My learning goal for this week was not focused on learning more words or phrases in Korean, but more on understanding the history of Korea in regards to the South and North. I feel like comprehending the history of Korea, specifically the Korean War and the division of the North and South, would help me in learning more about the Korean culture. The results of the war are still felt in today’s world. North Korean remains in the control of the communist party, and has turned into one of the most repressive and horrifying regimes in the history of the world. Examples of the state of North Korea are reports of a large segment of the population suffering from famine, poor living conditions, brain washing, torture, and working in concentration camps. The effects of the war can be observed in modern day South Korean politics, economics and culture. For instance, there is a South Korean draft, mandatory military serving to the South Korean army for the men, because of the constant threat of the North. Having Korean friends, I hear of the difficulty decisions on whether to join or not join the Korean army, as well as stories from some who have joined and their 2 years serving time. The penalty of not doing the draft for Korean is high for instance public backlash and the loss of citizenship/ Korean nationality.
My study of the Korean War consisted of using University of Richmond online databases and books as well as online research in Google. I watched videos on the Korean War and read articles on the effects of it in today’s South Korea. The Korean War occurred a little after the occupation of Japan in Korea during World War 2. The major parties consisted of communist Russia and China helping the North; meanwhile the South was supported by the United Nations (UN), specifically the United States with Truman as President. The North was under the rule of Kim Il Sung and the South under Syngman Rhe. The back and forth pressure and battles between the sides lasted a couple of years, each gaining and losing territory. The war ended in an Armistice, which succeed in ending conflict (the fighting) but left nothing resolved. The country remained divided. As an American, I learned about the Korean War as a proxy war for the Cold War which was between the Soviet Union and the U.S.
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