Eleanor Bradshaw - North Korea: A Closer Look at the Secret State

Foreword

H istory books are often filled with names and dateswords and numbers for students to memorize for a test and forget once they move on to another class. However, what history books should be filled with are great stories, because the history of our world is filled with great stories. Love, death, violence, heroism, and betrayal are not just themes found in novels and movie scripts. They are often the driving forces behind major historical events.

When told in a compelling way, fact is often far more interestingand sometimes far more unbelievablethan fiction. World history is filled with more drama than the best television shows, and all of it really happened. As readers discover the incredible truth behind the triumphs and tragedies that have impacted the world since ancient times, they also come to understand that everything is connected. Historical events do not exist in a vacuum. The stories that shaped world history continue to shape the present and will undoubtedly shape the future.

The titles in this series aim to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of pivotal events in world history. They are written with a focus on providing readers with multiple perspectives to help them develop an appreciation for the complexity of the study of history. There is no set lens through which history must be viewed, and these titles encourage readers to analyze different viewpoints to understand why a historical figure acted the way they did or why a contemporary scholar wrote what they did about a historical event. In this way, readers are able to sharpen their critical-thinking skills and apply those skills in their history classes. Readers are aided in this pursuit by formally documented quotations and annotated bibliographies, which encourage further research and debate.

Many of these quotations come from carefully selected primary sources, including diaries, public records, and contemporary research and writings. These valuable primary sources help readers hear the voices of those who directly experienced historical events, as well as the voices of biographers and historians who provide a unique perspective on familiar topics. Their voices all help history come alive in a vibrant way.

As students read the titles in this series, they are provided with clear context in the form of maps, timelines, and informative text. These elements give them the basic facts they need to fully appreciate the high drama that is history.

The study of history is difficult at timesnot because of all the information that needs to be memorized, but because of the challenging questions it asks us. How could something as horrible as the Holocaust happen? What are the roots of the struggle for peace in the Middle East? Why are some people reluctant to call themselves feminists? The information presented in each title gives readers the tools they need to confront these questions and participate in the debates they inspire.

As we pore over the stories of events and eras that changed the world, we come to understand a simple truth: No one can escape being a part of history. We are not bystanders; we are active participants in the stories that are being created now and will be written about in history books decades and even centuries from now. The titles in this series help readers gain a deeper appreciation for history and a stronger understanding of the connection between the stories of the past and the stories they are part of right now.

INTRODUCTION

THE SECRET STATE

T he Korean peninsula has been home to clans, tribes, kingdoms, and dynasties throughout its long history. Each civilization has left its mark, dividing the land into puzzle pieces that have changed over time, echoing the natural contours of the mountain ranges, river valleys, and coastal plains that compose the Korean landscape.

Land of Silver and Gold

The most recent division in Koreas history occurred in 1945 with the separation of North Korea from South Korea. Despite their centuries of shared history, the two areas developed in distinctly different ways from this point on. In 1948, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) was formed in the north, although the country is commonly known simply as North Korea. The country is also called Chosn by its people, a name that reflects a rich heritage and identification with the peninsulas early history.

Let morning shine on this land of silver and gold, North Koreas national anthem begins. The song goes on to praise the countrys natural features, abundant resources, strong and dedicated people, and long history. In the last century, that history has been steeped in conflicts that have tested and shaped the countrys spirit.

The Hermit Kingdom

Today, North Korea is a state that is almost completely cut off from the global community. This insular position is not new to the peninsula, which has historically reacted to outside invasions with withdrawal and isolationism. In the 1800s, the whole of Korea became known as the Hermit Kingdom as a result of its disinterest in foreign affairs and resistance to outside influences. Although the peninsula shares this history of isolation, South Korea has since become a participant in world affairs and culture while North Korea continues to remain aloof, taking a fierce pride in its homogeneous national culture and self-sufficiency.

North Korea shares borders with China and Russia to the north. The capital of North Korea is commonly written as Pyongyang or Pyngyang.

Before the Korean War of the 1950s permanently divided the peninsula into North and South Korea, Korean identity was strengthened and tested through various periods of foreign domination. China made repeated forays into Korea from ancient times to the modern era. Mongolia invaded and occupied parts of Korea in both the 11th and 13th centuries. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Japan and Russia also entered the Korean peninsula and attempted to shape and direct its fate. Even during these periods of invasion and occupation, Koreans managed to maintain their own national character, borrowing features from other cultures and reshaping them to suit their own needs and creative tastes.