Ray W. Howard Library: Archived Great Discussion Series: The Koreas

Background: Korea

World Factbook: South Korea
A profile on South Korea outlining its geography, people, government, and transnational issues
World Factbook: North Korea
A profile on North Korea outlining its geography, people, government, and transnational issues
Encyclopedia Britannica: Korean War
An outline of the war that has shaped the divide between North Korea and South Korea

Washington Post: North Korea Could Be Preparing for Fifth Nuclear Test, South Korea’s Park Warns
North Korea appears to be preparing to conduct another nuclear test, South Korean President Park Geun-hye said Monday, citing signs of increased movement near the North’s nuclear test site.
Wall Street Journal: North Korea's Largest Recent Defector Group Arrives in South Korea
In one of the largest known group defections of North Koreans in recent years, 13 restaurant workers from the country have arrived together in South Korea, Seoul said.
Reuters: North Korea Fires Submarine-Launched Missile: South Korea
North Korea fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile off its east coast on Saturday, South Korea said, amid concerns that the isolated state might conduct a nuclear test or a missile launch ahead of a ruling party meeting in May.
NYT: North Korea Threatens South Korea Over 13 Defectors
North Korea on Tuesday accused South Korea of kidnapping 13 of its citizens who had been working in a restaurant in China, and it demanded their repatriation.

CNN: Rare Look Inside Korea's Demilitarized Zone
CNN's Will Ripley reports exclusively from inside Korea's demilitarized zone where tension remains high at all times.
CNN: North Korea: South Korea Abducted 13 Workers
Will Ripley talks with friends of 13 North Koreans who recently left China for South Korea. North Korea says they were abducted, but South Korea says they defected.
TED: This is What It's Like to Go Undercover in North Korea
For six months, Suki Kim worked as an English teacher at an elite school for North Korea's future leaders — while writing a book on one of the world's most repressive regimes. As she helped her students grapple with concepts like "truth" and "critical thinking," she came to wonder: Was teaching these students to seek the truth putting them in peril?
TED: My Escape from North Korea by Hyeonseo Lee
As a child growing up in North Korea, Hyeonseo Lee thought her country was "the best on the planet." It wasn't until the famine of the 90s that she began to wonder. She escaped the country at 14, to begin a life in hiding, as a refugee in China. Hers is a harrowing, personal tale of survival and hope -- and a powerful reminder of those who face constant danger, even when the border is far behind.