Socio-Cultural Analysis Of North Korea. 13F Alc Class 003-17.

In 1945, during World War II era, North Korea shared the peninsula of Korea with South Korea. The divided peninsula was heavily influence by United States, United Nation, and (USSR) Russia. Russia had great influence with the northern peninsula of Korea, while United States and United Nation held grounds in southern Korea. All three nation took control of the upper and lower regions after defeating the Japanese armed forces. In web article EveryCulture 2017, states “In 1945, upon the surrender of the Japanese armed forces, Korea was partitioned into Northern

North Korea is a country that is ruled by a dictator and has a communist government. A communist government rules all the land and gives the same amount of money and supplies to all the people in the country. “Daily Necessities were obtained from the Public Distribution System (PDS)” (95,Hassig). The PDS shut down in 1995 because foreign aid was cut off expect for Pyongyang, the capital city. In rural areas, a lot of the children were born as “no-count” meaning that when they were born they weren’t counted as part of the existing society and didn’t have supplies given to them. North Korea was once a unified country with South Korea until September 9, 1948 when it became a separate country. From 1910 to 1945 Japan had ruled

Although China’s influence over Korea has waned severely since the dynastic years we find the Confucian system of virtues and behaviors, China’s chief export from that time, still very much alive. Korea highly values the extended family, education, personal discipline and public order. In South Korea Confucian temples continue to be maintained throughout the country. The tenets of Confucianism are seen as antidotes to social ills and therefore education is thought of as a means of building character, not simply of intellectual formation. The values of Confucianism are promulgated throughout Korea in places as diverse as school, the office and the home. Television programs often portray Confucian merits such as filial piety and harmony. However

Good families have many ingredients that make them function properly. One of these elements is values, or what the family views as important. This helps family members know what is good and bad for them. The article “Celebrating Your Family Culture” states, “Around our household, we constantly say, ‘Well, in our family we believe…and everyone’s family is different.’ I’m sure my son gets tired of hearing this in response to why he can’t have the latest electronic gadget, but I also think hearing this anchors him. Kids want to know where you stand on important issues and what your family values,” (Trudeau). The article tells how even though the family values can annoy a member; it steadies them to know the priorities. Having that clear view can also have other effects on family members. When My Name was Keoko tells how Keoko or Sun-hee saw her uncle and mom value their patriotism. This helped her see that her own patriotism should be strong (Park 11, 32, 33, 93). The family values were very important when the Japanese invaded Korea. They were probably the only Korean thing the people of Korea had. Without them the Koreans would give up and never have their own culture again. Concluding, the values that families have are very

Family traditions are passed on from generation to generation, however they are not always static rules. Tradition is like a living organism that adapts to change over time. In order to understand modern North Korea’s family customs, it is important to consider the tradition of the past. Before North Korea’s liberation from Japan in 1945, North Korean families operated differently than they do today. Their ideology was founded on Confucius’s principles of family, including “only a country where family life was harmonious could be peaceful and prosperous” (Asia Society). The family is an integral part of society the same way a cell is important to a body (Suzy, 264). The government is even considered “one family” that everyone is a part of (Monday). Every individual in a family has a role and every family has a role in society. The ideal family is modeled from Kim Il Sung’s nuclear family (Suzy, 268). It is clear that family is a fundamental priority in North Korean society.

North Korea was born when Korea was split in half. The northern half being dominated by communism while the southern portion became western oriented. Although this may be true, North Korea named itself the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, despite it being a totalitarian communist government. For example, the elections held in North Korea are non-competitive since North Korea is a single-party communist state currently led by Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un. Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un, ruled with an iron fist— people who tries to leave North Korea without state permission gets criminalizes and gets forcibly returned. And those who get repatriated face interrogation, torture, and consignment to political prisoner or forced labor camps. Additionally,

Propaganda, historic inconsistencies, and fear are what keep the most of the people of North Korea believing anything their government says. No one dares to speak out against Kim Il-sung or any of his heirs, and when they do they receive punishment. No one has an option on where to live or where to work, it is all assigned by the government. If a North Korean’s family has tainted blood, they become part of the lowest work class and are not allowed into the top colleges in North Korea. Few continue their education after high school.

In North Korea it took one influential person with their own views to influence a whole Country; also, everyone there is as of one unit thinking their superior is a god. Well societies can become like that today where no one is different and everyone is blind to a single following leader and has conformed. There are other things that do this too like the Standford Prison Experiment, they had two groups guards and inmates, the inmates were brutally abused by the guards after one became sadistic and abusive. A society can become blind by following what everyone else is doing/what they see daily; thus, becoming depressingly oblivious to things they find around them.

North Korea, also referred to as the bridge between Japan and China, is located in the eastern part of Asia. North Korea is half a pennisula, particularly the northern half, in the Korean Peninsula. North Korea, is a bit smaller than Mississippi, and about eighty percent of its land it mountainous (Kummer, 19-20)

Understanding how North Korea as a country defines itself in a changing world. Where do they derive their customs and practices, political standings and military power? Define North Korea’s history leading into the modern age and define its culture and characteristics and how they interact with the world today. Understanding a subject as broad as the term culture begins where the culture began with the birth of civilization and the people that influenced it. There are many factors that play a role in the shaping of a nation none so much as turmoil and conflict and the Korean peninsula saw its fair share for the better part of a millennia. A complete statistical breakdown of North Korea shows a struggling nation that strongly depends on

Confucianism had strong drawbacks on Choson Dynasty as it hindered reforms, created internal divisions among governors, and aggravated gender equality. The philosophical teaching can be seen as a barrier towards further development and the cause of disunion in society. This paper will delve into the these ideas by explaining the deep belief of conservatism that made Korea underdeveloped in the wake of Japan’s militarism and the claim that Confucianism led people to judge each other based on identities such as gender rather than their conducts. The paper will look into the connection between the values formed by Confucianism and the features of Choson society.

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is a mountainous region with a very cold climate. However, it does experience all four seasons. The western coastal plain surrounding the capital Pyongyang is the largest area of flat terrain. The eastern region is mainly mountainous having rivers, valleys, and high plateaus scattered throughout. Paektu-sam is the highest elevation located in North Korea. North Korea also shares a land border with China to the north, along the border runs the Tumen River. A small section of this river also forms its border with Russia. The most popular border shared is the Korean Demilitarized Zone. Which mark the boundaries of North and South Korea as a result of World War II.

North Korea (officially named the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK) is a single-party Communist state in south-east Asia, ruled since 1949 by the Korean Workers' Party (KWP). Regarded by many in the international community as a pariah state (meaning that it is an outcast), North Korea has in recent years become increasingly poverty-stricken, with many of its citizens having barely enough food to survive.

South Korea appears in the first quadrant of Figure 2.2 in which states that the country has a culture with relatively larger power distance and lower individualism. South Korea has a relatively large power distance due to the country’s strong emphasis in respecting for one’s elders and superiors. This cultural belief is deeply

Manners represent an individual by the way they dress, behave, communicate, and their etiquette, while customs refer to the traditional way that a culture is practice individually, or by a group of people. Workers are expected to bow to their seniors when they greet them, and to use only formal language to their seniors, as it is rude to speak informally to someone of higher rank. In Korean businesses, meetings are often held in evenings at a restaurant or bar. Drinking is part of the Korean culture, as Koreans believe that drinking helps to bond colleagues in the company, and an offered drink must never be refused as it is considered to be rude. Along with drinking, Karaoke is a popular activity after meetings. People who attend the meeting are usually expected to sing a solo song.