The Problem with North Korea

(North Korea)

In 1910, after the Japan-Korea annexation treaty, Japan moved into the country and Annexed Korea. Even though the Koreas were united at the time, they were still weak and could do nothing about Japan taking advantage of them until 1945. In 1945, after World War II, the Japanese were kicked out and military zone boundaries were established at the 38th parallel by the communist soviet union and the United States. Negotiations to Unite the Koreas failed because the North thought they were strong enough on their own. In 1950 the Korean war began. About 75,000 soldiers from the North Korean Army poured across the 38th parallel, the boundary between the Soviet-backed North Korea and the pro-Western South Korea. By July, American troops had entered the war to help South Korea. American planes dropped About 635,000 tons of explosives on North Korea during the Korean War. Finally, in 1953, the Korean War came to an end. The Chinese and the Americans went home after the fighting, but the North Koreans stayed amid the ruins of the battle, their entire infrastructure destroyed, their towns and cities completely obliterated. The Korean Peninsula remains divided.

The destruction caused by the planes of the United states after the war is propaganda for Kim Il Sung, his son, and the current leader, his grandson Kim Jong Un. The continued fear of the US military airstrikes helps the North Korean government portray Americans as a cruel enemy.

North Korea is a country that has been developing nuclear weapons for quite sometime now. It has increased the process of piling up the nuclear weapons currently. Since it is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty, there is no legal binding on North Korea to put a stop to its nuclear weapon program. China, which sees South Korea as a potential threat in the region due to the US military base in South Korea, has been helping North Korea significantly. The United States and other major powers of the world have been discouraging North Korea from developing any more nuclear weapons. To reach their goal, they have isolated North Korea from the global common by putting strict economic sanctions on the country.

When it comes to North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, Kim looks at leaders like Libya's Moammad Qathafi who gave up his pursuit of nuclear weapons for security guarantees and sanctions relief but was eventually killed. They believe that those weapons are the key to regime survival.

(China)

China is North Korea’s biggest trading partner and their main source of food and energy. It has helped sustain Kim Jong-un’s regime, and has historically opposed harsh international sanctions on North Korea in the hope of avoiding regime collapse. Pyongyang’s nuclear tests and ongoing missile launches have complicated its relationship with Beijing, yet they have done little to deter North Korea’s nuclear ambitions. After North Korea’s most recent nuclear test in September 2017, China called on North Korea “to stop taking wrong actions that exacerbate the situation and are not in its own interest.” Still, Beijing continues to have significant economic ties with Pyongyang. China regards stability on the Korean peninsula as its primary interest. Its support for North Korea ensures a buffer between China and the democratic South. China prefers that the North Koreans don’t have nuclear weapons, but their greatest fear is regime collapse. China is unhappy about North Korea’s nuclear brinkmanship, it will avoid all moves that could cause a sudden regime collapse.

(Japan)

Japan ruled North Korea from 1910 to 1945. By the end of World War II, over two million Koreans were living in Japan. Most of them returned to South Korea after the war; however, 600,000 Koreans stayed in Japan. They were called “Zainichi Koreans”. They got discriminated and lost their Japanese nationality. Japan developed informal diplomatic and trade links with North Korea through organizations including the Chongryon and the Japan Socialist Party, it established diplomatic relations only with the South.

During the 1970s and 1980s, North Korea kidnapped Japanese citizens. Before 2002 North Korea denied any involvement when asked by Japan about the issue. Although later Kim Jong-il reportedly said that the issue “is regretful and I want to frankly apologize,” and that those responsible for the kidnappings would be “sternly punished.”

Japan borders North Korea from the east. Notrh Korea is a threat to Japan and have threatened them before. Japan is a small country and has a constitution that forbids them from having a real army. It’s a good thing that they are allies with the United States. That gives them a huge advantage because the USA is a big country with a big strong army and many allies. North Korea says it has a nuclear weapon. It also has at least 100 Nodong missiles capable of reaching western Japan, as well as Taepodong missiles that could strike any point in the country. It’s not publicly known whether North Korea’s missiles could effectively deliver a nuclear bomb, but being prepared is always a good thing. In February, North Korea launched a Silkworm anti-ship missile with a range of 60 miles into the Sea of Japan. North Korea in 1998 tested a two-stage Taepodong missile, which flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific. "North Korea's reckless action is an unprecedented, serious and grave threat to our nation," Mr Abe said. Japan may be attacked by North Korea at any given moment, but if they do attack then they run a really high risk of theUS attacking them. The US and Japan are close allies and will defnd each other.

(South Korea)

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