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North Korea, 8/1/09
Overview:
Join Active Minds for a discussion of the history of North Korea and the development of the North Korean nuclear program. We will cover the successes and shortcomings of diplomatic efforts between North Korea, the United States and other countries. North Korea’s place in the world relative to global issues such as international trade and human rights issues will also be addressed as well as their current leadership issues.
Key Lecture Points:
• On May 25, 2009, North Korea carried out an underground nuclear test, its second ever (its first test was carried out in 2006), drawing protests from the US, China and Russia. It also announced that it no longer considers itself bound by the terms of the 1953 truce that ended the war between the two Koreas. Defense Secretary Robert Gates replied that the US "will not accept" a nuclear-armed North Korea.
• On June 12, 2009, the U.N. Security Council issued Resolution 1874 allowing member states to inspect suspicious cargo. North Korea has said it would consider interception a declaration of war and accused the U.S. of seeking to provoke another Korean War. "If the U.S. imperialists start another war, the army and people of Korea will ... wipe out the aggressors on the globe once and for all," the official Korean Central News Agency said.
• In April 2009, North Korea launched a rocket carrying what it claimed was a communications satellite; its neighbors accused it of testing long-range missile technology. After criticism of the launch from the UN Security Council, North Korea walked out of the international six-party talks aimed at ending its nuclear program.
• Recent reporting from the secretive state of North Korea indicates that the “dear leader”, Kim Jong Il may be suffering from a terminal illness. Signs seem to point to the fact that Kim Jong Il’s youngest son, Kim Jong-un, has been designated the country's next leader and that preparations for his succession are underway.
• On June 8, 2009, North Korea sentenced two US journalists, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, to 12 years hard labor for allegedly crossing the border illegally. Experts believe that the journalists may become cards which the K. Korean will play in the broader game of confrontation with the US.
Exploration Questions:
• What do you feel are the driving factors that underlie North Korea’s Nuclear Program? What are the best ways to confront North Korea?
• If North Korea acts, either against the U.S. or another country, how should the U.S. and the international community react?
Reflective Questions:
• Can you think of a time when you felt threatened and reacted to that threat? Does North Korea’s behavior seem similar or different to this?
More to Explore:
• CIA analysis of North Korea: www.cia.gov
• Overview of North Korea’s nuclear program: www.nti.org
Books For Further Reading:
• Kim, Mike. Escaping North Korea: Defiance and Hope in the World's Most Repressive Country. Roman and Littlefield Publishers, 2008. 239 pages. Kim recounts firsthand experiences of enduring famine, women's sex trafficking experiences, and torture in the gulags, as well as inspirational stories of refugees who overcame tremendous adversity to escape the repressive regime of their homeland and make new lives. Click here to order.
• Chang, Gordon. Nuclear Showdown: North Korea Takes on the World. Random House, 2006. 327 pages. "Nuclear Showdown" is the first and only major study to look at all dimensions of this crisis. Gordon G. Chang proposes solutions that go beyond the conventional suggestions seen elsewhere. Click here to order.
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