• Title/Summary/Keyword: Korean Reunification

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A Qualitative Study on the Experiences of Losing a Hometown among Korea's Divided Families (남북이산가족의 실향 경험에 관한 질적연구)

  • Yang, Sung-Eun
    • Journal of Families and Better Life
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    • v.29 no.2
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    • pp.143-152
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    • 2011
  • The aim of this study was to achieve an understanding of the experiences of divided families in South Korea. The study adopted a qualitative method based on the interpretive science paradigm The participants were 14 elderly people who came from North Korea around 1950 and identified as belonging to the first generation of divided families. In-depth individual interviews were carried out, focusing on what divided families experienced after leaving their hometown, how these experiences affected their meaning-making about their homecoming, and how the divided community has changed. The result of theme analysis indicated that the first generation of divided families identified themselves as "people who lost their hometown." their hometown implied multiple losses, including their family members, socioeconomic status, and psychological support systems. The participants explained the process of their settlement and adaptation to South Korea based on the cohesion of the divided family community. However, they anticipated that the divided family community would fade away because of the aging of the first generation, the indifference of the second generation, and the frustration that existed about the reunion of the divided family members. The participants showed a realistic view on returning to their hometown after the reunification of North Korea and South Korea.

A Study on Appropriate Military Strength of Unified Korea (Focused on relative balance strategy and conflict scenario) (통일 한국의 적정 군사력에 관한 연구 - 분쟁 시나리오와 상대적 균형전략을 중심으로 -)

  • Hong, Bong-Gi
    • Journal of National Security and Military Science
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    • s.13
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    • pp.687-738
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    • 2016
  • To prepare for the complicated international relationship regarding Korean Peninsula after reunification, this thesis started off with the awareness that Unified Korea should build its international posture and national security at an early stage by determining its appropriate military strength for independent defense and military strategies that Unified Korea should aim. The main theme of this thesis is 'The research on appropriate military strength of the Unified Korean military'. To derive appropriate military strength of Unified Korea, this research focuses on conflict scenario and relative balance strategy based on potential threats posed by neighboring countries, and this is the part that differentiates this research from other researches. First of all, the main objective of the research is to decide appropriate military strength for Unified Korea to secure defense sufficiency. For this, this research will decide efficient military strategy that Unified Korea should aim. Than by presuming the most possible military conflict scenario, this research will judge the most appropriate military strength for Unified Korea to overcome the dispute. Second, after deciding appropriate military strength, this research will suggest how to operate presumed military strength in each armed force. The result of this thesis is as in the following. First, Unified Korea should aim 'relative balance strategy'. 'Relative balance strategy' is a military strategy which Unified Korea can independently secure defense sufficiency by maintaining relative balance when conflicts occur between neighboring countries. This strategy deters conflicts in advance by relative balance of power in certain time and place. Even if conflict occurs inevitably, this strategy secures initiative. Second, when analyzing neighboring countries interest and strategic environment after unification, the possibility of all-out war will be low in the Korean Peninsula because no other nation wants the Korean Peninsula to be subordinated to one single country. Therefore appropriate military strength of the Unified Korean military would be enough when Unified Korea can achieve relative balance in regional war or limited war. Third, Northeast Asia is a region where economic power and military strength is concentrated. Despite increasing mutual cooperation in the region, conflicts and competition to expand each countries influence is inherent. Japan is constantly enhancing their military strength as they aim for normal statehood. China is modernizing their military strength as they aspire to become global central nation. Russia is also enhancing their military strength in order to hold on to their past glory of Soviet Union as a world power. As a result, both in quality and quantity, the gap between military strength of Unified Korea and each neighboring countries is enlarged at an alarming rate. Especially in the field of air-sea power, arms race is occurring between each nation. Therefore Unified Korea should be equipped with appropriate military strength in order to achieve relative balance with each threats posed by neighboring countries. Fourth, the most possible conflicts between Unified Korea and neighboring countries could be summarized into four, which are Dokdo territorial dispute with Japan, Leodo jurisdictional dispute with China, territorial dispute concerning northern part of the Korea Peninsula with China and disputes regarding marine resources and sea routes with Russia. Based on those conflict scenarios, appropriate military strength for Unified Korea is as in the following. When conflict occurs with Japan regarding Dokdo, Japan is expected to put JMSDF Escort Flotilla 3, one out of four of its Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Escort Fleet, which is based in Maizuru and JMSDF Maizuru District. To counterbalance this military strength, Unified Korea needs one task fleet, comprised with three task flotilla. In case of jurisdictional conflict with China concerning Leodo, China is expected to dispatch its North Sea fleet, one out of three of its naval fleet, which is in charge of the Yellow Sea. To response to this military action, Unified Korea needs one task fleet, comprised with three task flotilla. In case of territorial dispute concerning northern part of the Korean Peninsula with China, it is estimated that out of seven Military Region troops, China will dispatch two Military Region troops, including three Army Groups from Shenyang Military Region, where it faces boarder with the Korean Peninsula. To handle with this military strength, Unified Korea needs six corps size ground force strength, including three corps of ground forces, two operational reserve corps(maneuver corps), and one strategic reserve corps(maneuver corps). When conflict occurs with Russia regarding marine resources and sea routes, Russia is expected to send a warfare group of a size that includes two destroyers, which is part of the Pacific Fleet. In order to balance this strength, Unified Korea naval power requires one warfare group including two destroyers. Fifth, management direction for the Unified Korean military is as in the following. Regarding the ground force management, it would be most efficient to deploy troops in the border area with china for regional and counter-amphibious defense. For the defense except the border line with china, the most efficient form of force management would be maintaining strategic reserve corps. The naval force should achieve relative balance with neighboring countries when there is maritime dispute and build 'task fleet' which can independently handle long-range maritime mission. Of the three 'task fleet', one task fleet should be deployed at Jeju base to prepare for Dokdo territorial dispute and Leodo jurisdictional dispute. Also in case of regional conflict with china, one task fleet should be positioned at Yellow Sea and for regional conflict with Japan and Russia, one task fleet should be deployed at East Sea. Realistically, Unified Korea cannot possess an air force equal to neither Japan nor China in quantity. Therefore, although Unified Korea's air force might be inferior in quantity, they should possess the systematic level which Japan or China has. For this Unified Korea should build air base in island areas like Jeju Island or Ullenong Island to increase combat radius. Also to block off infiltration of enemy attack plane, air force needs to build and manage air bases near coastal areas. For landing operation forces, Marine Corps should be managed in the size of two divisions. For island defense force, which is in charge of Jeju Island, Ulleung Island, Dokdo Island and five northwestern boarder island defenses, it should be in the size of one brigade. Also for standing international peace keeping operation, it requires one brigade. Therefore Marine Corps should be organized into three divisions. The result of the research yields a few policy implications when building appropriate military strength for Unified Korea. First, Unified Korea requires lower number of ground troops compared to that of current ROK(Republic of Korea) force. Second, air-sea forces should be drastically reinforced. Third, appropriate military strength of the Unified Korean military should be based on current ROK military system. Forth, building appropriate military strength for Unified Korea should start from today, not after reunification. Because of this, South Korea should build a military power that can simultaneously prepare for current North Korea's provocations and future threats from neighboring countries after reunification. The core of this research is to decide appropriate military strength for Unified Korea to realize relative balance that will ensure defense sufficiency from neighboring countries threats. In other words, this research should precisely be aware of threats posed by neighboring countries and decide minimum level of military strength that could realize relative balance in conflict situation. Moreover this research will show the path for building appropriate military strength in each armed force.

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South and North Korean Living Cultures : Their Differences and Integration(IV) -Social Adjustment Problems of North Korean Defectors- (남북한 생활문화의 이질화와 통합(IV) -탈북인의 남한생활 적응실태와 문제 -)

  • 이기춘;이기영;이은영;이순형;김대년
    • Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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    • v.38 no.4
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    • pp.117-196
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    • 2000
  • The purpose of the study was to provide ground information to develop social adjustment programs for North Korean residents who might migrate into South Korea when free transmigration is allowed in the process of reunification. For this purpose, two research methods were employed. First, depth interviews for 10 North Korean defectors were used to find out their social adjustment realities and problems. In addition, empirical survey research was carried out with 397 subjects to identify South Koreans'altitude toward North Korean defectors and the willingness to support them financially and emotionally. North Korean defectors's social adjustment problems were approached based on lifestyle. The depth interviews revealed that difficulties the defectors had experienced at first were mainly in the aspect of consumption caused by lack of understanding about capitalism. However, they could overcome difficulties and assimilate their ways of living to those of South Koreans soon. Other adjustment problems in family living and child rearing especially related with values had more complicated issues. Results of the empirical survey showed that South Koreans' level of interest in defecters was moderate but they thought them rather positively, sympathetically. Concerning supports, South Koreans were agreeing with governmental support more with emotional support than financial support by individuals. In conclusion, present formal education programs provided to defectors were not effective enough for them to team South Korean living culture. To learn by living with interactions with South Koreans was one of the best policies to help defectors' adaptation. Findings that South Koreans were willing to help them emotionally matched and balanced with defectors' needs.

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Attribution Style of the North Korean Defectors: A Research through Comparison with South Korean People (북한이탈주민의 귀인 양식: 남한주민과의 비교를 중심으로)

  • Jung-Min Chae
    • Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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    • v.12 no.3
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    • pp.1-22
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    • 2006
  • This study is performed to identify attribution styles of the North Korean Defectors more accurately. For this purpose, cartoon-form method designed to measure attributions is used and total 129 subjects including comparison group of South Koreans are participated in this research. Interestingly, the result showed that two groups had similar and different attribution styles at the same time. That is, there is a common aspect in using internal attributions more in general, but there is also a different aspect in that South Koreans used internal attribution much more. These tendencies emerged similarly at the controllable and uncontrollable attribution dimension. However, the results demonstrated that South Koreans mainly used stable attribution and the North Korean Defectors used unstable attribution at the stable and unstable attribution dimension. And, the attributional styles of both koreans appeared consistently in a variety of scenarios. Finally, there was the stronger relationship between North Korean defectors' life satisfaction and attributional styles.

A program for enhancing the South Koreans' and North Korean defectors' interpersonal abilities and accultural abilities (남한주민과 북한이탈주민의 대인관계와 문화적응 향상을 위한 프로그램)

  • Seong-Yeul Han ;Jong-Han Yhi ;Myong-Ja Keum;Jung-Min Chae ;Yeong-Yi Lee
    • Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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    • v.13 no.2
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    • pp.33-54
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    • 2007
  • This study was performed to develop a group counseling program for the South Koreans and the North Korean defectors to identify mutual cultural characteristics and personal traits, and to acquire adaptation capacity for the other's culture and interpersonal relationship. And then we validated the effect of this group program. This program was based on the existing program even if that was not validated through research work. Actually this program was for encouraging the South Koreans and the North Korean defectors to acquire interpersonal ability through mutually dependent and cooperative work based on the equal status naturally and to adjust themselves to corresponding culture. Each session continued for 1.5 hour per week. And the sessions were done for 4 weeks. This research was analysed, and the results were compared with control group's results. The results showed that treatment group revealed significantly positive outcomes than control group. But, five participants among the North Korean defectors were dropped out in the course. So North Korean defectors' credibility got lowered.

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Influence of North Korean Defectors' self-enhancement bias to their psychological adaptation in South Korea (북한이탈주민의 자기고양 편파가 남한 내 심리적 적응에 미치는 영향)

  • Jung-Min Chae;Seong-Yeul Han
    • Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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    • v.9 no.2
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    • pp.101-126
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    • 2003
  • The purpose of present study is to investigate what is the most important factor among personality, social relation perception, and cultural influence on North Korean Defectors' self-enhancement bias, and how their self-enhancement bias influences on their psychological adaptation in South Korea. To implement this, we compared the self-enhancement bias of South Korean undergraduates and North Korean Defector undergraduates, and social desirability, too. However, there was no significant result. Based on this outcome, we focused on 121 North Korean Defectors' self-enhancement bias mechanism. We found that personality and social relation perception factors influenced significantly on their self- enhancement bias and furthermore their self-enhancement bias affected on their psychological adaptation. In addition to this, we identified sex difference at this mechanism. That is, women showed the same pattern with the existing findings in the study of self-enhancement bias mechanism, but men showed somewhat different pattern.

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Comparative Study of the Korean Pharmacopoeia with North Korean Pharmacopoeia (남.북한 약전에 대한 비교조사연구)

  • Choi, Myoeng-Sin;Kang, Chan-Soon;Kim, Hye-Soo;Kim, Eun-Jung;Hong, Chong-Hui;Ko, Yong-Seok;Kim, Sang-Hyun;Jang, Sung-Jae
    • Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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    • v.34 no.5
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    • pp.427-433
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    • 2004
  • With the Sunshine policy, exchange of materials and cultures inter Koreas has been broadened and expectancy of reunification is getting higher. Especially, medical supplies and medicines are one of the biggest parts in the exchange goods. So, preparing an unified official drug standard preparing new medical administration system is required. We compared the Korean pharmacopoeia with North Korean Pharmacopoeia. Two pharmacopoeias have been developed in different direction and have many differences in the nomenclature and format. In this study, we compared general notices, general rules for preparations and crude drugs, monographs, general tests, processes and apparatus.

The role of the People's Liberation Army during the Korean War and Prospect of China's Role in the event of Contingency in North Korea (6.25 전쟁 시 중공군의 역할과 북한 유사시 중국의 역할 전망)

  • Choi, Kyung-Sik
    • Journal of National Security and Military Science
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    • s.8
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    • pp.169-238
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    • 2010
  • The year 2010 is the 60th anniversary commemorating the Korean War. China intervened in the Korean War with the logics such as "To Resist the U.S.'s Aggression and Aid North Korea," "Save Endangered Home & defend Nation," and "If the Lips Are Gone, the Teeth Will Be Exposed to the Cold or If One of Them Falls, the Other is in Danger." However, China had a deep and long connection with North Korea through 1st Chinese Civil War, war against Japan imperialism, and 2nd Chinese Civil War. China has consulted with Kim Il-sung on his invasion of South Korea at the initial stage of development and played a casting vote role in the execution of the invasion plan. During the Korean War, the PLA supported the North Korea's regime by its action, and made the Korea Peninsula divide into two semi-permanently. Even after the war, China continues to maintain relations with North Korea by helping North Korea build the Kim Il-sung's Kingdom. Currently, whenever any issue related to North Korea rises in the international society, China definitely gets involved in those issues and exercises its power. Conditionally 'either armed aggression or, and wartime' in North Korea, China would follow the "Clause of Military Auto Intervention." In addition, China is very likely to establish refugee camps for North Koreans in the Northeastern-Three-Province and to provide rear bases or guerrilla camps for pro-Chinese sects. Furthermore, voluntarily playing a role as spokesman of North Korean Regime in the international society, China will exercise enormous influence on the reunification of the Korean Peninsula.

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A Study on the Short-Term Plan of Structural Reinforcing and the Temporary Housing Supply Strategy through the Analysis of the Status of North Korean Standard Housing

  • Kim, Seong Eun;Kim, Seung Hun;Lee, Yong Taeg
    • Architectural research
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    • v.20 no.3
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    • pp.83-92
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    • 2018
  • Recently, there has been inter-Korean exchanges are active, in company with an assertive international activity with North Korea and inter-Korean Summits. Thus, there is a growing possibility of Korean reunification. However, when the unification situation occurs, population inflow by North Korean residents will be expected, and it will be necessary to prepare a housing supply strategy. In addition, even if North Koreans are prevented from entering, a plan is necessary to ensure structural safety since most buildings in North Korea are aging and a recent natural disaster occurs frequently. In this research, we will try to present a temporary housing supply strategy and a short-term structural reinforcement plan based on analysis of the standard housing conditions in North Korea. In this research, we represent the analysis result of the existing construction level, supply status and structural performance of North Korea. When we consider the reinforcement period and social costs, a short-term reinforcement plan is recommended rather than the full reinforcement of the aged housing in North Korea. Furthermore, we examine the ways to secure the residential safety of North Koreans through a case study of domestic and overseas temporary residential facilities, until the permanent residential facilities were supplied. According to the analysis, the tent houses were used as a form of relief housing in overseas frequently. However, the tent house is difficult to apply for domestic country with clear seasons due to insulation and heating problems. Therefore, it is appropriate to develop a residential supply strategy as focusing on the temporary housing facilities in assembled or container from, in preparation for the future population inflow.

PRELIMINARY STUDY OF COOPERATION BETWEEN SOUTH AND NORTH KOREA IN THE FIELD OF ASTRONOMY I (남북 천문분야 협력방안 기초 연구 I)

  • YANG, H.J.;YIM, I.S.;JUNG, T.;MINH, Y.C.;LEE, K.S.;CHOI, H.K.
    • Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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    • v.31 no.3
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    • pp.57-63
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    • 2016
  • We summarize our preliminary study on the research cooperation method in the astronomy field between Republic of Korea (South Korea) and Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea). To investigate the recent astronomical activities of North Korea, we have surveyed the published records of research papers and international collaborations associated with North Korean astronomers. We found only 4 astronomical papers among the identified 260 SCI papers related to North Korean researchers for the past 11 years. North Korean astronomers had very few interactions with the international astronomical society before rejoining IAU in 2012. Recently, North Korea made several astronomical research exchanges with China and Netherlands. They seemed to attend several international conferences and present their research results. We have studied possibilities to establish international networks to encourage the cooperation between South and North, and suggest to start collaboration in the historical astronomy. The collaboration can be expanded gradually to other fields in astronomy. There are many obvious political difficulties to have interactions with North Koreans. However, it will be necessary to make a long-term plan considering the reunification.