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TABLE OF CONTENTS
NORTH KOREA ON OUR MINDS AND IN OUR CLASSROOMS......... 2
KEYNOTE: PROFESSOR CLARK SORENSON ............................................... 2
INFORMATION SHEET:........................................................................... 3
MAPS OF NORTH KOREA ....................................................................... 4
TIMELINE ............................................................................................ 7
NORTH KOREA-U.S. RELATIONS/SECURITY ISSUES ................... 11
Recommended Resources
Maps
Audio
NEWS SOURCES......................................................................... 32
BOOKS....................................................................................... 33
Educational Games
Lesson Plans /
Educational Resources
Video / PowerPoint
Although North Korea does not often make front-page newsunless there is a missile launch or
underground nuclear testlife goes on for its 23 million citizens. What social, economic, and
political changes are happening in this East Asian country today? This evening Professor Clark
Sorensen, Chair of the UWs Korea Studies Program will guide us through recent social
changes and economics... Together we will ponder who will succeed the ailing "Dear Leader"
Kim Jong-Il and some of the other issues facing Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK)
today.
Professor Sorensen holds a PhD in Anthropology from University of Washington. He has taught
in the University of Washingtons Korea Studies Program since 1989. He speaks Korean,
Chinese, Japanese, and German and has taught numerous East Asia and Anthropology classes
at UW. These include: Comparative Family and Kinship; Social Change in East Asia since 1945;
History of Korea; and Cultural Interactions in an Independent World. This quarter he is teaching
SISEA 585, a graduate-level research seminar on Modern Korea.
Professor Sorensons areas of interest include: Modern Korean society; social change in modern
East Asia; and national identity formation. Among his publications are Over the Mountains are
Mountains, ethnography of a Korean village, published by the University of Washington Press
and numerous journal articles on contemporary Korean culture, which address the evolution of
filial piety among other issues.
More background information on Professor Sorenson can be found on his University of
Washingtons webpage: http://faculty.washington.edu/sangok
Special thanks to our co-sponsor the East Asia Resource Center (EARC) http://jsis.washington.edu/earc/
The East Asia Resource Center (EARC) provides a wide range of outreach programming and services to K-12
educators nationwide. The EARC helps educators expand and update their knowledge of China, Japan, and
Korea; recommends effective resources and strategies for teaching about East Asia; and develops quality
curriculum materials. EARC offerings for K-12 educators include one-day workshops, 30-hour seminars,
summer institutes, study tours to Asia, a resource collection, EARC volumes of curriculum materials, and a
quarterly newsletter. EARC programming strives to bring the expertise of UW faculty and K-12 master
teachers in Asian studies to its audiences of educators across the Northwest. EARC activities are supported by
grants from the Freeman Foundation, the US Department of Education, and other foundations.
INFORMATION SHEET:
NORTH KOREA AT A GLANCE
An independent kingdom for much of its long history, Korea was occupied by Japan beginning
in 1905 following the Russo-Japanese War. Five years later, Japan formally annexed the entire
peninsula. Following World War II, Korea was split with the northern half coming under Sovietsponsored Communist control. After failing in the Korean War (1950-53) to conquer the U.S.backed Republic of Korea (ROK) in the southern portion by force, North Korea (DPRK), under
its founder President Kim il Sung, adopted a policy of ostensible diplomatic and economic "selfreliance" as a check against outside influence.
The DPRK demonized the U.S. as the ultimate threat to its social system through state-funded
propaganda, and molded political, economic, and military policies around the core ideological
objective of eventual unification of Korea under Pyongyang's control. Kim's son, the current
ruler Kim Jong il, was officially designated as his father's successor in 1980, assuming a growing
political and managerial role until the elder Kim's death in 1994.
After decades of economic mismanagement and resource misallocation, the DPRK since the
mid-1990s has relied heavily on international aid to feed its population. North Korea's history of
regional military provocations, proliferation of military-related items, long-range missile
development, WMD programs including nuclear weapons test in 2006 and 2009, and massive
conventional armed forces are of major concern to the international community.
Excerpted from CIA World Factbook:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kn.html
COUNTRY PROFILES
BBC NEWS COUNTRY PROFILE NORTH KOREA
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/country_profiles/1131421.stm
A brief overview of North Korea, its economy, people, and government.
NORTH KOREAS OFFICIAL WEB SITE
http://www.korea-dpr.com/
The official website of North Korea. This site is in English and helps to promote North Korean
interest to foreigners.
CIA COUNTRY PROFILE NORTH KOREA
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kn.html
The CIA official data on North Korea.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE BACKGROUND NOTES: NORTH KOREA
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2792.htm
These notes include facts about the land, people, history, government, political conditions,
economy, and foreign relations.
http://www.mapcruzin.com/free-maps-korea/korea_north_admin_2005.jpg
Area: 1122,762 sq. km. (47,918 sq. mi.), about the size of Mississippi.
Cities: Capital--Pyongyang. Other cities--Hamhung, Chongjin, Wonsan, Nampo, and Kaesong.
Terrain: About 80% of land area is moderately high mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys and
small, cultivated plains. The remainder is lowland plains covering small, scattered areas.
Climate: Long, cold, dry winters; short, hot, humid, summers.
From U.S. Department of State Background Notes: North Korea http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2792.htm
http://english.freemap.jp/blankmap_dl.php?area=asia_e&country=korea&file_name=2.gif
http://english.freemap.jp/blankmap_dl.php?area=asia_e&country=korea&file_name=2.gif
TIMELINE
BBC NORTH KOREA
A Chronology of Key Events
1945 - After World War II, Japanese occupation of Korea ends with Soviet troops occupying the
north, and US troops the south.
1946 - North Korea's Communist Party (Korean Workers' Party - KWP) inaugurated. Sovietbacked leadership installed, including Red Army-trained Kim Il-sung.
1948 - Democratic People's Republic of Korea proclaimed. Soviet troops withdraw.
1950 - South declares independence, sparking North Korean invasion.
1953 - Armistice ends Korean War, which has cost two million lives.
1960s - Heavy industrial growth.
1968 - US intelligence-gathering vessel seized by North Korean gunboats.
1969 - US reconnaissance plane shot down.
1972 - After secret North-South talks, both sides seek to develop dialogue aimed at unification.
1980 - Kim Il-Sung's son, Kim Jong-Il, moves up party and political ladder.
1991 - North and South Korea join the United Nations.
1992 - North Korea agrees to allow inspections by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),
but over next two years refuses access to sites of suspected nuclear weapons production.
1994 - Death of Kim Il-sung. Kim Jong-Il succeeds him as leader, but doesn't take presidential
title. North Korea agrees to freeze nuclear programme in return for $5bn worth of free fuel and
two nuclear reactors.
Flood and Famine
1995 - US formally agrees to help provide two modern nuclear reactors designed to produce
less weapons-grade plutonium.
1996 - Severe famine follows widespread floods.
Pyongyang announces it will no longer abide by the armistice that ended the Korean War, and
sends troops into the demilitarized zone.
North Korean submarine runs aground in South.
1998 - The late Kim Il-song declared "eternal president", while Kim Jong-Il's powers widened to
encompass head of state.
UN food aid brought in to help famine victims.
North launches rocket which flies over Japan and lands in the Pacific Ocean. Pyongyang insists
it fired a satellite, not a missile.
South Korea captures North Korean mini-submarine in its waters. Nine crew inside found dead.
Historic Handshake
2000 - Summit in Pyongyang between Kim Jong-il and South Korean President Kim Dae-jung.
North stops propaganda broadcasts against the South.
Senior journalists from South Korea visit the North to open up communication.
Reopening of border liaison offices at the truce village of Panmunjom, in the no-man's-land
between the heavily fortified borders of the two countries.
South Korea gives amnesty to more than 3,500 prisoners.
One hundred North Koreans meet their relatives in the South in a highly-charged, emotional
reunion.
World Affairs Council Teacher Resource Packet North Korea
January 12, 2010
2001 May - A European Union delegation headed by Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson
visits to help shore up the fragile reconciliation process with South Korea. The group represents
the highest-level Western diplomatic mission ever to travel to North Korea.
2001 June - North Korea says it is grappling with the worst spring drought of its history.
2001 August - Kim Jong Il arrives for his first visit to Moscow after an epic nine-day, 10,000kilometre train journey from Pyongyang. Kim apparently dislikes flying.
2002 January - US President George W Bush says North Korea is part of an "axis of evil", along
with states such as Iraq and Iran. Pyongyang says Mr. Bush has not stopped far short of
declaring war.
2002 June - North and South Korean naval vessels wage a gun battle in the Yellow Sea, the
worst skirmish for three years. Some 30 North Korean and four South Korean sailors are killed.
2002 September - Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visits, the first Japanese leader to
do so. He meets Kim Jong-Il who apologizes for the abductions of Japanese citizens in the 1970s
and 1980s.
Nuclear Brinkmanship
2002 October-December - Nuclear tensions mount. In October the US says North Korea has
admitted to having a secret weapons programme. The US decides to halt oil shipments to
Pyongyang. In December North Korea begins to reactivate its Yongbyon reactor. International
inspectors are thrown out.
2003 January - North Korea withdraws from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), a key
international agreement aimed at preventing the spread of atomic weapons.
2003 April - Delegations from North Korea, the US and China begin talks in Beijing on North
Korea's nuclear ambitions, the first such discussions since the start of the nuclear crisis.
2003 July - Pyongyang says it has enough plutonium to start making nuclear bombs.
Six-Nation Talks
2003 August - Six-nation talks in Beijing on North Korea's nuclear programme fail to bridge gap
between Washington and Pyongyang.
2003 October - Pyongyang says it has reprocessed 8,000 nuclear fuel rods, obtaining enough
material to make up to six nuclear bombs.
2004 April - More than 160 killed and hundreds more injured when train carrying oil and
chemicals hits power line in town of Ryongchon.
2004 June - Third round of six-nation talks on nuclear programme ends inconclusively. North
Korea pulls out of scheduled September round.
2004 December - Row with Japan over fate of Japanese citizens kidnapped and trained as spies
by North Korea in 70s, 80s. Tokyo says eight victims, said by Pyongyang to be dead, are alive.
2005 February - Pyongyang says it has built nuclear weapons for self-defense.
2005 September - Fourth round of six-nation talks on nuclear programme concludes. North
Korea agrees to give up its weapons in return for aid and security guarantees. But it later
demands a civilian nuclear reactor.
2006 February - High-level talks with Japan, the first since 2003, fail to yield agreement on key
issues, including the fate of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea.
2006 July - North Korea test-fires a long-range missile, and some medium-range ones, to an
international outcry. Despite reportedly having the capability to hit the US, the long-range
Taepodong-2 crashes shortly after take-off, US officials say.
World Affairs Council Teacher Resource Packet North Korea
January 12, 2010
2006 October - North Korea claims to test a nuclear weapon for the first time.
2007 February - Six-nation talks on nuclear programme resume in Beijing. In a last-minute deal,
North Korea agrees to close its main nuclear reactor in exchange for fuel aid.
2007 May - Passenger trains cross the North-South border for the first time in 56 years.
2007 June - International inspectors visit the Yongbyon nuclear complex for the first time since
being expelled from the country in 2002.
2007 July - International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors verify shutdown of the Yongbyon
reactor.
2007 August - North Korea appeals for aid after devastating floods.
Nuclear Declaration
2007 October - Pyongyang commits to disable three nuclear facilities and declare all its nuclear
programmes by year-end.
The presidents of North and South Korea pledge at a Pyongyang summit to seek talks to
formally end the Korean War.
2007 November - North and South Korea's prime ministers meet for the first time in 15 years.
2008 January - US says North Korea has failed to meet end-of-2007 deadline on declaring
nuclear activities. China urges North Korea to honor its commitments.
2008 February - The New York Philharmonic performs a groundbreaking concert in Pyongyang
- a move seen as an act of cultural diplomacy.
2008 February - South Korea's new conservative President Lee Myung-bak says aid to North
conditional on nuclear disarmament and human rights progress.
2008 March-April - North-South relations deteriorate sharply. North Korea expels Southern
managers from joint industrial base, test-fires short-range missiles and accuses President Lee
Myung-bak of sending a warship into Northern waters.
2008 June - In what is seen as a key step in the denuclearization process, North Korea makes its
long-awaited declaration of its nuclear assets.
2008 July - Soldier shoots South Korean woman in the Mount Kumgang special tourism area of
North Korea, prompting further tensions.
Foreign Minister Pak Ui-Chun and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice hold talks on
Pyongyang's nuclear disarmament, the first such meeting for four years.
Kim No-Show
2008 September - Kim Jong-Il fails to appear at an important military parade, triggering
speculation over his state of health.
North Korea accuses the US of not fulfilling its part of a disarmament-for-aid deal and says it is
preparing to restart the Yongbyon reactor.
2008 October - The US removes North Korea from its list of countries which sponsor terrorism,
in return for Pyongyang agreeing to provide full access to its nuclear sites.
2008 November - North Korea says it will cut off all overland travel to and from the South from
December, and blames South Korea for pursuing a confrontational policy.
2008 December - Pyongyang says it will slow down work to dismantle its nuclear programme in
response to a US decision to suspend energy aid. The US move came following the breakdown
of international talks to end the country's nuclear activities.
Nuclear Tensions Rise
2009 January - North Korea says it is scrapping all military and political deals with the South,
accusing Seoul of "hostile intent".
2009 April - North Korea launches a rocket carrying what it says is a communications satellite;
its neighbours accuse it of testing long-range missile technology. After criticism of the launch
from the UN Security Council, North Korea walks out of the international six-party talks aimed
at winding up its nuclear programme.
Kim Jong-il attends parliamentary vote to re-elect him leader, in his first major state
appearance since a suspected stroke in 2008.
2009 May - North Korea says it successfully carries out an underground nuclear test, its second
ever, drawing protests from the US, China and Russia.
It also announces that it no longer considers itself bound by the terms of the 1953 truce that
ended the war between the two Koreas.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates says US "will not accept" a nuclear-armed North Korea.
2009 June - North Korea proposes reopening talks with South on Kaesong factory park, which is
run by South Korean companies, employs North Korean workers and is based just north of the
border.
The eldest son of Kim Jong-il seems to confirm media reports that his younger brother Kim
Jong-un has been designated the country's next leader. Kim Jong-nam was speaking to
Japanese television.
North Korea sentences two US journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee to 12 years hard labour for
allegedly crossing the border illegally.
UN Security Council votes unanimously to impose tougher sanctions on North Korea.
Pyongyang responds by saying it will view any US-led attempt to blockade the country as an
"act of war" and that it plans to "weaponise" its plutonium stocks.
Tensions Subside
2009 August - Former US President Bill Clinton visits to help secure the release of US journalists
Laura Ling and Euna Lee, convicted of illegal border crossings two months earlier.
Pyongyang makes series of conciliatory gestures towards Seoul. It sends a delegation to the
funeral of former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, frees four South Korean fishermen
who had been detained for a month, and agrees to resume programme of family reunions
suspended since early 2008.
2009 October - North Korea indicates that it may be willing to resume bilateral and multilateral
talks on its nuclear programmes at a meeting with visiting Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao.
2009 December - US envoy Stephen Bosworth visits Pyongyang, reaches "common
understanding" on need to resume six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear programme.
2010 January - North Korea calls for end to hostile relations with US and vows to strive for
nuclear-free Korean peninsula.
Excerpted from BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/1132268.stm
attributed the swing back to a harder line as evidence both of Mr. Kim's need to assert control over the
military that is the heart of the state and a calculation that provocation might lead to concessions from
the Obama administration
NYT (10/20/09) http://www.nytimes.com/info/north-korea/?scp=1-spot&sq=north%20korea&st=cse
RESOURCES:
NORTH KOREA-U.S. RELATIONS/ SECURITY ISSUES
SANCTIONS IN THE NORTH KOREAN CONTEXT (11/3/0) (1.5 hr. video)
http://www.asiasociety.org/policy-politics/international-relations/us-asia/sanctions-northkorean-context
Daniel Glaser of the U.S. Treasury Department, John Park, John Delury, and Mike Kulma debate
the efficacy of continued U.S. sanctions vs. greater engagement with North Korea. With North
Korea appearing once again poised to enter a phase of relative openness, the panelists
analyzed the complex portfolio of foreign policy tools at the Obama administration's disposal.
SHADES OF RED: CHINAS DEBATE OVER NORTH KOREA (11/4/09)
http://www.nautilus.org/napsnet/sr/index.html
The International Crisis Group, an independent, non-profit, multinational organization, working
through field-based analysis and high-level advocacy to prevent and resolve deadly conflict,
writes in this twenty-seven page report, "While there is an ongoing debate on North Korea
policy within Beijing policy circles reflective of divergent views of U.S. - China relations, overall
there remains significant aversion to any move which might destabilize China's periphery.
Beijing therefore views the nuclear issue as a longer-term endeavor for which the U.S. is
principally responsible, and continues to strengthen its bilateral relationship with North Korea."
BROOKINGS INSTITUTE: A PROPOSAL FOR A BOSWORTH PROCESS WITH NORTH KOREA:
DENUCLEARIZATION AND BEYOND (10/09)
http://www.brookings.edu/papers/2009/10_north_korea_park.aspx
Despite consistent provocations by North Korea since the Obama administration took office in
January 2009, conditions are now developing that should enable Ambassador Stephen
Bosworth, the U.S. Special Representative for North Korea policy, to finally visit Pyongyang
and secure North Koreas agreement to return to stalled negotiations on ending North Koreas
nuclear weapons program. Ambassador Bosworth and the U.S. should refuse to conduct
bilateral negotiations about ending what Pyongyang calls U.S.s "hostile policy," as North Korea
desires. This eighteen-page proposal outlines a comprehensive, three-part roadmap for
denuclearization and beyond, showing the North Koreans a path toward peaceful coexistence
with the United States and membership in the world community, which is the underlying goal
of the Six-Party Talks.
CRISIS GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS: NORTH KOREA GETTING BACK TO TALKS (6/18/09)
http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=6163&l=1
The motivations for North Koreas second nuclear test are, as with many of its actions, mostly
impenetrable. It may be the latest step in an unrelenting drive to become a permanent nuclear
state or it could be advertising nuclear wares to potential buyers. It may be driving up the price
others will pay for the North to give up its weapons or it might be about ensuring that the
military will accept whatever decision Kim Jong-il has made on his successor. Most likely, North
Koreas nuclear weapons program serves multiple purposes for the leadership. Whatever the
rationale, there are no good options in response. Finding a way to resume talks on ending the
nuclear program may appear to reward Pyongyangs bad behavior, but diplomacy is still the
World Affairs Council Teacher Resource Packet North Korea
January 12, 2010
least bad option. At the same time, the UN Security Councils strong and united condemnation
of the test in Resolution 1874 must be enforced, while containment of proliferation and
deterrence of North Korean provocations need to be boosted. See this site for Crisis Groups 26
page report/recommendations.
CHRIS HILL DISCUSSES SIX-PARTY TALKS (2/3/09) 1 HR., 15 MIN VIDEO
http://www.asiasociety.org/policy-politics/international-relations/us-asia/country-ratherproblem
Ambassador Christopher Hill (2/3/09) reviews his role as lead negotiator in the Six-Party Talks
aimed at finding a peaceful resolution to North Korea's nuclear program. Summing up the
challenges he faced, Hill told the audience, "From a diplomatic point of view, you've got to
somehow address this problem, and make the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] a
country rather than a problem." Hill underlined the importance of the Six-Party talks in ending
the production of plutonium in North Korea, and spoke more generally of their role in fostering
direct communication and smaller dialogues between East Asian neighbors and the U.S. While
North Korea "has not understood that ultimately its security and its well-being depend on good
relations with neighbors," he said, the talks have nevertheless improved regional relationships.
Hill stated, "The U.S.-China relationship, I would say, is a better relationship, thanks to the
North Koreans ... the U.S. and China have been working on very concrete things, not just a
dialogue, but things we try to get done vis--vis denuclearization."
CLINTONS MISSION TO PYONGYANG (8/5/09)
http://www.feer.com/international-relations/20098/august53/Clintons-Mission-to-Pyongyang
The White House and Department of State deserve praise for Mr. Clintons solely private
mission, and we can all breathe a sigh of relief at the news that Laura Ling and Euna Lee will be
reunited with their families. Their fate has always been linked to the bigger picture of U.S.DPRK relations. The symbolism around Mr. Clintons visit, and his direct talks with Kim Jong Il,
suggests we may be on the cusp of some positive movement, at last. With wise, creative and
determined follow-through, hopefully Pyongyang and Washington can make some verifiable
and irreversible (if not complete) improvement in normalizing their relationship.
THE CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE - KOREAN PENINSULA NUCLEAR POLICY
http://www.carnegieendowment.org/npp/index.cfm?fa=view&nppID=1000090
The Carnegie Endowment is another source of information relating to national security issues.
There are several featured articles here on the nuclear program, nuclear talks, Congressional
Research Service documents, and many other resources. This website contains declassified
information on North Korea and their nuclear weapons program from FOIA documents.
NATIONAL SECURITY ARCHIVE NORTH KOREA
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB87/
This site contains declassified information for North Korea including: North Korea and the
United States: Declassified Documents from the Bush I and Clinton Administrations. These
documents were made available through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
NUCLEAR THREAT INITIATIVE: NORTH KOREA PROFILE
http://www.nti.org/e_research/profiles/NK/index.html
This extensive site contains information on the weapons of mass destruction programs of North
Korea, including maps, reports, treaties, policy papers, and publications.
Obama has stated that the action is a threat to international peace. Experts believe that North
Korea has not yet developed the capacity to launch a nuclear weapon via missile, but this test
has increased fears that North Korea is closer to becoming a full-fledged nuclear state. In this
free online lesson students view four two-minute-long video from Choices Scholars Online
video library and think critically about the issues surrounding North Korea and nuclear
weapons.
This site contains Choices Scholars Online videos (and discussion questions):
What problems do we face from nuclear weapons? [Thomas Nichols - 1:57]
Why would countries like North Korea and Iran want nuclear weapons? [J. Cirincione - 1:56]
What are the issues around North Koreas nuclear weapons program? [J. Cirincione - 1:29]
What are the consequences in Asia of North Koreas nuclear weapons program? [JC (2:01]
NORTH KOREA AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS ($10 DOWNLOAD FEE)
http://www.choices.edu/resources/detail.php?id=195
The first lesson has students step into the shoes of the Six-Party Delegates to consider a variety
of perspectives on this issue. The second lesson asks students to consider four different options
for U.S. policy towards North Korea.
PBS: NORTH KOREA: NUCLEAR STANDOFF
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/indepth_coverage/asia/northkorea/index.html
Includes recent news in North Korea and access to reports and lesson plans on North Korea.
FRONTLINE/WORLD FACE-OFF: U.S. FOREIGN POLICY WITH NORTH KOREA (2003)
http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/educators/politics_northkorea.html
Help students examine the results of U.S. foreign policy with North Korea by identifying any
actions taken by the United States against North Korea and both the short-term and long-term
results of those actions. Which actions were the most effective? The least effective? How might
North Koreas geographic position have influenced U.S. policy? Moving forward, what should
the United States do to ease tensions with North Korea? How should North Koreas nuclear
weapons capabilities influence U.S. foreign policy strategies? As a final step, students could
synthesize the class recommendations in a letter to the president of the United States.
FRONTLINE KIMS NUCLEAR GAMBLE (2003)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/kim/
The overall objective of this guide is to have students use negotiating strategies to explore the
issues separating North Korea and the United States. The following activities are designed to
give them background and prepare them to negotiate. In Kims Nuclear Gamble, FRONTLINE
traces the delicate maneuvers and clumsy turns that have brought the world to the brink of a
nuclear showdown in East Asia. Through interviews with key insiders including former cabinet
secretaries, U.S. ambassadors, diplomats, and negotiators the one-hour documentary
examines the highly unstable relationship between America and North Korea and the question
of what to do about North Koreas determination to develop nuclear weapons.
TEACHING WITH DOCUMENTS: THE UNITED STATES ENTERS THE KOREAN CONFLICT
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/korean-conflict/
Examine the U.S. response to the Chinese Revolution and its impact on the Cold War; analyze
the causes of the Korean War and how a divided Korea remained a source of international
tension.
PBS: WHY IS NORTH KOREA GOING IT ALONE? BACKGROUND, ACTIVITIES AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Grades 9 to 12
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/teachers/lessonplans/world/nkorea_10-14.html
Students will study the creation of the divide between North and South Korea, the ideological
differences between them, the tensions that have resulted, and the concerns that the world has
over North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons.
PBS: NEW ROLE AS CHIEF DIPLOMAT, SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON TOURS ASIA
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/us/jan-june09/clinton_02-20.html
Promising to usher in a new era of American diplomacy, Hillary Clinton is touring Asia on her
first trip abroad as secretary of state, amid growing concerns over North Koreas nuclear
program and Japan's sinking economy. This feature includes a short lesson on how to use this
story in the classroom.
INFORMATION SHEET
North Korea's relationship with the South has determined much of its post-World War II history and still
undergirds much of its foreign policy. North and South Korea have had a difficult and acrimonious
relationship from the Korean War. In recent years, North Korea has pursued a mixed policy--seeking to
develop economic relations with South Korea and to win the support of the South Korean public for
greater North-South engagement while at the same time continuing to denounce the R.O.K.'s security
relationship with the United States and maintaining a threatening conventional force posture on the
DMZ and in adjacent waters.
The military demarcation line (MDL) of separation between the belligerent sides at the close of the
Korean War divides North Korea from South Korea. A demilitarized zone (DMZ) extends for 2,000 meters
(just over 1 mile) on either side of the MDL. Both the North and South Korean governments hold that the
MDL is only a temporary administrative line, not a permanent border.
During the postwar period, both Korean governments have repeatedly affirmed their desire to reunify
the Korean Peninsula, but until 1971 the two governments had no direct, official communications or
other contact.
North-South Economic Ties Two-way trade between North and South Korea, legalized in 1988, had
risen to more than $1.8 billion in 2007, much of it related to out-processing or assembly work undertaken
by South Korean firms in the Kaesong Industrial Complex (KIC). A significant portion of the total also
includes donated goods provided to the North as humanitarian assistance or as part of inter-Korean
cooperation projects. Although business-based and processing-on-commission transactions continued to
grow, the bulk of South Korean exports to North Korea remains non-commercial. Most of the goods
exported from KIC are sold in South Korea; a small quantity, about 20% of the KIC products, is exported
to foreign markets. Ground was broken on the complex in June 2003, and the first products were shipped
from the KIC in December 2004. Plans envision 250 firms employing 350,000 workers by 2012.
As of December 2008, 93 South Korean firms were manufacturing goods in the KIC, employing more
than 38,000 North Korean workers. However, because of South Korean NGO leafleting, North Korea has
restricted the number of South Korean businesspeople crossing to and from KIC, but factories employing
the 38,000 North Koreans continue to operate.
Since the June 2000 North-South summit, North and South Korea have reconnected their east and west
coast railroads and roads where they cross the DMZ and are working to improve these transportation
routes. North and South Korea conducted tests of the east and west coast railroads on May 17, 2007 and
began cross-border freight service between Kaesong in the D.P.R.K. and Munsan in the R.O.K. in
December 2007. Much of the work done in North Korea has been funded by South Korea. The west coast
rail and road are complete as far north as the KIC (six miles north of the DMZ), but little work is being
done north of Kaesong. On the east coast, the road is complete but the rail line is far from operational.
Since 2003, tour groups have been using the east coast road to travel from South Korea to Mt. Kumgang
in North Korea, where cruise ship-based tours had been permitted since 1998.
R.O.K.-organized tours to Mt. Kumgang in North Korea began in 1998. Since then, more than a million
visitors have traveled to Mt. Kumgang. However, the R.O.K. suspended tours to Mt. Kumgang in July
2008 following the shooting death of a South Korean tourist at the resort by a D.P.R.K. soldier.
In August 2009, Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jung-eun met with Kim Jong-il and obtained the
release of a South Korean worker who had been detained in the D.P.R.K. since March. As part of those
discussions, the D.P.R.K. expressed a willingness to resume tourist links and family reunions with the
South and continue talks regarding the Kaesong Industrial Complex.
From U.S. State Dept Background Notes: North Korea http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2792.htm
RESOURCES
ON A DIVIDED PENINSULA - NORTH AND SOUTH KOREA RELATIONS
KOREA: STATES OF WAR
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2000/korea/
CNN looks deep into the issues surrounding the separation of the two Koreas. It contains
country profiles, leader profiles, timelines, maps, photos, and quizzes.
SOUTH KOREAN MINISTRY OF UNIFICATION
Http://www.unikorea.go.kr
This is a site from South Korea, but can be read in English through clicking English on the
upper navigation bar. There are recent press releases, major speeches by the ministry of
unification, and news about major developments in unification.
COMMEMORATING THE KOREAN WAR
http://www.defenselink.mil/specials/koreanwar/index.html
The U.S. Department of Defense official Web site for the 50th anniversary of the conclusion of
the Korean War.
WHY IS KOREA DIVIDED?
Http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/korea/kdivided.html
Short summary on the division of Korea.
RESOURCES
ON NORTH KOREA SOCIETY & CULTURE TODAY
intelligent can speak to each other, in defiance of political and cultural boundaries. The concert
is the centerpiece of a 48-hour visit to Pyongyang by the Philharmonic.
NORTH KOREA
http://www.everyculture.com/Ja-Ma/North-Korea.html
Overview of facts on North Korea.
NORTH KOREAS OFFICIAL WEBSITE
http://www.korea-dpr.com/
This site is put out by the Democratic Peoples North Korea. Listen to an MP3 version of the
Korean Friendship Associations SONG OF NATIONAL DEFENSE, read a North Korean history
of the Korean War, or gaze at photos of Great Leader Kim Il Sung and Dear Leader Kim Jong Il.
RESOURCES:
NORTH KOREA ECONOMICS & HUMANITARIAN ISSUES
NORTH KOREAS CURRENCY DENOMINATION: A TIPPING POINT? (12/3/09)
http://www.usip.org/resources/north-korea-s-currency-revaluation-tipping-point#revaluation
On Nov. 30, the North Korean government redenominated the country's currency, the won,
and imposed restrictions on the quantity of old bills that people could convert for the new ones.
Pyongyang's redenomination means that 100 won is now worth 1 won. This sudden
government action raises many questions about the impact of the redenomination on the
North Korean people and the regime. What are the main explanations among North Korea
watchers regarding the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) government's rationale
for implementing this redenomination? How will this redenomination impact the DPRK people?
How will this redenomination impact the DPRK regime? What is your net assessment of this
move?
NORTH KOREA, INC.: GAINING INSIGHTS INTO NORTH KOREAN REGIME STABILITY FROM RECENT
COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES (5/09)
http://www.usip.org/resources/north-korea-inc-gaining-insights-north-korean-regimestability-recent-commercial-activitie
Assessing regime stability in North Korea continues to be a major challenge for analysts. By
examining how North Korea, Inc. the web of state trading companies affiliated to the Korean
Workers Party, the Korean Peoples Army, and the Cabinet operates, we can develop a new
framework for gauging regime stability. As interviews with defectors who previously worked in
these state trading companies indicate, the regime is able to derive funds from North Korea,
Inc. to maintain the loyalty of the North Korean elites and to provide a mechanism through
which different branches of the North Korean state can generate funds for operating budgets.
During periods when North Korea's international isolation deepens as a result of its
brinkmanship activities, North Korea, Inc. constitutes an effective coping mechanism for the
Kim Jong Il regime. (41-page Working Paper by John S. Park, USIP)
THE NORTH KOREAN ECONOMY: LEVERAGE AND POLICY ANALYSIS (CRS REPORT FOR CONGRESS
9/26/08)
http://www.nautilus.org/fora/security/08077CRS.pdf
Dick K. Nanto, Specialist in Industry and Trade Foreign Affairs in the Defense, and Trade
Division, and Emma Chanlett-Avery, Analyst in Asian Affairs Foreign Affairs in the Defense, and
Trade Division, produced this eleven-page report for the Congressional Research Service. The
report presents an overview of the DPRK economy and notes recent changes in the economy,
information on DPRK economic reforms, and profiles the country's relationship with each of its
major trade partners.
NORTH KOREA INSIDE OUT: THE CASE FOR ECONOMIC ENGAGEMENT (10/22/09)
http://www.asiasociety.org/policy-politics/international-relations/us-asia/north-korea-insideout
This 28-page report written by an Asia Society/U.C.-Institute on Global Conflict and
Cooperation Task Force focuses on economic engagement with North Korea as a peaceful
means of inducing change in the DPRK. As the likelihood of some form of US-DPRK talks
increases, this report proposes a fundamental rethinking of Washingtons approach toward the
DPRK. Economic engagement, properly integrated into a system of sanctions, can transform
North Korea into a country that can better provide for its peoples welfare and engage with
World Affairs Council Teacher Resource Packet North Korea
January 12, 2010
other countries in a non-hostile manner. As the report shows, North Koreas history of
experiments with reform is limited, and domestic resistance to transition is formidable. But
recent trends and tentative past efforts suggest some impulse toward reform and opening from
within. North Korea should be actively engaged from the inside to encourage change in its
domestic and foreign policy.
FAR EASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW: PYONGYANG FREELY PLIES THE SEAS (11/6/09)
http://www.feer.com/essays/2009/november51/pyongyang-freely-plies-the-seas
In the wake of North Korea's October 2006 nuclear test, the United Nations Security Council
passed Resolution 1718, which bans Pyongyang from exporting any nuclear, chemical and
biological material, ballistic missiles and any other components of weapons of mass
destruction. WMD-related sanctions were tightened under Resolution 1874 passed in June 2009
following North Korea's second nuclear test in May. Before sanctions were introduced, United
States defense sources estimated that 40% of North Korea's foreign-exchange earnings came
from weapons sales, of which missile exports were a major part.
UNBEARABLE LEGACIES: THE POLITICS OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION IN NORTH KOREA
(9/1/09)
http://www.nautilus.org/fora/security/09071Hayes.pdf
Peter Hayes, Executive Director of the Nautilus Institute, writes in this ten-page report, "There
is no shortage of options, and an infinity of needs. And ways exist to work around the barriers
that divide North Korea from the rest of the world. There's no time to wait, or these enduring
legacies will become unbearable, and feed into a vortex of chaos and collapse in North Korea,
with unimaginable consequences for humans and nature alike."
CRS REPORT FOR CONGRESS: U.S. AID TO NORTH KOREA
Http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RS21834.pdf
This is a helpful report identifying the problems and history of U.S. aid to North Korea.
REPORT ON U.S. HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO NORTH KOREANS
Http://www.nautilus.org/napsnet/sr/2005/0543ANKHRA.pdf
This is a report on U.S. humanitarian assistance to North Koreans. It is a review of the actions
taken by the U.S. to assist North Korea and highlights challenges that the UN WFP has faced.
RELIEF WEB ON THE COMPLEX EMERGENCY IN THE DPRK
Http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/dbc.nsf/doc108?Openform&emid=ACOS-635NSY
This is the section of the official UN Emergency site devoted to the DPRK (North Korea). It is
probably the best single source of information about the food and medical situation in North
Korea. It includes documents published by the World Food Programme, Unicef, other UN
agencies, private voluntary organizations, some government press releases, and a few articles
from wire services and newspapers.
WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME NORTH KOREA
Http://www.wfp.org/countries/korea-democratic-peoples-republic-dprk
The World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger
worldwide. In emergencies, we get food to where it is needed, saving the lives of victims of war,
civil conflict and natural disasters. After the cause of an emergency has passed, we use food to
help communities rebuild their shattered lives. WFP is part of the United Nations system and is
voluntarily funded.
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL NORTH KOREA
Http://www.amnesty.org/en/region/north-korea
Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally
recognized human rights for all. Our supporters are outraged by human rights abuses but
inspired by hope for a better world - so we work to improve human rights through campaigning
and international solidarity. This site includes up-to-date information regarding human rights in
Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
COMMITTEE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN NORTH KOREA
http://www.hrnk.org/about.html
In October of 2001, a distinguished group of foreign policy and human rights specialists
launched the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK) to promote human rights in
North Korea. The Committee's research and publication activities focus on how the North
Korean totalitarian regime abuses the rights of its citizens, its vast system of political prisons
and labor camps, the regimes denial of equal access to food and goods, and the plight of
refugees fleeing to China.
MERCY CORP NORTH KOREA
Http://www.mercycorps.org/volunteer
Years of flooding, drought, extensive deforestation and fuel shortages have led to the collapse
of North Korea's agricultural system and several consecutive years of disastrous food
shortages. Severe malnutrition and diseases threaten families. Since 1996, Mercy Corps has
worked with vulnerable families and communities to ensure health and nutritional needs are
met, and working to find long-term solutions. This site includes articles on North Korea.
FEEDING MINDS. FIGHTING HUNGER
http://www.feedingminds.org/
An international classroom for exploring the problems of hunger, malnutrition, and food
insecurity. Feeding Minds Fighting Hunger is designed to help equip and encourage teachers,
students and young people all over the world to actively participate in creating a world free
from hunger.
FREE RICE (WFP)
http://www.freerice.com
This WFP program game, where by answering trivia questions on art, geography, math,
science, English, and other languages online, kids can actually become part of the solution and
provide rice to needy families. This site offers statistics Information on the activities of the WFP
in North Korea.
HUNGER AND HUMAN RIGHTS: THE POLITICS OF FAMINE IN NORTH KOREA
Http://www.hrnk.org/hunger/hungerreport05.pdf
This is a report done by the U.S. Committee for Human Rights in North Korea. It goes over the
famine situation and the reality of hunger for millions of North Koreans.
NEWS SOURCES
North and South Korea From Outside of the United States
CHOSUN ILBO
http://www.english.chosun.com
The Chosun Ilbo is a popular newspaper in South Korea. This site is in English and contains
South Korean news from sports, politics, society, and North Korea.
KOREA TIMES
http://times.hankooki.com/
This is another popular Korean newspaper site where one can see the type of news and current
situation in South Korea.
KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY
http://www.kcna.co.jp/index-e.htm
Site in Japan that carries news dispatches from the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) of the
DPRK (North Korea), a useful source for official North Korean information. Also carries The
Peoples Korea, a semi-monthly Tokyo-based unofficial mouthpiece of the DPRK
Government.
ASIA TIMES ONLINE
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea.html
Asia Times Online is an Internet-only publication that reports and examines geopolitical,
political, economic, and business issues from an Asian perspective.
KOREA WINDOW
http://www.kois.go.kr/
Provides articles about Korean culture, economics, and politics as well as directory access to
resources on arts/culture, business/economy, cities/provinces, computer/internet, education,
government, news/media, science/technology, society/life, sports/recreation and travel. A
section entitled, Learn about Korea, has information on language and culture, geography and
people, history, national symbols, and links to publications available from the Korean
government. Includes links to different government sites and Korean newspapers.
AL JAZEERAS ASIA-PACIFIC HOMEPAGE
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/
Recent articles about North Korea provide links to other Al Jazeera resources on the topic,
including additional articles, a timeline, and videos.
EDUCATION ABOUT ASIA
http://www.aasianst.org/eaa-toc.htm
When you subscribe to Education About Asia, you will join the thousands of educators who
have found this magazine to be an exciting and highly practical teaching resource. Now in its
ninth year, Education About Asia will enhance your understanding of Asiaan area that now
accounts for 57% of the worlds populationenabling you to prepare your students for the
world of the 21st century.
BOOKS
Book description and information found at www.amazon.com unless otherwise indicated.
Note: some of these books are available for loan at the East Asia Resource Center.
record of 3 million reported starvation deaths in the last decade and hundreds of thousands of
children with nowhere to call home. Some content may be objectionable.
INSIDE NORTH KOREA (2007)
http://www.aems.uiuc.edu/searchresults_detail.html?biblioId=7515
Grade: 6-13, 60 minutes, DVD
Few western journalists have been allowed to see what Lisa Ling reports from North Korea in
this fascinating National Geographic special. Posing as an undercover medical coordinator, Ling
moves inside the closed world of dictator Kim Jong-Il's pariah nation under heavy guard.
Startling footage reveals the government's total domination of its people, hindering the
humanitarian efforts made by the outside world.
INSIDE THE HERMIT KINGDOM: NORTH KOREA (2004)
http://www.aems.uiuc.edu/searchresults_detail.html?biblioId=6555
Grade: High School, 52 minutes, DVD
This film, made by I Sun-Dyung, the daughter of Korean immigrants, was an attempt to
understand the country that has been demonized by the West, particularly the US. She was the
first western journalist allowed entry. Her film traces the history of Korea in the 20th century
and includes fascinating interviews with some of the world's foremost experts on North Korea,
including Prof. Bruce Cumings of the University of Chicago, and Donald Rickerd of the Center
for Asia Pacific Studies, who give fresh perspective on this enigmatic country.
KOREA: THE UNFINISHED WAR (2003)
http://www.aems.uiuc.edu/searchresults_detail.html?biblioId=7173
Grade: High School, 4 parts, 52 minutes each, DVD
This film documents a war where neither side was victorious, nor defeated, a struggle that
came very close to thermonuclear war, and that still resonates in the geopolitical machinations
between East and West. Korea: The Unfinished War combines archival footage, first person
accounts with soldiers and civilians on both sides, direct quotes from Truman, MacArthur, Mao
and Stalin, clearly showing their roles in the conflict. This important film provides the
background for today's fear of nuclear testing by North Korea.
NORTH KOREA: PORTRAIT OF A RED DICTATOR
http://www.aems.uiuc.edu/searchresults_detail.html?biblioId=7440
Grade: High School, 26 minutes, DVD
This exclusive portrait is the first to portray North Korea's 'Dear Leader' Kim Jong-il, with
interviews of North and South Korean politicians, as well as close relatives and former
employees who have fled the regime.
NORTH KOREA: SUSPICIOUS MINDS (2003)
http://www.aems.uiuc.edu/searchresults_detail.html?biblioId=5997
Grade: High School, 60 minutes, VHS
As tensions build between the United States and North Korea, FRONTLINE/World crosses the
DMZ to take a glimpse at life in one of the world's most sealed-off countries. Traveling as
tourists and using a small camera, BBC reporter Ben Anderson and producer Will Daws are
guided by two government "minders" who parrot the official government line about politics and
history. The journalists encounter the highly militarized, extremely regimented society one
might expect, but they also develop a friendly, bantering relationship with their guides and
experience unexpected moments of openness and humor.
NORTH KOREA: A DAY IN THE LIFE (2004)
http://www.aems.uiuc.edu/searchresults_detail.html?biblioId=7142
Grade: High School, 48 minutes, DVD
In this rare look inside North Korea, director Pieter Fleury gained unprecedented access to a
country generally cloaked in secrecy. Using "a day in the life" format, Fleury follows the daily
routines of a typical North Korean family as they go to work, attend school, and participate in
English classes. Though the countrys inhabitants sincerely put their best face forward, the
relentless images and ritualized practices of government propaganda offer a telling portrait of
this controversial country.
NUCLEAR NIGHTMARE: UNDERSTANDING NORTH KOREA (2003)
Grade: High School, 50 minutes, DVD
This film provides an introduction to the currently unresolved North Korea nuclear crisis by
telling the history of the Korean peninsula, evaluating U.S. foreign policy and the role of East
Asia.
CROSSING THE LINE (2006)
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/19/movies/19cros.html
Grade: High School, 94 minutes, DVD
The film is about a former U.S. Army soldier, James J. Dresnok, who defected to North Korea
on August 15, 1962. The film centers around Dresnoks history, highlighting his insecurity with
America, particularly his desertion in 1962 to the DPRK. It also shows Dresnok in the present
day, around Pyongyang (where he now lives), and interacting with his North Korean friends.
Dresnok spoke exclusively to the filmmakers about his feelings about his childhood, his
desertion from the U.S. Army, living in a country completely foreign and even hostile to his
own, and his wife and children.
A STATE OF MIND
http://www.astateofmind.co.uk/
The story of two North Korean schoolgirls and their families in the lead up to the Mass Games
the biggest and most elaborate human performance on earth. You may be interested in our
new documentary on the last of the US defectors still living in North Korea.
THE GAME OF THEIR LIVES
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0354594/
A BBC documentary producer is given unprecedented access in North Korea to chronicle the
story of the famed 1966 World Cup team from the North that advanced to the quarterfinals.
The feature includes interviews with surviving members of the team, English fans and soccer
pundits who saw the North Koreans upset Italy, 1-0, and go up 3-0 against Portugal before
Eusebio eventually rallied the Portuguese.
SHIRI (1999)
http://www.mediacircus.net/shiri.html
Dubbed by the local press as the 'small fish that sank Titantic, Shiri is the most successful film in
South Korean box office history. With production values and visuals rivaling both Hollywood
and Hong Kong action movies, the star power of popular Korean actors Han Suk-kyu and Choi
Min-shik, and a story centered around the continuing Cold War tensions between North and
South Korea, this espionage action-thriller easily won over domestic audiences when it was
released in 1999.
TEAM AMERICA (2004)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Team_America:_World_Police
Team America: World Police is a 2004 comedy film. The film is a parody of big budget action
films and their associated clichs and stereotypes. The title of the film itself is derived from
domestic and international political criticisms that the U.S. frequently and unilaterally tries to
police the world.
TAEGUKGI (2004)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taegukgi_(film)
Taegukgi Hwinallimyo is a 2004 South Korean war film. It tells the story about the effect of the
Korean War on two brothers. The film's title is the name of the pre-war Flag of Korea well as the
postwar Flag of South Korea.
BOLD FAMILY (not available in the U.S.)
http://www.hancinema.net/korean_movie_Super_Family.php
The film, which is based on the life of Korea's most famous gisaeng (the Korean equivalent to
the Japanese "geisha"), is adapted from a famous novel by North Korean author Hong Seokjung.
JSA: JOINT SECURITY AREA (2000)
Grade: High School, 120 minutes, DVD
A unique relationship builds between North and South Korean soldiers at a remote station in
the DMZ. A political thriller showing the human side of the Korean Conflict.
MY HEART (1999)
Grade: High School, 116 minutes, DVD
A sixteen-year old is married off to the ten-year old son of a local medicine doctor. Following
years of living as a traditional daughter-in-law, she leaves home to lead her own life, where she
will find love, tragedy, and a new beginning.
SPRING IN MY HOMETOWN (1998)
Grade: High School, 124 minutes. DVD
During the Korean War, in a small village located outside of the range of fighting, two boys try
to live normally with their mother. Life in the village is affected by the close proximity of an
American military base and the worry and hardships brought on by the distant fighting. This
leads to the boys mother being hired by the American army to wash their clothes, which
changes their lives forever.