• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.329-339
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• 1996

We examined the science education system in North Korea from the elementary to the high schools. We also analyzed the physics textbooks used in North Korea and compared the results with the textbooks used in South Korea. We compared the goal and system of physics education, and the content, order of study, and volume of the textbooks. Physics education starts at the 4th year at the elementary school, and is taught through the whole school years in North Korea. The science process skills are regarded to be important and figures, tables, problem sets, experiments, and sample solutions are exclusively used in the textbooks. Electomagnetism occupies the largest portion in physics textbooks, but subjects related to the application of physics are more stressed. There are a few subjects which are included in the North Korean textbooks but not in the South Korean textbooks. We have compiled about 60 North Korean physics words which are different from the South Korean words used in the textbooks. Overall, there will be not much difficulty in integrating the physics education system and physics textbooks after the two Koreas are unified.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.95-106
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• 2003

This study attempts to identify the characteristics of the structure of mathematics textbooks of North Korean high schools. The previous researches on the mathematics textbooks of North Korea show that North Korean mathematics textbooks have a linear structure, which is different from a spiral structure of South Korean textbooks. However, this study found that the textbooks of North Korea published after 1994 indicate that some sections reveal a spiral structure. In addition, most sections of North Korean mathematics textbooks are collectively composed, particularly so in the section of algebra.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.476-486
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to compare the biology parts of the elementary school science textbooks of South and North Korea. For this purpose the contents and the names of organism introduced in the textbooks are compared and analyzed. As results of this study, there are a lot of differences in the content and names of organism in the textbooks. Life science in the elemenatry school science of North Korea ($46.9\%$ in 3th grade, $32.7\%$ in 4th grade) is treated more seriously than South Korea. The most part of North Korea textbooks are occupied with the names and values of various organisms, and the using method of them. The common contents of both textbooks are only $8.54\%$ of total contents of elementary school science of South Korea. Also only 39 names of organism are introduced in the both textbooks of South and North Korea. For the science curriculums establishment after unification, it should be the most important efforts to understand the cause of these differences, and to analyze those differences in contents and organisms introduced in the textbooks of South and North Korea.

• School Mathematics
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.43-58
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• 2003

This study intends to compare the structure of contents and the way of developing concepts in mathematics textbooks of south and those of north Korea. After thorough investigations of the textbooks from south and north Korea, the following three characteristics were identified. First, the mathematics textbooks of south Korea tends to spread out contents across several grades, while those of north Korea have a tendency of centralization in terms of locating contents Second, in the textbooks of South Korea, mathematics concepts are permeated through real world situations, and students gradually acquire those concepts mostly through activities. This is different from the approach of the north Korean textbooks in which various problems play a key role in explaining concepts. Third, the main strategy of introducing contents in the textbooks of south and that of north Korea corresponds to 'guidance' and 'explanation' respectively. Exploratory questions leading to the concepts are more emphasized in the textbooks of south Korea, on the other hand, meaningful explanations play an important role in the textbooks of north Korea.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.367-385
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• 2004

This study intends to compare the way of introducing fractions in elementary mathematics textbooks of south and those of north Korea. After thorough investigations of the seven differences were identified. First, the mathematics textbooks of south Korea use concrete materials like apples when they introduce equal partition context, while those of north Korea do not use that kind of concrete materials. Second, in the textbooks of south Korea, equal partition of discrete quantities are considered after continuous ones are introduced. This is different from the approach of the north Korean text-books in which both quantities are regarded at the same time. Third, the quantitative fraction which refers to the rational number with unit of measure at the end of it, is hardly used in the textbooks of south. However, the textbooks of north Korea use it as the main representations of fractions. Fourth, in the textbooks of south Korea, vanous activities related to fractions are more emphasized, while in the textbooks of north Korea, various meanings of fractions textbooks from south and north Korea focused on the ways of introducing partition approach and equivalence relation as operational schemes of fractions, the following play an important role before defining fraction. Fifth, the textbooks of south Korea introduce equivalent fractions with number one using number bar, and do not consider the reason why that sort of fractions are regarded. On the contrary, the textbooks of north Korea introduce structural equivalence relation by using various contexts including length measure and volume measure situations. Sixth, whereas real-life contexts are provided for introducing equivalent fractions in the textbooks of south Korea, visual explanations and mathematical representations play an important role in the textbooks of north Korea. Seventh, the means of finding equivalent fractions are provided directly in the textbooks of south Korea, whereas the nature of equivalent fractions and the methods of making equivalent fractions are considered in the textbooks of north Korea.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.452-464
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• 2005

Since the national curriculum and textbooks are essential to understand the country's educational system, the importance of the textbook analysis should be emphasized to understand the education in North Korea. In this study, the science textbooks of North Korean elementary schools published since the year 2000 were analysed in depth and compared with those of 1990's, then the change in North Korean elementary science education was investigated. As for the external format, the total pages of 3rd grade textbooks of 2000's decreased notably. The 4th grade textbooks show an emphasis on the integrating feature of season-related chapters. The analysis of each category using a content framework of TIMSS shows that the content proportion relating to Earth Science and Physical Science was increased, while the proportion relating to Biological Science was decreased. Besides, changes of proportion of each subcategories were analysed and discussed.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.153-168
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• 2003

Since 1945, geography textbooks of South Korea and North Korea have been developed differently. Taking both geography textbooks of South Korea(printed in 1996 and 1997) and them of North Korea(printed in 1995), this study compares and analyse geography textbooks of South and North Korea systematically, then to show their likeness and difference. Results of this study are as follows: First, Most of contents in South Korean textbooks consist of explations and many tables, graphs and photographs leading to inquiry activities, whereas those in North Korean textbooks consist of mostly sentences that explain topics, diagrams and sketches. Second, Geographical education in South Korea puts strong emphasis on human geography and regional geography, whereas that in North Korea does strong emphasis on physical geography, economic geography and education of cartography. Third, The geographical words of South Korean textbooks contain words written in Chinese character and words of English origin, whereas Those of North Korean textbooks do many pure Korean words.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.481-498
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to compare and analyse the subject organization and teaching units of middle school science curriculums and science textbooks, by studying the organization of subject matter and content scope and level of middle school science subject in South and North Korea. As a result of this study, the composition, scope, and level of content between middle school science textbooks in South and North Korea were similar. However, the study found that science education objectives, separated science curriculum subject organization, economical efficiency weighted format and organization of science subject matter, result-centered experiments, the enlightenment of Kim Ilsung and his son in North Korea science education were very far from the desirable direction of science education. Therefore, the view on level-based curriculum and organization of the science curriculum should be integrated, and preparation of student-centered organization of textbooks and expansion of science-technology-society content is needed before unification. And also, the united Korea science curriculum shouldn't simply compromise or neutralize between middle school science curriculum in South and North Korea. They should make a future-oriented plan for information and globalism society.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.18 no.7
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• pp.412-422
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• 2018

The purpose of this research was to compare structural organization of North Korean English textbooks pre and post North Korean 2013 curriculum revision. 5 revised textbooks were selected and compared with old textbooks. First, revised textbooks are dramatically changed into colored printed edition. Second, there appears phrases related to Kim Jong Un for the very first time in the preface. Third, while old textbooks emphasized only reading and writing skills, new textbooks integrate 4 skills. Fourth, new textbooks follow united organization system according to the kinds of school; 7 sub skills of Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing, Grammar, Vocabulary, Pronunciation for general high middle textbooks and 5 sub skills of Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing, English in Use for the first high middle textbooks. Also, new textbooks integrate English and other subject contents such as science, geography or computer. Finally, the changed structure organization of new textbooks seems to be similar with the ones of English books in the reference which is presented for the first time in North Korean textbooks.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.66 no.2
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• pp.124-135
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to analyze the chemisry education contents of South Korea and North Korea for understanding chemistry education of North Korea. Chemistry education in South and North Korea was investigated in terms of learning period and learning quantaty. Especially, what content North Korea learned prior to South Korea and what contents learned more were analyzed. The subjects of this study were South Korean 2015 revised National Science Curriculum and North Korean science textbooks in Kim Jong-un era. The North Korean textbooks analyzed are 'Nature' for North Korean elementary school 3, 'Natural Science' for North Korean middle school 1 and 2, and 'Chemistry' for North Korean high school 1 and 2. The analysis results are as follows. First, the content elements to be learned in advance in North Korean textbooks were density, oxidation and reduction, battery, and atomic weight. Second, the content elements additionally learned in North Korean textbooks include separation of mixtures, fuels, oxidation and reduction, metals, organic and inorganic substances, metals and non-metal oxides and hydroxides, inorganic substances used as fertilizers, nutritional substances, and salt reaction and utilization, atomic orbitals, hybridization of orbitals, coordination bonds and complexes. As a future research task, a qualitative analysis of the elements of North Korean chemistry, the activities of textbooks, and an experimental analysis were proposed.