Abstract
In this essay, the writer looks at Dae Young Ryu's article, "Fresh Wineskins for New Wine: A New Perspective on North Korean Christianity". The writer points out that this article is subtitled "The Need for a New Perspective" because this topic, though exhaustively researched, has caused considerable contention over the decades. Noting an early general view of this area as communist, the writer looks at attitudes towards Christianity in North Korea.

From the Paper
"Initially interpreted by westerners to be a communist region absent of genuine religion, North Korea and its burgeoning Christianity was initially viewed as nothing more than hypocrisy and propaganda. Since this early interpretation, newer approaches have dismissed anti-communist sympathies and embraced a more historical, comprehensive approach toward the North Korean people and their attitude concerning religion."

Tags:north, Korea, Christianity

Abstract
This analytical essay provides a brief discussion on the motivations behind the fear of North Korea's nuclear missile tests. Looking at both the past and the present, the writer tries to create a historical reasoning for the concern. Towards the end, the writer discusses the symbolic effect the tests have had on Korean society.

From the Paper
"Thus, the ideological damage done by the North Korean's missile tests and nuclear threats is greater than the physical damage. Symbolically, and as a future threat, then, North Korea must be kept in the sight of the Obama White House and subsequent administrations. And certainly it should be, as the United States has long been involved in making it the symbol of Eastern politics, of communism, and of the antithesis to American freedom. Indeed, during the civil war that split the region into North and South Korea, the United States and its allies intervened heavily on the part of the South. This was not only the crowning moment in the development of North Korea as the symbolic enemy of democracy and the United States, but it was also the moment that changed life for the Koreans who happened to be North of the 38th parallel. Experiencing a quality of life that is much lower than their Southern counterparts, as North Koreans suffer with a quality of life that is worse than even those in other totalitarian regimes, such as Cuba (Oh, 2007). Just a few of the issues that citizens of North Korea have to deal with each day include famine, death, a caste system, and poverty. While famine and poverty are problems that immediately threaten the physical body, the strict caste system is the social problem that probably, more than anything, affects the life of a typical North Korean. With no ability to dream, to have a hope in increasing one's position and station, or of overcoming one's circumstance, it is difficult to be human. For these reasons, the symbolic value of North Korean's threats are damaging in the worst way. And it is just for this reason that North Korea can't be treated like a misbehaving toddler and simply ignored, although this was the policy of the previous administration."

Tags:north korea, politics, public policy

Abstract
The paper analyzes the interplay between North Korea and the United States in this debate over nuclear weapons. The paper explains that it is very likely that this event played its course due to a realist perspective; as such weapons imply mass power, so it is a power equation. However, the paper points out that this suggests that in the future, all debates regarding such weapons will remains international ones.

From the Paper
"It is clear that the most significant news issue currently in the United States regarding North Korea concerns the debate over North Korea's ownership of nuclear weapons. News articles have repeatedly detailed the processes of these discussions between North Korea and the United States. Most of these articles are negatively based towards North Korea, implying that they will not give up and nuclear weapons in their possession, which in turn suggests that North Korea remains a threat towards the United States. However, with North Korea's recent promise to rid themselves of such nuclear weapons, one must analyze these events through the perspectives of global politics, through the theories of the realist, liberal and the radical to determine which system approaches functioned here in their entirety.

Tags:north, korea, weapons

Abstract
This paper explains that, currently, the most pressing threat to international security lies not in the Middle-East but in the Korean Peninsula because, in April 2003, North Korea withdraw from the 32-year-old nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty thus beginning a nuclear stand-off. The author points out that, although some analysts believe that North Korea's is pursuing nuclear weapons to reunify the Korean peninsula or to save the threatened regime of Kim Jong-Il, North Korea claims to be acquiring nuclear weapons for one reason: Without nuclear weapons, it would feel vulnerable to a U.S. attack meant to overthrow its current government. The paper states that a nuclear North Korea would further destabilize the Northeast Asian region, would threaten U.S. security interests and would encourage neighboring nations such as Japan and South Korea to obtain nuclear weapons of their own, prompting a Northeast Asian nuclear arms race. Illustration.

Table of Contents
Introduction
History of the Korean Peninsula
North Korea under Kim Il-sung
North Korea under Kim Yong-Il
Timeline North Korean Nuclear Crisis
North Korean Threat and its Implications
Positions of the Powerful and Involved Nations
South Korea
China
Russia
Japan
U.S.
Conclusion

From the Paper
"North Korea is a country that is engulfed in secrecy. Its history is extensive and encompasses many centuries. Who are the Koreans and where did they come from? In his essay "The Origin of the Korean People: Who are the Koreans?", Lee Wha Rang states that no one knows exactly where the Koreans came from and who they are. He states that "DNA tests show that Koreans are about 15% of South Pacific origin (the Jomon people) and the rest attributes of the Mongolian stock from the Baikal region." It is believed that the Jomon people left Africa 35,000 - 89.000 years ago, in two general directions, south and north, respectively, and they merged again in Korea, Japan and China some 10,000 years ago. The first Korean nation was established in 7,197 BC and lasted for 3,301 years. It was known as the Han-gook."

Tags:non-proliferation, vulnerable, issues, destabilize, race

Abstract
This paper begins by outlining the transition of US policies towards North Korea and then focuses on John Kingdon's theory on public policy making and the role of various advocacy coalitions in the policy process. The paper then explores the human rights issues in North Korea and the role of Congress in regulating U.S. policy toward North Korea. Next, the paper examines how tensions over North Korea's nuclear program have escalated interest in trade and in the U.S. Defense Department's program to reclaim the remains of servicemen missing from the Korean War. The paper considers Congress' options for future assistance to North Korea and concludes with several think tanks' perceptions on US- Korea relations.

Outline:
Thesis Statement
Transition of US Policies towards North Korea
Agendas, Alternatives and Public Policies
Theories of the Policy Process
Special Interests Group
Role of Congress
Other Forms of U.S.-North Korean Economic Interaction
Policy Options
Think Tanks Perception on US- Korea Relations

From the Paper
"For four decades after the ending of the Korean War in 1953, U.S. strategy toward the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK, commonly referred to as North Korea) was relatively simple: dissuade an attack on South Korea, an approach that included a freeze on virtually all forms of economic contact between the United States and North Korea. In the 1990s, two developments compelled the United States to rethink its relationship with North Korea: North Korea's progress in its nuclear weapons program and massive, chronic food shortages in North Korea. In response, the United States in 1995 began furnishing the DPRK with foreign assistance, which has totaled over $1 billion. This aid has consisted of energy assistance through the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO), food aid, and a small amount of medical supplies (Feffer 12)."

Tags:advocacy, coalitions, human, rights, aid, sanctions, nuclear, bomb, negotiations

Abstract
This paper examines U.S. foreign policy towards North Korea and identifies some policy issues in the area of peace and conflict. It further analyzes the situation and the proposals to resolve this issue by presenting a theoretical understanding of the problem and its potential resolution. Additionally, the paper critically discusses the Bush administration's policy toward North Korea. This is followed by an extensive literature review on the topic of US foreign policy toward North Korea and North Korea's economic situation. Various outlooks are presented, but all focus on the nation being seen as being an outsider in international diplomacy. The paper concludes with a discussion of North Korea's nuclear arms capabilities.

Outline:

Objective
Statement of Thesis
Introduction
Security Dilemma or Rogue State
Economic Reform in North Korea
Engagement, Containment and Transformation
Summary and Conclusion

From the Paper
"However, the work of Xizhen and Brown relates that North Korea is a state "whose external support system rapidly and traumatically disappeared a decade ago; a state confronted by hostile neighbors who wish to undermine its regime and who are heavily armed or possible military actions against it; and a state whose limited ability to participate in the global economy is confined to selling abroad for hard currency the few things that it does well: military equipment, including missile technology." (2000, p.1) It is stated that the policies that the United States, Japan, South Korea and China should be examined and policy shifts should be examined that involve these states providing North Korea encouragement to take a more active role and one that is more positive in building a "durable framework for Northeast Asian regional authority." "

Tags:UN Security Council, nuclear disarmament, isolation and containment

Abstract
This paper presents an analysis of the complex relationship between the US and North Korea, doing so by giving a history of the conflict. The paper focuses on three different time periods, pre-World War II, the period of 1945 to 1948 when Korea was declared to have been split between North and South by the United Nations, and finally and probably the most significantly, is that of 1948 till the end of the Cold War, under North Korea's new leader Kim II Sung. Additionally, the paper describes US foreign policy during the Korean War. According to the paper, the fact remains that both states have never been able to negotiate and resolve their differences. Although today, talks are still continuing over the Reunification of Korea, North Korea has taken a cautionary stance towards the United States. The paper concludes by stating that the strained relations between the US and North Korea has had detrimental consequences for both nations.

From the Paper
"To summarize the history between the two, we must focus on three different time zones. The first was before the World War broke out, during which time Korea had closed its borders to trade with Western countries. The tensions finally erupted when a US gunboat by the name General Sherman sent to sign trade agreements with the Koreans was sunk and its crew killed when they fired at Korean troops. The US, in retaliation carried out the attack called The Korean Intervention (Young-Sik). The nail in the coffin was not however either of the two events, as both states had managed to form trade agreements by 1882 and trade was formally being conducted among the two(Walter). It was when the United States negotiated peace after the Russo- Japanese War in 1905 that Koreans started to feel deserted by the US. They felt wronged that the US was convinced by Japanese officials that Korea was under its influence, and matters were made worse when Korean nationalists accused the US of going against Mr. Woodrow Wilson's "national self-determination principle" which they were pushing aggressively for during the Treaty of Versailles."

Tags:nuclear disarmament, nuclear stockpiles, reunification, plutonium, Kim II Sung

Abstract
North Korea has been intimidating the United States with a series of nuclear threats since October 2002, when U.S. officials stopped the supply of heavy oils to the North in retaliation of its confessed production of nuclear warheads, violating agreements signed in 1994. Shortly after, North Korea withdrew from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NTP) and agreements with the United Nations. The paper shows that while there is little proof that North Korea has nuclear weapons, it is strongly suspected that it does. The paper discusses the North Korean weapon issue.

From the Paper
"Many world leaders are suspicious about North Korea's withdrawal from the NPT for many reasons. For one, it is a well-known fact that countries developing clandestine nuclear weapons programs take many measures to conceal information about these programs from the rest of the world (NTI, 2003). Therefore, without membership in the treaty, North Korea has made it difficult for world leaders to obtain information about the country's weapon capabilities."

Tags:Yongbyon, IAEA, plutonium

Abstract
This paper analyzes the history of the relationship between China and North Korea as strategic allies to better understand the strength of this partnering. The paper relates that the ties between these countries have been weakening due mainly to China's opening to other economic partners especially South Korea, which is a trend that pre-dated the nuclear problem. The paper concludes that, because of the North Korean nuclear program, Beijing has the opportunity to assert its leading political role in the region as the main interlocutor for Pyongyang. Thus, China's mission is to lead North Korea to peace and prosperity.

From the Paper
"It is then easy to understand why the economic ties between both nations are so strong. But should we talk of economic dependency, or interdependency? Pyongyang has always been dependent on Beijing's economic aid. During the Cold War, the USSR and China were the main source of economic and military aid of North Korea. The commentators often raise that the economic dependency of Pyongyang towards Beijing is an important barrier to its will of political independence. In 2005, China was the main economic partner of North Korea (35% of the North Korean exportations were sent to China)."

Tags:dependent ideology, strategic allies, negotiation process, reunification

Abstract
This paper provides a brief history of Korea and attempts to explain why the United States should take a hard-line approach to North Korea in its diplomatic actions. It looks at how North Korea has recently developed and launched long-range tactical missiles able to carry a nuclear payload. Additionally, North Korean has pursued research and development into nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and developed a massive conventional military force that is of major concern to the stability of the South Asian community and the international community at large. It examines how history has shown that North Koreans can't be trusted to adhere to a treaty honestly and how, if the United States does not try to contain this threat, the situation will be a time bomb waiting to go off, possible a nuclear time bomb.

From the Paper
"On September 2, 1945, the Japanese representatives signed the official Instrument of Surrender, bringing an official end to what became one of the deadliest, and most brutal wars in man's history. After World War II, the Korean peninsula was split in two and in 1947, the U.N. to back the creation of a democratic state in Korea. However, the Soviet Union rejected the U.S. initiative and refused to allow U.S. and U.N. officials into northern Korea to conduct elections with the northern half coming under Communist rule of dictator KIM Il-song, who died in 1994. However in late May of 1948, South Korea with the help of the U.S. and the U.N. conduct free elections, and Syngman Rhee, a devout anticommunist, was elected its first president. The 38th parallel became the boundary between the two countries."

Tags:missiles, biological, weapons, military, forces