinton Administration • 1994 Agreed Framework negotiated • N. Korea gives up nuclear weapons for energy support • Korean Economic Development Organization (KEDO) formed to help N. Korean energy development.
Relevant History • Kim Il Sung dies in 1994 • Kim Jong Il succeeds his father and continues his father’s government patterns • US and most experts expected North Korea to collapse under economic strains and leadership transition.
Nuclear Crisis • 1994 Agreed Framework • DPRK's nuclear power plants would be replaced with light water reactor (LWR) power plants by a target date of 2003. • Oil for heating and electricity production would be provided while DPRK's reactors were shut down, until completion of the first LWR power unit.
Nuclear Crisis • 1994 Agreed Framework • The two sides would move toward full normalization of political and economic relations. • The U.S. would provide formal assurances to the DPRK, against the threat or use of nuclear weapons by the U.S. • The DPRK would take steps to implement the Korean Peninsula Denuclearization Declaration.
Nuclear Crisis • 1994 Agreed Framework • The DPRK would remain a party to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty. • IAEA ad hoc and routine inspections would resume for facilities not subject to the freeze. • Existing spent nuclear fuel stocks would be stored and ultimately disposed of without reprocessing in the DPRK. • DPRK would come into full compliance with its safeguards agreement with the IAEA
Nuclear Crisis • US compliance with Agreed Framework is spotty • North Korea doesn’t get adequate energy • NK continues pattern of “brinksmanship” to improve their position
South Korean Response • President Kim Dae Jung (1998-2003) Initiates “Sunshine Policy” • Attempts for the first time to engage NK with positive incentives • Negotiates some trade and family exchanges
Axis of Evil and Bush Doctrine • 2002 State of the Union President Bush includes North Korea in “Axis of Evil” with Iraq and Iran • Iraq Invasion • President Bush declares the “Bush Doctrine” of preemptive war • US invades Iraq
North Korean Reaction • 2003 Withdraw from Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty • Declares NK a nuclear power • Insists on addressing only US, not 6-party talks
South Korean Response • President Roh Moo Hyun (2003--) Continues Sunshine policy • Disagrees with Bush administration on hard line approach
Conclusions • North Korea’s Nuclear threat derives from North Korean perception of insecurity • Korea’s division created that insecurity • North Korea sees US as the core threat (40,000 US troops aimed at them) • Bush Doctrine and US behavior since 2001 reinforces perception of threat
Conclusions • North Korean leadership is NOT crazy nor suicidal • North Korea uses aggressive negotiating tactics to achieve its ends • North Korea is unlikely to USE nuclear weapons • Panic or over-reaction to North Korean provocations are counterproductive