Korean News Report

Kendal Gast

ENV S 342

News Report

2-12-16

Korea

            The Korean peninsula has received a fair amount of press over the past few weeks.  North Korea, with a high degree of speculation, tested a nuclear device in January and most recently launched a rocket into space under the guise of putting a satellite in orbit.  South Korea recently cut utilities to a joint factory in North Korea.  South Korea also faces drought throughout the country and controversy over where local communities should obtain food.  All this with the recent development of a high-ranking North Korean official apparently executed by order of Kim Jong Un himself.

            In the Kaesong zone in North Korea, South Korea shut off power and in turn water to an industrial park in the area.  It happened after North Korea decided to force workers to leave and freeze assets held by various South Korean companies.  But South Korea claims it shut off power due to a rocket launch on Sunday the 7^th.  North Korea called this provocation an “act of war” (Reuters 2016).  The article then states: “Kaesong had been shut only once before, for five months in 2013, amid heightened tensions following its [North Korea’s] third nuclear test” (Reuters 2016).  In other words, this has happened before, and more specifically the third test happened a day before President Obama gave a state of the union address on February 12^th, 2013.  It is ironic that three years ago a similar incident happened in the same week, during the same month of the year. 

            In 2016, a new event coincides with the rocket tests and displays of aggressions towards neighboring countries.  A high-ranking North Korean army general was apparently executed within the last two weeks.  For reasons according to the CNN article as “factionalism, misuse of authority and corruption” (McKirdy 2016), the officer was executed.  It is unclear how a town shutdown, a rocket being launched, and an execution could be related. 

To negotiate for a nuclear-free state of North Korea is not a possible path for the United States.  The U.S. has tried for years to negotiate with North Korea to end its nuclear research program with little success.  The events of the past two weeks only escalate speculation and anxiety for most of the world.  Luckily, an article in the Washington Quarterly offers hope: “If we are to make progress with the North Koreans, whether through regime change or a process of negotiation, it will be through Beijing and Seoul” (Hill 2013).  In the article, the author discusses the various and complicated reasons why nuclear disarmament of North Korea is necessary and the short history of the issue.  Among outside factors, the cause of so many failings in negotiations was largely due to the U.S.  Perhaps one of the reasons North Korea feels it must prove itself is the whole Korean peninsula’s struggle with food production.

Although South Korea has an above average yearly rainfall compared to the rest of the world, the country still faces water and irrigation problems.  According to Nam et al, “South Korea is one of the countries classified as water deficient by the United Nations, and, in recent years, has experienced serious droughts and water scarcity problems” (Nam et al 2015).  As the article goes on to discuss, the primary reason for using the collected data was to predict the future of climatic conditions in South Korea.  This is turn will lead to better management and thus response to emergency events like extreme drought.  But this will not happen if South Korea cannot figure out its food retention issues.

Over the past few years, South Korea has struggled with food production and food policy.  According to Hwang, “Koreans depend on the import of over 70% of their foods” (Hwang 2013).  Furthermore, “over the last 50 years, Korean agriculture and rural communities have substantially declined” (Hwang 2013).  Because of this, the article goes on to discuss clever, modern day solutions to the issue such as cooperatives, farmers markets, and policy aimed at protecting rural farmers from transnational corporations.  With these issues in mind, it is not wonder that South Koreans rely heavily on foreign aid and an alliance with the United States. 

A strong argument for no nuclear weapons in North Korea can be made on the basis of utilitarianism with the addition of non-maleficence.  The countries surrounding North Korea do not wish to be attacked by a missile strike any more or less than the United States, even though the focus seems to be on the U.S.  This is perhaps because of our country’s willingness to become involved in other countries politics and pointing out “wrong” things done by them.  The UN, along with the U.S., has strongly encouraged North Korea to do no harm to others and have sought peace at every negotiation.  Outsiders of North Korea are also acutely aware of the suffering and oppression the people face under Kim Jong Un’s harsh rule.  Either way, removing the worry of nuclear warheads will benefit the entire planet. 

Works Cited

Hill C. 2013. The Elusive Vision of a Non-Nuclear North Korea, 36:2: pp. 18. Feb. 08, 2016.

Hwang S. 2013. Mobilizing Agri-Food Movements: Roles of Alternative Agri-Food Systems in Addressing the Rural Crisis in South Korea, 47:09: pp. 5. Feb. 08, 2016.

Kim J, Reinhold T, (Reuters). Feb. 2016. South Korea Cuts Off Power, Water into Kaesong Zone in North Korea. Feb. 11, 2016. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-satellite-kaesong-power-idUSKCN0VK2KV?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=twitter

McKirdy E, (Central News Network). Feb. 2016, Ranking North Korean Army Officer Said to be Executed by Regime. Feb. 11, 2016. http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/10/asia/north-korea-army-chief-ri-yong-gil-executed/index.html

Nam W, Hayes MJ, Svoboda M, Tsegayet T, Wilhile D. 2015. Draught Hazard Assessment in the Context of Climate Change for South Korea, 160: pp. 107. Feb 08, 2016.