Course description
Despite the end of the cold war, the Korean peninsula has remained a legacy of that conflict. The peninsula continues to be a serious concern for peace and stability in the region, but the past two years has raised the possibility of change through increased levels of diplomacy that have been unprecedented and unexpected. However, the denuclearization effort has now stalled. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is one of the last surviving communist states with a faltering economy that struggles to feed its people. North Korea maintains a large conventional military force, hundreds of ballistic missiles, and a stockpile of chemical and biological weapons. Since 2006, it has conducted six nuclear weapons tests with a growing capability to reach the continental United States with a nuclear-tipped missile. Since his father's passing in December 2011, Kim Jong-un has consolidated his power and the regime appears stable with little likelihood of collapse. Across the demilitarized zone, South Korea has developed into a thriving global economy ranking 11th in the world. The Republic of Korea (ROK) is the sixth largest US trade partner and a world leader in the production of semiconductors, cell phones, automobiles, electronics, ships, and nuclear energy technology. Since 1953, the United States and South Korea have maintained a formal security alliance, and the peninsula remains home to 28,500 US troops. Developments in Korea have an important impact on the region and the world, making knowledge of the Koreas and their challenges vital. The talk of war has receded but many questions remain about the possibility of denuclearizing North Korea and the future of peace and stability on the peninsula. This course explores the history, politics, economics, and security of North and South Korea and their role in the larger context of Asia.
