A Brief History of Korea by
Presents a history of Korea, from the origins of the Korean people in prehistoric times to the economic and political situation in North and South Korea today.
The national atlas of Korea by
Focus is more on South Korea.
The National Atlas of Korea is a collection of maps with geographic information which reflects the nature, environment, history, culture, politics, economy, science and technology of Korea. Korea is now the 11th economic power in the world and this historical publication will support the nation's advancement in the ever changing, competitive world, as well as inform the fields of geography, cartography, mapping, and geographical information science. The National Atlas of Korea will be a great educational resource for our young generations. Internationally, its wealth of information-the physical and human environment of Korea, the designation of indigenous place names-will inform the international society.
The Northern Region of Korea by
The residents of the three northern provinces of Korea have long had cultural and linguistic characteristics that have marked them as distinct from their brethren in the central area near the capital and in the southern provinces. The making and legitimating of centralized Korean nation-states over the centuries, however, have marginalized the northern region and its distinct subjectivities.
Contributors to this book address the problem of amnesia regarding this distinct subjectivity of the northern region of Korea in contemporary, historical, and cultural discourses, which have largely been dominated by grand paradigms, such as modernization theory, the positivist perspective, and Marxism. Through the use of storytelling, linguistic analysis, and journal entries from turn-of-the-century missionaries and traveling Russians in addition to many varieties of unconventional primary sources, the authors creatively explore unfamiliar terrain while examining the culture, identity, and regional distinctiveness of the northern region and its people. They investigate how the northern part of the Korean peninsula developed and changed historically from the early Choson to the colonial period and come to a consensus regarding the importance of regionalism as a vital factor in historical transformation, especially in regard to Korea's tumultuous modern era.
North Korea by
Surveys the geography, history, economy, foreign relations, people, and culture of North Korea.
North Korea : A Country Study by 
North Korea at a Crossroads by
Some fifty years after war, the Korean peninsula remains divided at the 38th parallel. The end of the Cold War in 1989 brought changes to many communist states, but North Korea remains embroiled in international crises. Looking forward, North Korea seemingly faces four choices: collapse, further war, peaceful reunification with the south, or status quo. This historical and political analysis covers the period from the division of the peninsula in 1948 to the future of North Korea beyond 2003. Topics include the Korean War, Kim Il Sung, famine, the economic collapse of the 1990s, Kim Jong Il, South Korea's sunshine policy, nuclear ambitions, "rogue state" status, George W. Bush's "axis of evil" remark made during his 2002 State of the Union address, and the current state of diplomatic relations. The final chapter considers the case for reconciliation. Appendix A is a chronology of the Korean Peninsula from 2333 BCE to 2003 CE. Appendix B is a directory of Korean Studies institutes and think tanks. Tables and statistics are integrated throughout the text. Reader aids accompany each chapter, including lists of further reading, key terms and questions.
Country in East Asia, bounded northeast by Russia, north and northwest by China, east by the Sea of Japan, south by South Korea, and west by the Yellow Sea.
Divided Korea by
Roland Bleiker suggests profound structural problems within and between the two Koreas that have not been acknowledged until now. Expanding the discussion beyond geopolitics and ideology, Bleiker places peninsular tensions in the context of a struggle over competing forms of Korean identity. Divided Korea examines both domestic and international attitudes toward Korean identity, the legacy of war, and the possibilities for—and anxieties about—unification.
North and South Korea by
What are the issues in the relationship between the Koreas? Reassessing the Sunshine Policy / Moon Chung-in, as told to Evan Ramstad -- South Korea should not return to the Sunshine Policy / John Hemmings -- Korea reunification would spell trouble for Seoul / Foster King -- Dear leader's big moment for détente? / Isabel Hilton -- Lost, without a trace / Hideko Takayama and Evan Thomas -- South Korea's response to North Korean abductions is politicized and inadequate / Brad Williams and Erik Mobrand -- What is the relationship between the Koreas and the world? China's North Korea policy is illogical and damages Chinese interests / Ralph A. Cossa and Brad Glosserman -- North Korea: China weighs up opposing North Korea policies / Anny Boc -- The United States should remove troops from Korea / Doug Bandow -- The United States will not remove its troop from Korea / George Friedman -- Does North Korea present a serious threat to the world? A leadership transition my reduce the North Korean threat / Peter Hayes, Scott Bruce, and David von Hippel -- The leadership transition shows little sign of reducing the North Korean threat / Justin McCurry -- North Korea is a serious nuclear threat to Australia and the world / Kevin Rudd -- North Korea is not a serious nuclear threat to the United States / Fred Kaplan -- Talks with the United States could reduce the North Korean nuclear threat / Evans J.R. Revere -- Talks with North Korea would worsen the nuclear threat / John R. Bolton -- European participation in talks could reduce the North Korean nuclear threat / Philip Worré and Intaek Han -- What are human rights issues in North and South Korea? South Korea has exposed human rights abuses in North Korean prison camps / Chico Harlan -- South Korea's national security law violates human rights / Kay Seok -- South Koreans are reluctant to highlight North Korean human rights violations / Iris Chung -- Portraying North Korea as the villain on human rights is unhelpful / Paul Watson -- North Korea orchestrates famine as a tool of repression / Robert Park -- There are political barriers to providing food aid to North Korea / Donald Kirk.
North and South Korea by
A half century after the Korean War, North and South Korea are still divided and comprise one of the world's foremost trouble spots. American and Korean experts present differing opinions and analyses on the economies, human rights records, and military and foreign policies of these two nations that have evolved in strikingly different directions.
Sunshine in Korea by
The debate in South Korea over the government's engagement policy toward North Korea (the so-called'sunshine'policy) did not start with Pyongyang's recent admission that it has been secretly pursuing a nuclear weapons program in violation of multiple international commitments. However, the evolution of the debate will be an important determinant of how the South Korean and broader international response to this latest North Korean challenge ultimately ends. Examining the public South Korean debate over dealings with North Korea, this book reviews the relevant historical background, focusing on the evolution of'engagement'as the goal of South Korean policy toward the North. It examines the critical assumptions and central concepts motivating the new policy adopted by President Kim after his inauguration and analyzes the key issues in the public debate over this new policy. It also identifies the major actors and describes their respective positions on the government's approach to North Korea, as well as how these actors have affected public debate over government policy. The book concludes by assessing the sources of public controversy existing today, the likely short-term effects on South Korean policy, and the potential longer-term implications for South Korea, the United States, and U.S.-South Korean relations.
The Two Koreas by
The struggle between the two Koreas has repeatedly claimed the headlines of the world in acts of terrorism and heroism, showdowns over nuclear weapons programs on both sides of the lines, the sudden deaths of leaders, and historic turning points in the relationship with the outside powers of Japan, Russia, and China.Don Oberdorfer lived through many of these crises as a journalist for the Washington Post . Building on his extensive experience, many previously unavailable documents, and unparalleled access to the leadership circles of the two Korean states and the great powers, he has written a gripping narrative history of Korea's travails and triumphs over the past quarter century. The involvement of the outside world--including a chilling account of the nuclear showdown that brought the United States perilously close to war with North Korea in 1994--receives extensive treatment and special emphasis.Korea represents the last vestige of the Cold War. The Two Koreas places that political tension within a historical context, looking at democratic South Korea and communist North Korea through the lens of the past twenty-five years. Oberdorfer's work is the definitive text of contemporary Korea.
The Two Koreas by
The Korean Peninsula: a brief overview of modern Korean history / Ben Olk -- North Korea: a political history -- DMZ: Korea's dangerous divide / Tom O'Neill -- On the road to nowhere / Hamish McDonald -- Crunch time for South Korea / Andrew Ward -- Sins of the son / Peter Carlson -- Escape from hell / John J. Miller -- Flying toward new dreams / Jeremy Garlick -- 50 years later, reunions bring joy to Koreans / Stephanie Strom -- International support a key to Korean peace / Jeong Se-hyun -- Detente could unsettle balance of power / William Dawkins -- A small problem growing / Barbara Demick -- Japan shrugs off N. Korean threats over inspections / Mark Magnier -- Courtship of Beijing and Seoul: a new twist for an old bond / James Brooke -- Long indifferent, Japanese are drawn to South Korea / Norimitsu Onishi -- Honor guard / Eric Weiner -- S. Korean president: nothing to worry about relocation of U.S. troops from Seoul / San-Hun Choe -- S. Korea's divisions / Michael Dorgan -- Korea's economy opens up / O. Yul Kwon -- U.S. investors go Seoul-searching in spite of strife / Stephen Schurr -- A doomed reform / Harpal Sandhu -- N. Korea is more open, U.N. says / Mark Magnier -- A fragile peace / Peter Worthington -- South Korean military capability reportedly far superior to North's -- Nuclear nightmare / Lou Dobbs -- A balance of terror / Thomas Omestad ... [et al.] -- Talks on North Korea nuclear program end.
The Two Koreas and the Great Powers by
This book explores Korea's place in terms of multiple levels and domains of interaction pertaining to foreign-policy behaviors and relations with the four regional/global powers (China, Russia, Japan, and the United States). The synergy of global transformations has now brought to an end Korea's proverbial identity and role as the helpless shrimp among whales, and both North Korea and South Korea have taken on new roles in the process of redefining and projecting their national identities. Synthetic national identity theory offers a useful perspective on change and continuity in Korea's turbulent relationships with the great powers over the years. Following a review of Korean diplomatic history and competing theoretical approaches, along with a synthetic national-identity theory as an alternative approach, one chapter each is devoted to how Korea relates to the four powers in turn, and the book concludes with a consideration of inter-Korean relations and potential reunification.
