The North Korea/South Korean conflict is a long-standing conflict dating back to the 1950 Korean War. It emanated from attempts by each of the countries to have the two countries unified under their administration. The war started when North Korea invaded South Korea and in many cases the former is usually seen as the aggressor. The Korean War (1950-1953) was a civil conflict involving Koreans on their own soil as they fought for control of the Korean Peninsula.
The war was also part of the cold war between the Soviet Union and the United States in which South Korea received backing from the US and other capitalist countries while North Korea received the backing of the Soviet Union, China and other Capitalist countries. In spite of a ceasefire being signed between the two countries, border disputes involving the Korean Peninsula, ideological and political differences have continued to fuel a long standing conflict between the two countries. Among other reasons Eller, (2006) warns that ideological differences are a major cause of conflicts between countries and such has been the case in the Korean conflict.
Massive losses have characterized the Korean conflict. More than 3.5 million people have lost their lives to the conflict with majority of these people being victims of the bloody armed conflict in the early 1950s (Edwards, 2006). Since 1974, four incursion tunnels into Seoul, South Korea’s capital have been uncovered. A North Korean submarine bombed and sunk a South Korean warship in 2010. In the same year, North Korea fired artillery shells on South Korea’s Yeonpyeong Island (Hatton, 2013).
Though relative physical conflict has technically stopped, there looms another armed conflict if efforts to solve long standing differences. An article in Reuters on April 9 2013 stated that North Korea had intensified its threats that a war with South Korea and the USA was looming. According to reporters Kim and Lee (2013) North Korea was warning foreigners living in the Korean Peninsula to vacate the area and avoid being dragged into a “thermonuclear war”. The conflict has brought mistrust not only between the two countries but also between other countries in the world that chose to align themselves with either of the Korean countries.
The North-South Korea conflict has had significant impacts in global politics. While South Korea has continually aligned itself with capitalist nations, North Korea has dwelt on relating politically and economically with countries such as Russia, China, and Japan among others that have been predominantly upheld communist ideals (Edwards, 2006). The conflict has been attributed to economic prosperity of the United States and Japan as each established strategic economic relationships with the two warring countries. Japan is said to have used resources from South Korea to grow its economy (Edwards, 2006). The growth and establishment of China as a major economic powerhouse in the world can also be attributed to its strategic positioning in reconciling the Korean countries and thereafter being “rewarded’ with economic deals.
As an effect of North Korea’s pursuance of its nuclear programme, South Korea has distanced itself from the programme. This has created further ideological differences and worsened relationships between South Korea and North Korea. The US trains thousands of soldiers in South Korea and uses it as a base to plan operations in North Korea. Other Western countries such as the UK have backed efforts by the US while Russia has seemingly supported its communist friend-North Korea (Edwards, 2006). This has affected the ideological and political alignments especially among the world’s strongest economies such as Germany, China and Brazil.
The conflict between South and North Korea especially the Korean War of 1950 has enhanced the founding and legitimization of the United Nations in handling and arbitrating conflicts between nations. The Korean conflict also led to the expansion of military power in the world. Each country sought to strengthen its military forces in an effort to remain vigilant over possible conflicts with other countries. These among others are effects of the South Korea/North Korea conflict.
References
Eller, J.D. (2006) Violence and Culture: A Cross-Cultural and Interdisciplinary Approach. U.S.A. : Thomson Wadsworth.
Edwards, P. M. (2006). The Korean War. Westport Conn. [u.a.: Greenwood Press.
Kim, C., & Lee, J. (2013, April 9). North Korea warns foreigners to leave South amid new threats of war| Reuters.Business & Financial News, Breaking US & International News | Reuters.com. Retrieved July 10, 2013, from: - http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/09/us-korea-north-idUSBRE93408020130409
Hatton, C. (2013, April 12). BBC News - Is China ready to abandon North Korea? BBC - Homepage. Retrieved July 10, 2013, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-22062589
