Extra Extra! Conflict in the Korean Peninsula!
After World War II
Before August 1945, the end of World War II in the Pacific, all of the Korean Peninsula was under the control of the Japanese Empire. After World War II was won by the Allied Forces, control of the Korean Peninsula was given to two powers, the Soviet Union and the United States. The Soviet Union was given control of the land north of the 38th parallel, and the United States was given control of the land south of the 38th parallel. This was to be a temporary division until the United States, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, and China could agree on an administration for Korea. After meeting up in Moscow, and later Seoul, the Soviet-American commission could not decide on how to establish a national government for Korea.
This issue was presented before the U.N, but politics concerning the new “Cold War” and domestic opposition to a unified Korea made the idea of a national Korean government nearly impossible. Therefore, two separate nations were created, the Republic of Korea (R.O.K.) in the South, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (D.P.R.K.) in the North. The formation of the two countries happened on August 15th, 1948 and September 9, 1948, respectively. The two new governments of these countries had opposing views in politics, economics, and social systems. Syngman Rhee became the Republic’s first president, and Premier Kim Il-sung, a man who had been taught and supported by the Soviet Union, became North Korea’s first president. This difference and separation would mark the start of a decades long conflict.
The Korean War
After the creation of the new Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, violence erupted between the two Koreas. Border clashes, guerilla warfare, and naval battles took place around this time. Tension caused by these events made North Korea launch a full-on surprise invasion into South Korea on June 25th, 1950. The first act of the newly created United Nations was to establish the UN Command (UNC) and send troops from 16 member nations to South Korea’s aid. The United States provided 88% of the 341,000 international troops. It was only when China sent in large numbers of “People’s Volunteers” to aid North Korea that the battle line stabilized around the 38th Parallel as shown above.
Talks of an armistice, otherwise known as a truce or agreement to stop fighting for a certain time, began in mid-1951. Fighting continued until July 27th, 1953 when the armistice was signed by the Chinese People’s Volunteers, UNC, and North Korean People’s Army military commanders. The United States and South Korea are tied to this armistice by the UNC. No other peace agreement has replaced this pact. In the end, it is estimated that 2 to 10 million people died in the Korean War. The reason why the number of deaths is so high is that the Korean War is technically not over yet. The armistice signed is practically just a cease-fire. Because of this, any deaths caused by skirmishes between the two countries since then can be counted as casualties of the war. Overall, over 33,000 Americans died in fighting in the Korean War. Sometimes, the Korean War is referred to as the "Forgotten War" because it's memory seems to be overshadowed by other events and wars that occurred around the mid to late-1900s.
More About the Korean Armistice Agreement
The Korean Armistice Agreement was the longest negotiated armistice in history, the meetings were held over the span of more than two years. It:
“1. Suspended open hostilities
2. Withdrew all military forces and equipment from a 4,000-meter-wide zone, establishing the Demilitarized Zone as a buffer between the forces
3. Prevented both sides from entering the air, ground, or sea areas under control of the other
4. Arranged release and repatriation of prisoners of war and displaced persons
5. Established the Military Armistice Commission (MAC)* and other agencies to discuss any violations and to ensure adherence to the truce terms. ”
*The MAC is now considered void.
After the Armistice was made, President Eisenhower made an address to the American people. It was a reminder of the 1.8 million men and women who served in Korea.
Here is an excerpt of his speech broadcasted on national television:
”Soldiers, sailors and airmen of sixteen different countries have stood as partners beside us throughout these long and bitter months. In this struggle we have seen the United Nations meet the challenge of aggression—not with pathetic words of protest, but with deeds of decisive purpose. And so at long last the carnage of war is to cease and the negotiation of the conference table is to begin. . . . [We hope that] all nations may come to see the wisdom of composing differences in this fashion before, rather than after, there is resort to brutal and futile battle.
Now as we strive to bring about that wisdom, there is, in this moment of sober satisfaction, one thought that must discipline our emotions and steady our resolution. It is this: We have won an armistice on a single battleground—not peace in the world. We may not now relax our guard nor cease our quest.”
Credit for speech and armistice agreements given to:
"Armistice Agreement for the Restoration of the South Korean State (1953)." Our Documents -. Web. 12 May 2012. <http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true>.
Present Day
Tensions still run high between both nations. The situation from the North Korean side can even be described as “two-faced” as they have adopted a mixed policy with South Korea. At times North Korea tries to develop economic relationships with South Korea, and at other times, they criticize the South Korean government and attack their forces. The United States still has around 30,000 troops stationed in Korea. Peace and unification efforts sanctioned by both countries occurred in 1971, 1984, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2000 and 2007 respectively. Among these events, nuclear restrictions were signed, policies written, relief efforts performed, and inter-Korean summits were held.
As of 2008 however, the year of South Korean President Lee Myung-bak’s inauguration was held, inter-Korean relations have declined. No major actions were taken against South Korea by North Korea since the 1987 bombing of the Korean Airlines flight 858 until around the time negotiations started deteriorating. On March 26th, 2010, D.P.R.K forces sunk the R.O.K. warship Cheonan which killed 46 sailors. Shortly after this, North Korean forces launched an attack on Yeonpyong Island which killed two R.O.K. soldiers and two civilians. This act was a clear violation of the armistice agreement. Recently, North Korea has been suspected of testing long-range missiles, and even went as far as to, in April 2012, threaten South Korea. A television announcement was made on North Korean airwaves that they were planning to launch "special actions" meant to wipe out the administration of the South Korean president, Lee Myung-bak. The actions would last three to four minutes and be carried out "by unprecedented peculiar means and methods of our own style" according to the army statement.
As of now, the situation between the two Koreas is as tense as ever.
Tensions still run high between both nations. The situation from the North Korean side can even be described as “two-faced” as they have adopted a mixed policy with South Korea. At times North Korea tries to develop economic relationships with South Korea, and at other times, they criticize the South Korean government and attack their forces. The United States still has around 30,000 troops stationed in Korea. Peace and unification efforts sanctioned by both countries occurred in 1971, 1984, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2000 and 2007 respectively. Among these events, nuclear restrictions were signed, policies written, relief efforts performed, and inter-Korean summits were held.
As of 2008 however, the year of South Korean President Lee Myung-bak’s inauguration was held, inter-Korean relations have declined. No major actions were taken against South Korea by North Korea since the 1987 bombing of the Korean Airlines flight 858 until around the time negotiations started deteriorating. On March 26th, 2010, D.P.R.K forces sunk the R.O.K. warship Cheonan which killed 46 sailors. Shortly after this, North Korean forces launched an attack on Yeonpyong Island which killed two R.O.K. soldiers and two civilians. This act was a clear violation of the armistice agreement. Recently, North Korea has been suspected of testing long-range missiles, and even went as far as to, in April 2012, threaten South Korea. A television announcement was made on North Korean airwaves that they were planning to launch "special actions" meant to wipe out the administration of the South Korean president, Lee Myung-bak. The actions would last three to four minutes and be carried out "by unprecedented peculiar means and methods of our own style" according to the army statement.
As of now, the situation between the two Koreas is as tense as ever.