GLOBAL: North Korea and Nukes

Ok, so everyone has been hearing about North Korea. They are throwing missiles. Kim Jong-Un is threatening to bomb the US. Threatening to go to war. Blah blah blah.

First let's start at the beginning of everything.

First, you should know that Korea was controlled by the Japanese from 1910 until the end of World War II. In 1945 the Soviet Union declared war on Japan taking over the north part of Korea, while the US came in and took the south. By 1948 Korea was split in two because of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the US. Needless to say there was a lot of arguments of who was governing what because of the divide, each claiming to be the one who would govern the whole of Korea. Obviously at this point South Korea has it's own government separated from Japan. Then on June 25th 1950, what is now North Korea moved forward and attacked the south. 

DMZ: CNN News

The war between North and South continued for nearly three years before a ceasefire was signed between the two countries. At this point the demilitarized zone also knowns as the DMZ was created and prisoners were released. Let's be clear on this point, a peace treaty was never signed. Both sides merely agreed to stop attacking each other....for now.






Over the years since this war there has been tension between the two countries but also some moments that were close to peace. 

Kaesong Industrial Zone: Koogle.TV

One example of the two countries working together is the Kaesong Industrial Zone which opened at the end of 2004. This is an industrial park has approximately 123 South Korean companies that employees mostly North Korean workers.  South Korean received manufactured good they needed and North Korea received monetary funds needed to support it's economy. Unfortunately due to rising tension in the mid-2000s the park was closed and reopen several times until in 2016 it was closed until the foreseeable future.

Entry to Kaesong Industrial Zone with a sign indicating unification for the two countries is desired: RFA.com

Back on topic, what is causing all this tension between the two countries and the US for that matter? Nuclear weapons. First let's establish that pretty much every country currently has nuclear weapons, yes even the US. North Korea seems to be like a child right now throwing a tantrum  'You have nuclear weapons, I want some too!'

Credit: Business Insider

However, due to North Korea's lack of team player attitude, the idea of them having nuclear weapons puts everyone on edge. 

Now, you are probably wondering, 'Wait, why can't they have nuclear weapons if everyone else has them?'

This is because of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty aka NPT which was put into action in 1970. This was a global treaty which prevents the spread of nuclear weapons and technology. It promotes positive nuclear energy development and pushes for nuclear disarmament. What is nuclear disarmament? To completely get rid of nuclear weapons in every country. 

Show of hands, who thinks this is possible? .... That's what I thought.

Now, North Korea entered the treaty in 1985 but withdrew in 2003 under the rule of Kim Jong Il. Of course under the rule of Kim Jong Un, development of nuclear weapons has increase exponentially much to many leaders' dismay.

UN discussing Sanctions on North Korea. BBC News

Solution? Sanctions. Sanctions and more Sanctions.


Results? Ehh, some say none, some say, well, some.

What are sanctions? Sanctions are restrictions placed on a country, in this case North Korea. 

Different countries participated in the sanctions; the USA, Japan, South Korea, China and the European Union.

The idea behind the sanctions was to squeeze North Korea's trade and economy in hopes to force them into compliance. Unfortunately it hasn't seem to stop or even reduce their nuclear research.

Basically, all said and done, things between North, South and the US are tensed and probably worse then it has been in a long time. With increased US and South Korean War games, the THAAD system, and overall lack of negotiation and communications, it doesn't seem like tensions are going to reduce any time soon. All we can do is continue to watch and hope with the new South Korean president, the last one was impeached, and the new US president that things within this tense triangle will improve for the better.