North and South Korea on the world map are located on the same peninsula. Despite this, countries are two parallel realities. On one side of the barbed wire - one of the most prosperous and developed economies in the world, on the other - poverty, tyranny and despair.
State formation
The border of North and South Korea divides these two territories into separate, independent powers. But has it always been like this? Not. Until the end of World War II, the land was under Japanese occupation. For 35 years, this country here controlled the economy, built its own political system. Being an ally of Hitler and having been defeated, the Land of the Rising Sun was under the scrutiny of the Soviet Union. Stalin and Roosevelt jointly decided to liberate the territory: the Soviet army entered from the north, American soldiers from the south. Each occupied its own unit, establishing its own order on it.
Japan signed an act of surrender. Until power was transferred to the Koreans, part of the state above the 38th parallel was controlled by the Russians, and below - under the tutelage of the United States. After that, sovereign powers were formed on these lands: in the north a communist republic headed by Kim Jong Il, in the south - a capitalist country headed by Lee Sung Man. It was planned that in the near future North and South Korea would reunite. The conflict arose between the governments of the USSR and the USA, which could not agree on the terms of the connection, so the desired did not become valid.
War
Why is North and South Korea feuding? Firstly, it all started because of the cold war of the USA and the USSR. Secondly, the hatred of the two countries was warred, which broke out between them immediately after the Second World War. At this time, the DPRK army began to gradually gain strength - not without the help of the Soviet Union. And Kim Jong Il invited Stalin to overthrow the government of his southern neighbor in order to fully establish the sole control of the peninsula. The leader hesitated for a long time, but nevertheless accepted the offer: 90% of the territory controlled by Seoul was seized. But the coup was not possible, as the South Korean leaders left the capital on time and disappeared. In addition, residents also opposed the invaders.
From 1950 to 1953 military operations were going on. On the one hand, DPRK, China and the USSR, on the other, South Korea, the USA, Great Britain and 14 other states. Already in the summer of 1951, it became clear that the forces are equal - the conflict came to a standstill, and it was necessary to hold talks on a ceasefire. They lasted for two whole years, during which the war continued. The ceasefire was concluded on June 27, 1953, the peace treaty was never signed.
Korea these days
Now the two warring camps are separated by the same 38 parallel: it is along it that the demilitarized zone passes, the width of which is 4 kilometers. Any military operations are prohibited on this strip. A huge wall was erected south of it, which stretches from east to west, interrupting only 10 kilometers. Under the zone itself, North Koreans dug up many huge tunnels to illegally migrate to their wealthy neighbors. Interestingly, prisoners captured by the DPRK during the war refused to return home, wishing to remain forever under the wing of South Korea.
North Korea and South Korea ... Comparison between the two powers is difficult, as they are united by language, history, culture, traditions. Of course, "separate living" transformed them a little, but the essence remained the same. Now it’s like two separate worlds, especially in the economic sphere, in which the redistribution of territories was displayed as much as possible. The situation on the peninsula can be compared with the times of post-war Germany, only in Berlin the wall was broken, which cannot be said about these two powers.
Countries on the world map
If you look at it, the border of North and South Korea will be clearly visible. The first is in the mountains, the second is more characteristic of the plains. South Korea, which was lucky with a mild climate, harvests a large crop every year, growing a variety of crops. Southerners have few natural resources, since the mountains and the deposits of ores and non-ferrous metals located in them are located far to the north. Therefore, they came up with a brilliant way out of the situation: they began to increase the economy through intellectual activity. Accordingly, today this country is one of the world leaders in the production of electronic equipment.
North and South Korea on the world map border the Japanese and Yellow Seas. At the same time, the DPRK is still located in the neighborhood of China and Russia. The climate in this part of the peninsula is quite severe, and the mountainous area prevails over the plains, so we can’t talk about growing bread, vegetables and fruits. But on the territory of the country there are many enterprises that specialize in heavy industry.
Demography
In this area, North Korea and South Korea are not very different: a comparison can be made only by analyzing the density and population. According to recent estimates, about 30 million people live in the DPRK. In South Korea, there are almost twice as many citizens - 50 million, of which a million are visiting foreigners. The gap in performance is easily explained: the Nordic country has lost many citizens. And the reason for this was not war, but a banal escape. As already mentioned, the inhabitants of the DPRK massively migrate to the south, they are not afraid of even the execution, which, most likely, they will succumb to after the capture. Such citizens here are called "traitors and deserters."
Both Koreans live in both countries. There are also Chinese and Japanese living in separate communities. Half of the Koreans profess Buddhism, the other part is Christianity. Confucianism is also popular here, which accounts for 3% of the population. Despite the fact that atheism is officially proclaimed in the DPRK, local residents secretly practice one of the above religions.
Politics
If we analyze the state administration system, then North Korea and South Korea are significantly different - a comparison can be made without even having deep legal knowledge. Each of us knows that the DPRK is a militarized republic with a totalitarian regime of governance and a socialist way of life. Even after the death of the leader - Kim Jong Il - the situation has not changed, since he was replaced by his son, who fully supports the policy of his father. The heir turned out to be even tougher. Loud executions and mass persecution of the unwanted are his priorities. North Korea is a very closed power, separated from the whole world by an invisible wall of tyranny and dictatorship.
The armies of North and South Korea are also significantly different. North Korean troops, their drill and training are the main path that the country is following. The authorities, being committed to the militaristic course, seek to maximize the build-up of weapons, especially nuclear. Instead, South Korea, as a democratic state, focuses not on increasing combat potential, but on the development of scientific and technological progress.
Economy
In this area, North Korea and South Korea have chosen completely different paths. A comparison of the economies can be made by analyzing the investments, developments, and trade relations of each country. And, of course, South Korea bypassed the northern neighbor for many centuries to come. In this state, it’s not only just a highly developed economy, it is one of the strongest and most profitable on the world stage. Relying on technological progress, the country guessed: on the 21st century, the IT industry is now at the peak of popularity. Today, South Korea is actively competing with Japan for the production of robots. Local scientists are developing not only modern technology, but also new cars, they are actively exploring alternative ways of generating energy. At the same time, agriculture, although good conditions have been created for it, make up only a small part of the power’s income.
South Korea and North Korea, relations between which have not been formed for many decades, are guided by different markets. If the chip of the first state is technology, then the second is completely focused on heavy industry. The country, despite some isolation from the whole world, cooperates with hundreds of states. The Koreans achieved particular success in the chemical, textile and oil refining industries.
Culture and standard of living
North and South Korea, the conflict between which is observed in all spheres of life, are very different in the standard of living of ordinary citizens. What can I say about people: just walk the streets of Seoul and Pyongyang for comparison. The first is the city of the future with beautiful skyscrapers and modern vehicles, the second is the so-called ghost of the past, full of slums, tired people, exhausted animals. In South Korea, the average salary is 3 thousand dollars, in North - only 40. DPRK citizens are cut off from the Internet, for many of them even an ordinary TV is a symbol of luxury.
We think it is now clear why North and South Korea are at war, and what is the fundamental difference between them. The development of countries started at the same time. But Seoul in 60 years has managed to become the 15th economy in the world in terms of success and prosperity. At the same time, Pyongyang in terms of living standards and politics can be attributed to third world countries. Perhaps someday life will get better here. And for the DPRK, reunification with its southern neighbor may become one of the options for a brighter future.