Written by Chyra Rose Luiz
What happens when you add in a spoonful of colonial rule, a pinch of communism, a dash of the USA, and a whole bunch of the USSR?
If you guessed North and South Korea — you’re right! This is a tale of a country ripped apart by those that promised peace.
The division of the Korean Peninsula dates back to the 1900s when Japan surrendered to the Russian army as part of the Russo-Japanese war. This defeat put an end to the Japanese colonial rule annexing the Korean peninsula. Without any sort of reform, government, or an authoritative figure, Korea was as good as a football field full of baseball players. The peninsula almost immediately divided itself with like-minded civilians occupying each part, and Russia at the time assumed full control over the area. Of course, if the USSR was involved, how could the States sit back?
The United States immediately sent troops to occupy the southern part of Korea, fearing a full take-over of East Asian land by the Soviets. And just like that Korea was once again transformed into a playground for two of the world’s most powerful militaries. The Americans and the Soviets pushed back and forth until 1945 when an American colonel decided to quite literally draw a line. It was called the 38th parallel (cue foreboding music), latitude 38°, a geographical demarcation, which would soon separate the country into North and South.
This division of Korea only further encouraged the people’s political views. Although not prominent in the initial division, the presence of countries with opposing political views — communism and capitalism — added fuel to the flame, turning the wars to come based on the political ideologies of the US and USSR. Furthermore, the North of Korea had turned to the leadership of Kim Il Sung, who was coincidentally trained by Russia during the Russo-Japanese war! (real subtle, Russia.)
Although both parties wished for the reunification of Korea, neither wished to change or modify their existing ideologies. The newly formed Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North) and the Republic of Korea Army (South) were locked in a continuous fight to expand their borders.
While the Soviets spent countless hours plotting for their expansion, the United States, like that one annoyingly good kid in class who also happens to be a teacher’s pet, ran straight to the United Nations! In early 1948, the United Nations made the creation of an independent South Korea their priority. But with two communist countries (China and Russia) as their closest allies, North Korea by this year was already building an army in hopes of conquering the southern peninsula.
By 1950, both nations of Korea would be in a devastating war that would kill almost 5 million people. North Korean leader Kim II Sung worked closely with the Soviet revolutionary Joseph Stalin. A communist favorite at the time, Kim II Sung was able to convince Stalin that the only way Korea could become one was a complete invasion of the South. Joseph Stalin continued to provide military aid to the North, thus strengthening the people’s belief in a forceful reunification.
While the war initially started after the division of the peninsula, The Korean War only truly began in June 1950 when the DPRK, aided by the USSR launched an attack on the South. For months together Kim Il Sung was able to occupy a huge part of Korea with his army. The war, however, gained international attention when the casualties reached millions. International support began pouring in for the South, allowing ROK to take back their land. Both sides became equally equipped for the war, ruling out any opportunity for a win/loss and war soon became stagnant with countless deaths and no foreseeable outcome.
Finally, in July 1953, an armistice was laid out, and the division of Korea was set in stone. The country was divided into North (Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea) and South Korea (Republic of Korea). The armistice gave birth to the new Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) — a 2.5-mile wide area between the two nations. And to this day, the DMZ remains one of the most heavily guarded borders in the world.
While political ideologies remain the primary difference between the two countries, the culture, economic status, and global reputation of the two are completely opposite in the present time. With a steadily growing economy, South Korea is perhaps one of the most famous countries in the world right now (owing to the massive impact of the K-wave across the globe). The country has the fourth-largest economy in Asia and eleventh-largest in the world! (They really took the saying “great things come in small packages” to the heart). Home to almost twelve world heritage sites, South Korea has always been one step ahead of the world in combining culture and technology. Music, TV shows, skincare, cosmetic surgery, fashion — you name it, they’ve got it! A definite topper on the travel list, modern-day South Korea is truly straight out of your imagination!
However, it is important to keep in mind that both North and South Korea are yet to recover from their devastating separation. All South Korean men between the ages of 18 to 28 are required to serve at least 18 months of military service. A highly debated law, this decision is to ensure that all men in the country are equipped with the right knowledge to serve in the military in case of an attack or invasion from the North. For those simply reading through the article it might sound quite silly — they have a treaty, they promised not to attack each other! But come on, how many times did you promise yourself that you weren’t going to order dessert after dinner but proceeded to order two different types of dessert regardless? The two countries have often been of global notice for the rising tensions between them but as of 2022, both countries have a cordial relationship, going as far as signing a Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity, and Unification of the Korean Peninsula in April 2018. Although the treaty continues to be honored, both countries spent an equal amount of time and effort preparing their citizens for any possible conflict between them.
Lesser-known than South Korea, North Korea truly is a mysterious country. Known to be the opposite of its neighbor in every possible way, it wasn’t until recent years that people were given information on the North Korean way of life. Currently led by Kim Jong-Un, North Korea is most known for its autocratic government and military power. The country is home to one of the world’s largest standing armies. Military service is mandatory for the male population in the country. Conscription starts as early as fourteen years and continues till they are thirty. Much like South Korea, the North Korean military prepares its citizens for any possible conflict. Although little is known about the true working system of North Korea, certain claims such as owning the world’s largest stadium and rules like ‘All North Korean men are to style their hair like leader Kim-Jong Un’ are sure to put you in deep thought about what other interesting things North Korea has to offer.
When finally asked who’s to blame for the division of Korea, it is nearly impossible to point fingers. What would have happened if Korea was never separated? Would dictatorship exist all across? Will the countries ever see unification? Fueled by the dogmas of politics and power, one can only wonder whether the division of this country could have been prevented if it weren’t for external forces at play, and what would have been had they not intervened.
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