Border Dispute:North Korea and South

Korea

It is a peninsula on the eastern coast of Asia, it is divided into North Korea and South Korea

It runs along 38N parallel for 148 miles (238 km) between the Sea of Japan in the east and the Yellow sea in the west.

Korea

North Korea is bounded in the North east by Russia and in the north by China, in the east by the Sea of Japan, in the south by South Korea, and in the west by the Yellow sea.

Capital: P’yongyangA multiparty stateHas one of the world’s largest army

North Korea

South Korea is a peninsular country in eastern Asia

Its only land boundary is in the North with North Korea.

Capital: SeoulMore westernized

South Korea

Peninsula was divided into two nations; One supported by the United States and the other by the Soviet Union and China.

In June 1950, North Korea invaded South KoreaThe invasion was the idea of North Korean premier Kim II

Sungthe risk that China would enter the war was accepted willingly

by General Douglas McArthur38th parallel as a military divisionDwight EisenhowerTension with South Korea eased dramatically in June 2000,

when South Korea’s President met with North Korea’s President in Pyongyang and it marked the first ever meeting of the two countries’ leaders.

Korean War (1949-1953)

The invasion was the idea of Kim II Sung, who managed to convince Stalin that the South Koreans would greet the Northerners as liberators, thus ensuring an easy, quick victory for the North.

The risk that China would enter the war was accepted willingly by General McArthur because they were so sure that the Chinese won’t intervene but the Chinese did intervene.

Expanding Communism in KoreaThe rise of Cold War tensions between Communist

and non-Communist nations. The divided Korea using the 38th parallel

Causes of Conflict

High number of casualties in North Korea and South Korea

widened the gap between the United States and the Soviet Union on the issue of communism

South Korea is now an economic power while North Korea suffers deep poverty.

Effects of Conflict

Disputed Yellow Sea Boundary