North Korea in North Korea in World Geography World Geography Courses Courses Country Country in Crisis in Crisis By: Ken Chu at Bergen Community College
Dec 25, 2015
North Korea in World North Korea in World GeographyGeography CoursesCourses
CountryCountry in Crisis in Crisis
By: Ken Chu at Bergen Community College
LAND USE PATTERNS
RUGGED MOUNTAINSINDUSTRIAL AREAMAIN RICE PRODUCINGSECONDARY RICE PRODUCINGFREE TRADE ZONE
Historical EvolutionHistorical Evolution
Three Kingdoms Period (Three Kingdoms Period (11stst-13-13thth centuries CEcenturies CE): Koguryo, Paekche, Silla.): Koguryo, Paekche, Silla.
Strong cultural & political ties with Strong cultural & political ties with Imperial China; transmitter to Japan.Imperial China; transmitter to Japan.
Choson period (1392-1905): Yi Choson period (1392-1905): Yi Dynasty, feudalism, Confucianism, Dynasty, feudalism, Confucianism, Seoul made capital.Seoul made capital.
Japanese colonization (1910-1945).Japanese colonization (1910-1945).
History of DPRKHistory of DPRK 1945-1950: Liberation & Foundation1945-1950: Liberation & Foundation 1950-1953: Korean War-Division along 381950-1953: Korean War-Division along 38thth
Parallel. Parallel. 1958-1970: Recovery & Growth1958-1970: Recovery & Growth 1970-1990: Stagnation & Decline1970-1990: Stagnation & Decline 1990-present: Crisis & Collapse1990-present: Crisis & Collapse
Totalitarian Leadership:Totalitarian Leadership:• Kim Il Sung “Great Leader”Kim Il Sung “Great Leader”• Kim Jong Il “Dear Leader”Kim Jong Il “Dear Leader”
Basic Geographic ConceptsBasic Geographic Concepts
Regional ComplementarityRegional Complementarity• North Korea—raw materials & industryNorth Korea—raw materials & industry• South Korea—agriculture & populationSouth Korea—agriculture & population
Juche IdeologyJuche Ideology--independence, self---independence, self-reliance, isolationism, nationalism, reliance, isolationism, nationalism, communism, absolute obedience to leader communism, absolute obedience to leader and party.and party.
NORTH-SOUTH CONTRASTS NORTH KOREA
– 55% of the land, 1/3 of the population, extremely rural
– Antiquated state enterprises– Inefficient, non-productive agriculture– Limited trade – former Soviet Union and China
SOUTH KOREA– 45% of the land, 2/3s of the population, highly
urbanized– Modern factories– Intensive, increasingly mechanized agriculture– Extensive trade – US, Japan, and Western
Europe
THE KOREAS
POPULATION 23,700,000
50,200,000
GNP (BILLIONS) $ 21.3 $ 508.3
GNP/CAPITA $ 920 $ 8,600
AGRICULTURE RESTRICTIVE GOOD
– (as % of GNP) 25 % 8 %
– (% work force) 36 % 21 %
Profile of a dictator: Kim Jong IlProfile of a dictator: Kim Jong Il
Official versionOfficial version• Birth marked by Birth marked by
double rainbow and double rainbow and new starnew star
• Composer of six Composer of six operasoperas
• Designer of huge Designer of huge tower in capital tower in capital (Pyongyang)(Pyongyang)
• Protector of Juche Protector of Juche ideology and ideology and brilliant generalbrilliant general
Unofficial versionUnofficial version• Playboy reputationPlayboy reputation
—permed hair and —permed hair and platform shoesplatform shoes
• Allegedly Allegedly responsible for responsible for nation’s nuclear nation’s nuclear programprogram
• Suspected of Suspected of ordering a number ordering a number of atrocitiesof atrocities
Relations with other NationsRelations with other Nations ChinaChina RussiaRussia JapanJapan South KoreaSouth Korea United StatesUnited States Non-aligned movementNon-aligned movement Current Issues: nuclear weapons, Current Issues: nuclear weapons,
militarism, famine, human-rights militarism, famine, human-rights violations, refugees.violations, refugees.
What allows N. Korea’s foundering What allows N. Korea’s foundering economy to keep ticking?economy to keep ticking?
Weapons salesWeapons sales $560 million/year$560 million/year
Legal non-military Legal non-military tradetrade
$600 million/year$600 million/year
Food AidFood Aid NANA
Illegal drug traffickingIllegal drug trafficking $100 million/year$100 million/year
Money counterfeitingMoney counterfeiting $100 million/year$100 million/year
Remittances from Remittances from overseasoverseas
Up to $100 Up to $100 million/yearmillion/year
DPRKDPRK ROKROK USAUSA
Population Population
(Millions)(Millions)2323 5050 290290
Land Area Land Area (Square km)(Square km)
121,540121,540 98,48098,480 9,629,0919,629,091
GDP (billions GDP (billions of dollars)of dollars)
2222 931931 10,08210,082
Defense Defense Budget Budget
44 1414 396396
Defense % of Defense % of GDPGDP
3434 33 3.33.3
Active-duty Active-duty troops troops (millions)(millions)
1.11.1 .685.685 1.41.4
ReservistsReservists 66 4.54.5 1.01.0