Korea: A brief Overview

The Korean peninsula has witnessed a lot of unrest in recent times. The controversy over the South Korean battleship sinking in March has increased the tension between South and North. But even before the whole incident the Korean peninsula has not been entirely peaceful.  It has seen a huge war which went on for three years followed by skirmishes every now and then between the two countries.  But throughout this time there was the international community at large has viewed the North Koreans as the aggressors. The recent Cheonan incident has invoked anguished reactions from the South Korean people. Seoul has been wary of North Korean aggression for years. People there have seen North Korea conduct two nuclear tests, but people now feel that this act of unprovoked aggression should not go unpunished.

Enough has been discussed about by the current scenario and the aftermath of the Cheonan incident, in this article we will have a look at the not so rosy past. In April last year North Korea launched a lethal long range missile which could target any city in the South. The communist regime dubbed it s communication immediately drawing flak and cynicism from the international community.  North Korea could not fool the entire world. The Taepodong launch was followed up quickly by the Musu dan ri another lethal weapon of mass destruction. Apart from the duo of North Korea’s allies Russia and China the international community was scathing. Russia and China called for restrain where as an official statement from Tokyo quoted “It is an extremely provocative action. Japan can never overlook it.  South Korea also criticized by saying that North should cater to the millions hungry in the country rather than trying to race for strategic and military advantage over South. But this is how North Korea goes about its business as usual.

Now we will have a look at Korea’s history. Korea was occupied by imperialist from Japan China and Russia. Japan occupied Korea in 1910 after beating Russia in 1905 war. The Japanese rule was extremely tyrannical as millions were enslaved or killed. Japanese occupation ended with the world war two. USSR and USA moved in then, and agreed to set the 38^th parallel as the border between North and South Korea. The Soviets supplanted a communist regime in the North and provided it with ample aid in terms of military technology and economy. In 1949 when USSR and USA withdrew from the peninsula, taking advantage of the situation North attacked the South.  Even when United Nations tried to cool down matters, nothing materialized. The United Nations security forces led by the United States were sent to defeat North. The 25000 strong United Nation forces tough initially suffered heavy losses but later pushed the forces of the North right to the China border. This acted as a catalyst for China entering the war. Buoyed by Chinese support North Korea drove back the allied forces. Peace came only when the United Nations brokered armistice declared 38^thparallel as the border between the two Koreas.

The hermit kingdom as North Korea is called for its social and cultural approach to the outside world. It has relations with China and Russia and invites the ire of the world through its aggressive actions.