Partition of Korea

PARTITION OF KOREA

HIST 6550: HISTORY OF THE FAR EAST

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CONTENTS

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1) The origins of Partition.2) Cold War3) The Impacts of Partition on Korea. 4) Différences between South & North

Korea

THE ORIGINS OF PARTITION

Drawing The Line:• 10-11 August 1945: Decision taken by US State War Navy

Coordinating Committee in Washington.• John J. McCloy, the Assistant Secretary of War directed 2 young

colonels, Dean Rusk & Charles H. Bonesteel to decide where to draw a line on the map to divide Korea.

Why US drew fateful line in Korea?- A line specifically intended to define only temporary zones of

respective administration responsibility for processing the surrender of Japanese forces in the peninsula.

• They were given around 30 minutes to do so. Rusk & Bonesteel decided to draw a line at the 38th parallel. 3

Cont..

Why US choose 38th parallel? The line located in the middle of Korea map. Seoul, the Korean capital in the zone of US zone. If the divide line far from 38th parallel, US felt that the Russian

would hardly accept the surrender line.

• On 15 August 1945 clean copies of the draft order were sent to White House office, Great Britain and USSR.

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Dean Rusk Charles H. Bonesteel

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COLD WAR• Cold War is the conflict between the Communist nations led by the

Soviet Union and the democratic nations led by the United States.

Immediate Causes Leading to the Cold War• Early conflict between the Soviet Union and the United States began at the peace-

time conferences. • Their conflict was intensified after President Truman declared the Truman

Doctrine and launched the Marshall Plan in 1947.a) Truman Doctrine (1947): The United States offered foreign aid to any country

threatened by communist expansion.b) The Marshall Plan (1948) provided foreign aid to 16 democratic European nations

that struggled to recover from World War II. The United States believed that recovery would help these nations avoid communist influence.

• The Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan were proof that the United States considered communism a grave threat. They became a foundation of U.S. foreign policy

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In a speech to Harvard University in 1947, Secretary of State George C. Marshall proposed that a post-war European aid program be initiated. Less than a year later, the Marshall Plan was a reality.

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When Harry Truman approved the Marshall Plan in 1948.

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1) The role of nationalism in Korean unification

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Nationalism movement

During Japanese colonial period (1910-

1945)

During Japanese colonial period (1910-

1945)

Unity of Korean people

Unity of Korean people

Inside Korea

Overseas Korean

•China•Russia•US

•China•Russia•US

Consequence the partition of Korea by

Russia & America

Factionalism within nationalist movement splitting the

Korean people into 2 groups

Pro- South Korea

Pro- North Korea

Cont..

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National unification movement among younger generation of Koreans who

have never experienced Cold War nor exposed to the

Korean War“Post-Korean War generation”

promoted the reunification of

Korea

demanding the withdrawal of the U. S. troops from

South Korea.

The continued US presence in Korea serves

as an obstacle to reunification of two

Koreas.

2) The role of major powers in the division of Korea

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US in South Korea

•Republic of Korea (ROK) created with the installation of Syngman Rhee as 1st President of the ROK• On 10-5-1948, the Americans engineered separate elections in South Korea. All over Korea, general elections to the Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) took place on 25-8-1948.• 12 Dec 1948, UN General assembly declaring the Rhee government to be lawful effective control & jurisdiction over south part of Korea• US succeeded in securing international reorganization the “puppet regime” in South Korea. •US Armed Forces continued to station in South Korea for the past 55years

Aftermath of World

War 2- divide and

rule Soviet Union in North Korea

•Soviet withdraw its Army in 1948.•The establishment of the

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Sept 8, 1948

•The constitution of the new state and elected Kim Il Sung as its

Premier of the DPRK on 10 Sept 1948.

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COLD WAR:Soviet Union

supported the North

Korean regime

Korean war

CHINA replacing the Soviet influence in

Korean•Providing the

security protection to North Korea from threat of US forces

for past half century

People’s Republic of China (PRC) armies

rescued the collapse of the North Korean regime during the

Korean War.

After the collapsed of Soviet Union, PRC became most reliable ally of North

Korea in terms of economic and military assistance

China and the United States changed dramatically the

international environment of the Korean peninsula

Forced them to play the key role in the peace and stability as well as the

reunification process of two Koreas

Japan & Russia played the

supporting role for the United

States and China respectively.

KOREA remained divided along 38th parallelKorean War

Armistice Agreement (1953)

3) Communism

• Communism ideology was largely spread after the movement of Soviet troops into northern Korea was welcomed by many Koreans.

• The ideology communism became more dominant in North Korea after the establishment the Democratic People’s of Korea (DPRK).

• Russia became a threat to US interests and ideology due to the success of the communist party there. China made this threat even bigger by becoming communist under Mao Tse Tsung after the Russian model.

• International politics and US interests created changes in US policy in Japan during Cold War. The spreading of Communism started a number of actions by the US based in self interest in Korea and Japan.

• In order to prevent communism spread largely into Southern of Korea and Japan, US considered Japan as a potential ally against communism. Japan became acceptable as a potential industry force against communism.

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4) Civil war turns into international war

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5) The Impact on Korean people after the division of Korea

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1) Extremely disruptive socially

1) Extremely disruptive socially

migrations between two countries.

migrations between two countries.

People left behind families, businesses, and the graves of their dead

ancestors.

People left behind families, businesses, and the graves of their dead

ancestors.

2) Discriminate against people not

on their group.

2) Discriminate against people not

on their group.In North Korea, they obviously

discriminate against capitalist while in

South Korea against the Communist

In North Korea, they obviously

discriminate against capitalist while in

South Korea against the Communist

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SOUTH & NORTH KOREA

DESCRIPTION Republic of Korea (SOUTH KOREA)

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (NORTH KOREA)

Establishment -Independence declared: March 1, 1919-Provisional Government: April 13, 1919 -Liberation: August 15, 1945- Constitution: July 17, 1948 -Government proclaimed: July 17, 1948

-Independence declared: March 1, 1919-Liberation: August 15, 1945-Formal declaration: September 9, 1948

Capital Seoul PyongyangOfficial script Chosŏn'gŭl HangulPolitical Ideologies

Democracy Communism + Juche ideology

Economic Systems

Market economy system Central planning economy

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LegislatureNational Assembly

Supreme People's Assembly

GovernmentPresidential republic

Type: Republic with powers shared between the president, the legislature, and the courts.Branches: 1) Executive--President (chief of state); Prime Minister (head of government).2) Legislative--unicameral National Assembly.3) Judicial--Supreme Court and appellate courts; Constitutional Court.Subdivisions: Nine provinces, seven administratively separate cities (Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Daegu, Gwangju, Daejeon, Ulsan).

Political parties: Grand National Party (GNP); Democratic Party (DP), formerly known as United Democratic Party (UDP); Liberty Forward Party (LFP); New Progressive Party (NPP); Pro-Park Alliance (PPA); Renewal Korea Party (RKP).

Juche unitary single-party state

•North Korea government is the executive branch of the state• In practice, the highest decisions are made by the National Defence Comission of North Korea. (current)

•Eternal President: Kim Il Sung (deceased)•Supreme leader: Kim Jong- il•NDC Chairman: Kim Jong-il•Chairman of the Presidium: Kim Yong-nam•Government Premier: Choe Yong-rim•Single Political party: Workers' Party of Korea

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SOUTH KOREA FLAG

Syngman Rhee Lee Myung- Bak

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NORTH KOREA FLAG

Kim Il- Sung Kim Jong-Il

THANK YOU

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