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Korea has a long history of existence as an independent country occupying the Korean Peninsula, a remarkable achievement given the position between China and Japan. Independence from the mighty Chinese Empire was particularly notable. Al that separated them was the Yalu River. The Mongol Empire which stretched all the way to Eastern Europe and the Middle-East could not cross the Yalu. Imperial China declined (19th century). Japan after the Meiji restoration not only defeated the Chinese in he First Sion-Japanese War (1893-94), but then defeated the Russians in the Russo-Japanese (1904-05). The war with China attracted little Western attention. The defeat of Russia raised eyebrow. The result was Japan deposed the backward Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) and colonized Korea (1909). The Japanese made massive investment developing an industrial base in North Korea. After Japan surrendered ending World War II, the Soviet Union occupied the industrial north and the Americans the agricultural south. The dividing point became the 38th parallel. This effectively created two separate zones of occupation. The initial intention was reunion. Due to the Cold War tensions between the superpowers; the US established a pro-Western government in the South, and the Soviets set up a communist regime in the North, ultimately leading to the division of Korea into North and South Korea as we know it today. Korea despite centuries of existence had never been divided before. Efforts at union was fruitless as South Koreans wanted nothing to do with the repressive Communist dictatorship the Soviets imposed on the North. The United States showed little interest in South Korea, providing little economic and military assistance. The Soviets provided massive military assistance to North. All this change when North Korea with strong Soviet support invaded South Korea (June 1950). After 3 years of War and Chinese intervention, an armistice was reached (1953). Two very different regimes developed in the north and south and distinct clothing styles began to appear. These differences became increasingly apparent after the 1960s when South Korea began to develop economically and North Korea under Communism began to decline. Nothing so shows the differing impacts of democracy/capitalism and dictatorship/communism than the varied trajectory of North and South Korea.
South Korea occupied the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. It now shares one of the world’s most heavily militarized with Communist North Korea. South Korea like the North Korea was know for its green, hilly countryside sprinkled with festive cherry trees and historic Buddhist temples along with coastal fishing villages, sub-tropical islands, but none of the high-tech cities that the country for which he country is now known. The major differences between north and south began with Japanese colonization (1909). The Japanese were primarily interested in the north because it was there that major natural resources were located that could support industrial development. The South languished as an agricultural area with small rural villages little changed for centuries. South Korea was no only mainly agricultural, but pursuing inefficient traditional farming method that the Japanese did little to improve. Clothing styles in South Korea were still mostly traditional. The Japanese did expand the education system, introducing Japanese-style Western school uniforms. Despite liberation by the Americans (1945), little changed in Korea (1945-50).
North Korea is perhaps the most closed state in the world. The outside world glimpses only occasional images of North Korea. Japanese newspapers in May 2001 carried a story about a man who seems to have been the son of North Korea's dictator, "Dear Leader" (as they call him). Kim Jong Il was caught trying to enter Japan illegally. He was deported, but the Japanese press ran a picture of
him as a 10 year old boy sitting next to his father. the picture was taken 20 years ago and gives some indication of at least the way the North Korean elite was dressing their sons at the time. Most of the pictures you see of Young Pioneers etc. seem to show them in red kerchiefs, short-sleeved white shirts, and navy long pants. But this boy was dressed in a some sort of T shirt and short, dark shorts. He would have looked completely unremarkable
in the Japan of 20 years go. North Korea is one of the last remaining Communist states. Living conditions in the North are some of the most dreadful in the world. Several million are believed to have died in the famine of the 1990s. The children were those most affected.
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