Economic, social, and political development of North Korea since the Korean War

ECONOMIC , SOCIAL AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT

IN NORTH KOREA AFTER THE KOREAN WAR

Introduction

In 1920 , the independent kingdom of Korea was forcibly annexed to Japan it lasted until the end of the second World War . After World War II , the United States (US ) decided to occupy the southern half of Korea to prevent the HYPERLINK “http /encarta .msn .com /encyclopedia_7 /Union_of_Soviet_Socialist _Republics .html ” Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR ) from taking control of the entire peninsula . USSR was helping North Korea ‘s fight against the Japanese forces . The US divided Korea [banner_entry_middle]

at the 38th parallel to keep Seoul within the American-occupied area . USSR did not oppose the division (Korean War , 2006

Both the USSR and the United States started to organize the governments in their half of Korea . When they did so , the political factions that used to be united against Japan started to emerge again . These factions represent the left-wing and right-wing views . The left-wing wanted an overhaul of Korea ‘s land ownership laws , which unduly favored rich landowners . And the right wing vehemently refused the reform (Korean War , 2006

From 1945 to1948 , the US suppressed the widespread leftist movement and backed HYPERLINK “http /encarta .msn .com /encyclopedia_7 /Syngman_Rhee .html Syngman Rhee . Rhee had lived for decades in the United States and has a solid anti-Communist credentials . He was also popular with the right (Korean War , 2006

The USSR , on the other hand , supported the left and HYPERLINK “http /encarta .msn .com /encyclopedia_2 /Kim_Il_Sung .html ” Kim Il Sung . Kim II Sung received support from North Koreans and China . Kim fought with Chinese Communist forces against the Japanese in Manchuria in the 1930s . Kim forced a radical redistribution of land when he first came into power . By the end of 1946 the regimes of both North and South Korea were in place . The division of Korea was formalized until 1948 The South established the Republic of Korea while the North established the People ‘s Republic of Korea (Korean War , 2006

The regime was barely in placed South Korea when it had to contend with a rebellion in the south from the left-wing , particularly in its southernmost province . North Korea supported the rebellion . It was South Korea that first provoked North Korea into a war , but and Kim II Sung was willing to fight the war , too , with the help of USSR and China . In 1949 , fighting in the 38th parallel broke out between the North and the South . In 1950 , the army of North Korea crossed the dividing line . The Korean War reached its height from 1950 to 1953 . In 1953 , a cease fire agreement was signed . It ended the fighting but the Korean peninsula remained divided (Korean War , 2006

The Korean War was considered as one of the most destructive of the 20th century . There was an estimated death of 2 .4 to 4 million Korean , mostly civilians . The other countries who supporter either side also experienced casualties . China , who supported the North , lost almost 1 million soldiers . The… [banner_entry_footer]