The Independence and Isolation of North Korea

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)

Signs of human activity date back to 3000 B.C., but Korea was known as Choson. Historians are not yet sure where the origins of the Korean culture come from but, “..archeologists have determined that some prehistoric peoples of the Altaic language group probably migrated to the Korean peninsula from Siberia, Manchuria and Mongolia.” (DuBois, 19) Like any other civilization, the first people fished, gathered food, and hunted. As time went on the, people referred to themselves as the Ancient Choson. Invaded in 109 B.C., by China, it was kept under there control for hundreds of years, and Koreans were influenced greatly with matters like, language, religion and a writing system. As time went on China lost its power over Korea, and in 57 B.C., the Koguryo Kingdom formed. (Kummer, 37-38)

The base of North Korea was once was under the Koguryo Kingdom. “Eventually two other kingdoms— the Paekche and Silla— emerged to the south, and Korea entered into a period known as the Three Kingdoms.” (World Book, 297) All three kingdoms had tension between them, “In 660 Silla formed an alliance with China’s Tang Dynasty. With the help of a Tang army, Silla conquered both Baekje [Paekche] and Goguryeo [Koguryo] to form a united Korea.” Silla were able to maintain control of all of Korea from 668 A.D. to 918 A.D. Around the 1200s the Mongol empire ruled central Asia, and with there empire expanding Korea was bound to come into the pictu...

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...103) North Korea encourages from a early age for students to join, the performing arts: taekwondo, playing traditional Korean musical instruments, special techniques of painting and drawing. If not the performing arts other options like, filmmaking, literature, and sports like ssireum, or Korean wrestling, soccer and volleyball are available. (Kummer, 103-112)

North Korea, a land of nuclear weapons and mass destruction, or a land with rich culture ? North Korea is a country where you can find the unexpected. On the news, television and internet it is known for its nuclear weapons and its corrupt government. That is not what makes up a country, a country is made up of its people and there values. In conclusion, the leading belief why people under look North Korea is because, it is a country who keeps to themselves, and is isolated from the rest of the world.