North Korea vs United States

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North Korea vs. the United States
The United States is a federal republic comprising 50 states covering nine time zones. The country has very diverse climate, geography and wildlife. The Country covers 3.8million square miles with a full populace of above 324 million people, leaving it as the third-most populated nation worldwide. It comprises of many ethnic groups and cultures due to immigration from different countries. The country’s urbanization is more than 80% and still growing rapidly. Washington, D.C. serves as the capital, but New York stands as the largest city. Among the major metropolitan areas include San Francisco, Miami, Chicago and Los Angeles.
North Korea is a single country situated in East Asia. The state is located in the northern region of the Korean Peninsula. The capital city of North Korea is Pyongyang which also serves as the largest city. The country borders South Korea, Russia, and China. The country covers 120, 540 square kilometers with a populace of about twenty-five million persons. The country is racially homogeneous. Major towns include Pyongyang, Hamhung, Chongjin, Nampo, and Wonsa.
The relation among North Korea and America can be drawn from many years ago. Since 1910 and through to the termination of World War II, Korea was being ruled by Japan (US Defence) After declaring war on Japan in 1945; the Soviet Union liberated Korea North. Korea was split into two.The United States forces settled in South Korea while Soviet Union forces settled in North Korea.

A war broke among North Korea and South Korea on 1948 (Hickey). North Korea was assisted by the Soviet nations and China while the United States aided South Korea. This resulted in the ‘Korean conflict’ (Hickey). The war ensued until 1953 when the Korean Demilitarized Zone was created to separate the two countries. During the war, North Korea was massively bombed by the United States. The US air force destroyed bridges and attacked soldiers from the air. The US Navy forces destroyed North Korean transport hubs and depots that supplied soldiers with relief.
Although the war ended after creating the Korean Demilitarized Zone, no treaty was signed. The two countries have been involved in periodic clashes since then, especially the North Korea. For instance, North Korea killed two US soldiers in the ‘axe murder incident’ in 1976. North Korea also sank a South Korean ship leading to the death of 46 sailors in 2010. In the same year, it fired artillery shell resulting in the deaths of four people in yeonpyeong. Because of the enmity created between the North Korea and America during the Korean War, the nations have never been at peace. Besides, the US have been deploying its forces to South Korea to protect it from invasion by North Korea (Mazarr 703). This has intensified the enmity further. Recently, North Korea have been carrying out nuclear experiments and manufacturing long-range bombs. The country has also on many occasions threatened to attack the United States. Following these acts, the relationships among the United States and North Korea has deteriorated further.
The relationship between American governmental system and the Korean government have led to many issues. Apart from humanitarian assistance, the United States government have prohibited any form of economic aid to North Korea (Feffer). The United States, for instance, has financially assisted its Non-Governmental Organizations to provide assistance in fighting the outbreak of infectious diseases. However, any another type of economic assistance is forbidden. With its current activities, North Korea have been imposed with restrictive sanctions. For instance, North Korea carried out a cyber-attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment. As a result, United States imposed Order 13687. Again in 2016, North Korea launched arms and approved out nuclear experiments. This led to the United States imposing the Executive Order 13722.
Currently, no diplomatic relations exist between North Korea and United States (US Defense). Consular services are given to the United States citizens living in North Korea by the Swedish Embassy. Conversely, there is no North Korea embassy in Washington. North Korea citizens staying in the Unites States are served through the North Korea’s mission to the UN.
During George W. Bush’s presidency, a dialogue was initiated to smoothen the relations between North Korea and the United States. The policies enacted towards North Korea were reviewed, and a wide range of issues was agreed to be discussed. These included missile development, humanitarian issues, conventional force posture and human rights. An Agreed Framework was crafted where North Korea was to receive two reactors in 2000. The United States provided North Korea with $95 million to facilitate the Agreed Framework. Additionally, President George Bush renounced a section of the framework that required North Korea to permit United States inspectors to inspect the original reactors for any concealed weapons-grade plutonium (Feffer). The relations were, however, short-lived. In 2002, information surfaced that North Korea was developing a program for nuclear weapons. This created tensions between the country and the United States leading to Bush categorizing the country as ‘Axis of Evil.’ The dialogue was resumed in 2002 where North Korea accepted that they had developed a uranium enrichment program. The United States asserted that if North Korea terminated the program, they would develop a new relationship. To pressure the North Korea, all heavy fuels to the country were suspended.
Relations between North Korea and the United States escalated again in 2003. North Korea resumed its nuclear programs and plutonium extraction. The IAEA inspectors were also expelled, and monitoring of equipment was ended. North Korea defended these actions by asserting it was doing so to create a strong force as a protection against threats by United States (Feffer). Most of North Korea’s neighbors also joined United Nations as a way of supporting nuclear weapons-free region. Relations between the two nations were further strained by the United States’ that |North Korea was producing counterfeit American dollars. The Unites States alleged that in collaboration with Macau bank, North Korea was producing $15 million dollars yearly. However, no substantial evidence was found to support the allegations.
More talks were held between six countries, called the Six-Party Talks. In 2007, the talks called for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The talks also obligated the normalization of Pyongyang political relations by having a peace treaty. North Korea closed its Yongbyon nuclear facility for exchange with fuel aid. The United States looked forward to normalizing its relations with North Korea and remove it from its list of terrorism. In 2008, North Korea commenced a disarming process facilitating the United States to lift some of its restrictions to North Korea. North Korea further released a 60-page declaration regarding its nuclear operations closely followed by a video showing the demolition the Yongbyon’s nuclear reactor. The relations were further improved when a United States Navy ships aided North Korean seamen after Somali pirates attacked them.
In 2008, New York Philharmonic visited North Korea with the event being broadcast live leading to an increased relation. However, hostilities resurged in the same year after allegations that North Korea had resumed its nuclear activities. The North Korea stated the resuming of nuclear activities resulted from the United States failure to remove it from its list of terrorism as it has promised as well as send the promised aid. In the very year, the United States had an agreement with North Korea. Tensions resurfaced in 2009 following North Korea’s arrest and detention of two American journalists of Current TV. Later, President Bill Clinton visited Pyongyang to secure the release of the journalists and also had discussions regarding the relationships between the two nations.
North Korea, however, commenced its nuclear activities once again. The Obama’s administration tried in bringing back the relations, but it was futile (Snyder). It deteriorated the relationships among the two nations. The North Korea tested a nuclear in the underground, and the United States strongly condemned it. Other countries with a membership I the six-party talks also condemned the North Koreas actions. Further, North Korea conducted another nuclear test in 2013. This worsened its relations with the Unites States as it posed a threat to the neighboring countries especially South Korea. In the year 2016, conducted another nuclear test. The nuclear development tests to a large extent can be attributed to the United States move of sanctioning Kim Jong-un. North Korea is alleged to be making even stronger warheads and long-distance ballistic missiles that can be sent to thousands of miles. The actions have heightened its relation with the United States leading to deployment of more US troops to South Korea.
In conclusion, North Korea, and the United States have experienced both good and bad relationships. The bad relationships have resulted due by various issues that affect the world at large, for example, the nuclear tests conducted by North Korea. It is evident that in case the nuclear weapons are not governed properly they can cause harmful effects to people all over the world. This is the reason the United States has always criticized the activities of North Korea regarding nuclear weapons.
Works Cited
Feffer, John. “U.S.-North Korea Relations – FPIF.” Foreign Policy In Focus. N.p., 2016. Web. 13Nov. 2016.
Hickey, Michael. “BBC – History – World Wars: The Korean War: An Overview.” Bbc.co.uk. N.p.,2016. Web. 13 Nov. 2016.
Mazarr, Michael J. “North Korea And The Bomb: A Case Study In Nonproliferation.” Journal ofInternational Affairs 51.2 (1998): 702-706. Print.
Snyder, Scott A. “U.S. Policy Toward North Korea”. Council on Foreign Relations. N.p., 2016.Web. 13 Nov. 2016.
US Defence, “North Korea.” U.S. Department of State. N.p., 2016. Web. 13 Nov. 2016.