Viewing Guide
NORTH KOREA A Legacy of Tension
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NORTH
KOREA A Legacy of Tension
Viewing Guide
Background
In July 2003, ABC News commemorated the 50th anniversary of the
signing of the armistice that to many observers signaled the close
of the Korean War. As part of this edition, both Nightline and World
News Tonight aired programs that featured a group of American
veterans during their return trip to the Korean Peninsula. In this
context, the programs present a retrospective on the Korean War,
an examination of international tensions at the time the program
aired, and the potential future implications of these tensions on
the Korean Peninsula and in the Asia-Pacific realm. Two years later
in July 2005, Nightline offered an inside glimpse into North Korea
when a team of reporters were granted access to the isolated
country. North Korea’s militaristic nuclear ambitions provided the
backdrop to this news story.
FULL PROGRAMS
The full programs featuring all seven stories (described below) are provided in this ABC News Classroom product. They can be
accessed through the main menu.
Korea: The 50-Year War (World News Tonight, 7/25/03, with Peter Jennings and George Stephanopoulos)
- Meet two veterans who formed a bond of friendship during the Korean War and relive with them the
experiences they shared during those difficult times, and the memories after.
The Forgotten War: Remembering the Past, Fearing for the Future (Nightline, 7/31/03, with
Chris Bury and Phil Ittner) - Follow the emotional journey of a group of Korean War veterans as they travel
back to Korea for the first time in decades and see the results of their sacrifice.
Dispatches from the Edge (Nightline, 7/5/05, with Bob Woodruff) - Join ABC News anchor Bob Woodruff
and team as they visit North Korea and attempt to peel back the iron curtain and learn why North Koreans
feel as they do about Americans and what the future may have in store..
NORTH KOREA A Legacy of Tension Viewing Guide
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NORTH
KOREA A Legacy of Tension
Viewing Guide
SUGGESTIONS FOR USE
In addition to the programs, eight 3-5 minute video “clips” are also provided. These can be
See the following also provided
accessed through the “subject” heading in the main menu. Each clip has been assembled from
with this product:
portions of the full programs in order to focus on a specific national education standard, and each
is preceded by a learning objective aligned to that standard as well as a discussion focus question
Teacher’s Guide (with sample
to guide student viewing experiences and spark further classroom discussion. This guide briefly
lesson, “The Korean War: Now
describes each clip provided. It also describes for each clip the specific national standard that the
and Then”)
clip was designed to address, its intended learning objective, its accompanying discussion focus
question, and notes detailing pertinent information and commentary related to the clip content.
Student Resources (handouts
and resources for use with
The content contained in the full programs and accompanying clips is most appropriate for use
sample lesson)
in high school history, geography, business, economics, civics, and general social studies classes.
Used individually or in customized groupings, these viewing resources provide the flexibility to
access material that will most enhance existing lessons. The sample lesson “China’s Progress: For
Better or for Worse?” provided in the teacher’s guide (see sidebar) demonstrates one use of clips in this manner. Taken as a whole,
this ABC News Classroom product can be used to assist students in understanding the political and social changes taking place in
China, the cultural connections to China held by many Americans, China’s increasingly important role in worldwide economics, and
the increasingly difficult environmental costs it faces in the wake of its economic progress
CLIP DESCRIPTIONS
The following standards-aligned clips are provided, sequenced by subject:
Subject: History
Clip Title: Experiencing the Conflict: The Forgotten War
U.S. History Era 9, Standard 2A
Understand the international origins and domestic consequences of the Cold War.
Summary
This clip provides viewers with a synopsis of the Korean War, America’s involvement, and the reasons why many Americans do
not remember it.
Objective
Discussion Focus
Understand the causes, events, and effects of the Korean War
What was the Korean War, how were Americans involved, and
what was the outcome?
Clip Notes
Very few people in America have heard a great deal about the Korean conflict, a.k.a. the Korean War. It was not a declared war
but one of a number of events of the Cold War, an era characterized by fear and covert conflict as often as military aggression.
Upon their return, U.S. soldiers who had fought received little recognition—no special praise, thanks, nor greetings awaited
their arrival. This may be partly because, as one Korean War veteran on the show comments, the U.S. was used to winning wars,
not having them end in stalemates. Yet, as that veteran also opined, it doesn’t seem right. Approximately 33,000 U.S. soldiers
lost their lives in the period from the summer of 1950, when North Korea invaded South Korea, to the summer of 1953, when a
truce was signed at Panmunjom. The soldiers fought in sub-zero temperatures, yet endured and pressed forward in the absence
of proper supplies and leadership. Perhaps more disheartening, they were forced to personally witness the deprivation and
misery of the Korean people as they tried to fend off North Korean and Chinese soldiers who swept out of the north in an effort
to install a Stalinist regime that would rule the entire Korean Peninsula. Though the first six months of fighting saw numerous
swings in momentum—initial success of North Korean troops, U.S. success after attacking behind North Korean lines in
September 1950, followed by China’s entry in support of North Korea in late October 1950—the last two and a half years simply
brought gridlock and bloodshed. The result? U.S. forces ended up where they started. The 38th parallel remained the dividing
line between North and South Korea, and more problematic, the conflict remained unresolved. Even now, more than 50 years
later, citizens of the two Koreas cannot cross the border to the other side. Veterans of the Korean War did, however, finally get
their parade, perhaps an indication that those who fought and died may at last be receiving the attention they deserve.
NORTH KOREA A Legacy of Tension Viewing Guide
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NORTH
KOREA A Legacy of Tension
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Subject: History
Clip Title: Worldwide Change: The Unfinished War
World History Era 9, Standard 3A
Understand major global trends since World War II.
Summary
This clip illustrates the struggles of the Cold War using the Korean War as an example.
Objective
Discussion Focus
Understand the Korean War and the Cold War and their How did the Korean War and resulting events illustrate the
significance as 20th-century events
struggles of the Cold War?
Clip Notes
The Korean War was the first and the worst open conflict of the Cold War. It was brutal, costly, and a Cold War trendsetter in other
respects as well. In the U.S., it was termed a “conflict,” as actual “war” was never declared. Though the U.S. and North Korea signed a
truce agreement at Panmunjom on July 27, 1953, South Korea would not sign because the country was still divided. Many events
throughout the Cold War remained uncertain for long periods of time, but the Korean War, hugely indicative of the era, remains
unresolved to this day. Armed soldiers for both sides still man the dividing line on the 38th parallel, and since 1953 more than 350 U.S.
and South Korean soldiers have died in the demilitarized zone along that border. The U.S. still has over 35,000 troops in South Korea
conducting live fire exercises. Additionally reminiscent of the Cold War, and perhaps an indication that it still persists, the U.S. dubbed
North Korea part of an “axis of evil,” and a nuclear standoff has ensued—tensions as dangerous as any in the Cold War itself.
Subject: History
Clip Title: Korean Perspectives: Traces of War
Historical Thinking Standard 2F (Historical Comprehension)
Appreciate historical perspectives based on experiences of others, literature, artifacts, and the historical context in which events
unfolded.
Summary
This clip offers insights into the Korean War’s impact on individuals and society by presenting differing perspectives and
interpretations of the war.
Objective
Discussion Focus
Understand similarities and differences in historical perspectives How and why do Koreans differ in their views of America’s role
on the Korean War and its aftermath.
in the Korean War?
Clip Notes
Upon returning to South Korea, one of the first things U.S. Korean War veterans notice is that the country has changed and
become prosperous. These veterans are proud that they gave this nation a chance to succeed, and the South Korean people
still remember well the sacrifices the veterans made. American veterans are treated with the utmost respect, saluted by South
Korean soldiers, and praised for the risks they took to help their country. Veterans regret that the war was never resolved, and
perhaps most of all, they regret that they cannot walk freely through the hills on the other side of the dividing line, the 38th
parallel. Beyond that line, North Koreans have likewise not forgotten the war, or the “contributions” of the U.S. soldiers. Their
memories, however, are in stark contrast to those of the South Koreans. The level of poverty in North Korea stands as a further
reminder of these differences. Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, is a majestic city with many statues, monuments, and
tall buildings—and traffic lights that are all dead; women in military garb control what little traffic exists from the middle of
intersections. One North Korean remembers that Americans bombed a Buddhist temple during the war, another that Americans
NORTH KOREA A Legacy of Tension Viewing Guide
© Disney
©ABC News, Inc.
NORTH
KOREA A Legacy of Tension
Viewing Guide
killed his mother when he was eight years old. A North Korean boy wants to join the army so he can fight the sworn enemy,
America. Small girls know that Americans kill Koreans. And for these good reasons, ABC News anchor Bob Woodruff believes
North Koreans are taught that the U.S. started the Korean conflict. Though strange from our perspective or that of the South
Koreans, the viewpoints of North Koreans gain context when we consider that the current generation of high-ranking North
Korean officials grew up in a time when their people were at war with the U.S., and that they were taught as young children that
the U.S. started the war—a war in which an enormous number of North Koreans were killed.
Subject: Geography
Clip Title: Division and Control: Nuclear Politics
Geography Standard 13
Understand how forces of cooperation and conflict among people influence the division and control of Earth’s surface.
Summary
This clip outlines North Korea’s rationale for nuclear weapon development and their nuclear program’s impact on other nations.
Objective
Discussion Focus
Understand the destabilizing effect of the nuclear arms build- Why is North Korea developing nuclear weapons and how are
up in Korea.
other countries affected?
Clip Notes
American journalists allowed into North Korea in 2005 for the first time in five years were eyewitnesses to the divisiveness that
results when people are separated by an artificial boundary. They were also directly exposed to the rising explosiveness of the
region as a result of the acquisition of “new” technology—nuclear weapons—by North Korea. As an ally of South Korea, and a nation
that perceives a need to intervene in world affairs when necessary, the U.S. finds itself in the midst of this brewing conflict. As
North Korea’s nuclear ambitions became reality, U.S. President Bush accused its government of starving its people while stockpiling
weapons of mass destruction and becoming part of an “axis of evil.” The North Korean government allowed American journalists into
the country because they needed their cameras to let the world know that they did indeed have nuclear weapons. The lead North
Korean negotiator in the nuclear talks even acknowledges in an interview with ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff that North
Korea has nuclear weapons and is building more. Feeling threatened by the U.S., the North Korean government wanted to restart
the nuclear negotiations they had walked away from earlier. Though possibly a sign of some willingness to cooperate, the journalists
got the distinct impression that the real reason for North Korea’s restarting the talks was to further their use of nuclear weapons as a
bargaining tool, since they feel that by having nuclear weapons, they are protected from a U.S. invasion. From the viewpoint of most
experts on the region, another military conflict with North Korea has to be the last U.S. option for dealing with the situation, due
in large part to the fact that South Korea would be in grave danger from North Korean nuclear weapons. Another worry, however,
is that North Korea could produce enough nuclear weapons to not only arm itself but also offer the surplus to the highest bidder,
escalating the regional danger and even posing a worldwide threat.
NORTH KOREA A Legacy of Tension Viewing Guide
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NORTH
KOREA A Legacy of Tension
Viewing Guide
Subject: Geography
Clip Title: Cultural Crises: Dreams of Reunification
Geography Standard 10
Understand the characteristics, distributions, and complexity of Earth’s cultural mosaics.
Summary
This clip illustrates the hope for reunification of the Korean Peninsula that still exists 50 years after the armistice.
Objective
Discussion Focus
Understand the division of the Korean people and the urge of How has the conflict separated the Korean people and what is
many to reunify
the current view on reunification?
Clip Notes
Korea, a country still deeply divided by political ideology, provides an excellent look at the effects of human systems such as
government and politics on a nation’s people. Though once one people, South Koreans now live prosperous and modern lives,
while in North Korea workers in rice fields sing a song about the reunification of the Koreas. The North Korean government as well
seems to believe that their mission remains reuniting the Korean Peninsula. In what appeared to be a strategically timed event, a
huge production centering on the reunification of North and South Korea was performed for foreigners in North Korea at the time
the American journalists were present. Oddly enough, a number of South Koreans were also present. To the journalists, it seemed
the people of North Korea believe that reunification will solve their problems, with the North Korean government attempting to
convince its people that the U.S., not its own deficiencies, has caused the problems they are experiencing in their everyday lives. The
Korean War therefore remains foremost to the North Korean people, and though one is fairly certain what type of government the
South Koreans would want should reunification occur, the type of system North Koreans would install remains an issue to ponder.
Subject: Civics
Clip Title: We the Government: Unlimited Control
Civics Standard I.B.4
Explain and evaluate competing ideas regarding the relationship between political and economic freedoms.
Summary
This clip portrays some of the characteristics and tactics of a government with unlimited control over a country and its people.
Objective
Discussion Focus
Understand the impact of unlimited government on individual How has unlimited government affected the freedom of people
and political freedom.
living in and visiting North Korea?
Clip Notes
Though the North Korean government doesn’t trust American reporters, ABC News anchor Bob Woodruff and his team got inside
in 2005 and were met with, among other things, a startling series of examples of the effects of unlimited government on personal
freedoms, most specifically those that affected their own. Minders met the journalists as soon as they reached North Korea and
did not leave them throughout their entire stay, even residing with them in the same hotel. No foreign translators were allowed in,
and the team was forced to use translators assigned by the government—another level of control. Censors would only approve
footage that they believed would “reflect the feelings of the Korean people,” and as for film of the “great leader” himself, Kim Jong Il,
no image of him could be transmitted out of North Korea that was not full frame (i.e., in which any part of the great leader’s person
was obscured). North Korean citizens even wore badges with a picture of the great leader and would not allow other people to
touch it. There are, notably, only two famous people in North Korea: the late Kim Il Sung, the nation’s founder, and his son and
current leader, Kim Jong Il. The Kim Il Sung University contains a museum depicting the glory of Kim Jong Il, with placards showing
NORTH KOREA A Legacy of Tension Viewing Guide
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NORTH
KOREA A Legacy of Tension
Viewing Guide
where he sat and other notes about his university days. In keeping with the philosophy of permitting the media to release only
what it wants the world to see, the North Korean government only allowed the journalists to see healthy, gifted children. In a
strange twist, however, the government also arranged to show them young children trained from birth in the musical arts at the
Children’s Palace, and under such intense pressure to perform at a high level that it felt to the U.S. journalists like a cruel cultural
factory. The journalists saw and taped things and talked to people, but did not believe they ever really truly got “behind the mask.”
Subject: Civics
Clip Title: The 50-Year War: A Legacy of Tension
Civics Standard IV.A.2
Explain how nation-states interact with one another.
Summary
This clip examines the various ways the U.S., North Korea, and other countries in the region interact.
Objective
Discussion Focus
Understand the interactions and consequences of the
breakdown of order among nation-states and how this affects
the lives of Americans and others.
How have activities by nations on and near the Korean Peninsula
affected the lives of Americans and other peoples?
Clip Notes
More than 30,000 American troops died in the Korean War, yet the U.S. still keeps a force of almost 38,000 in South Korea. North
Korea is still potentially aggressive more than 50 years after the armistice was signed, and though from a military standpoint it is
possible to take out or destroy targets in North Korea, those Americans who fought in the Korean War do not relish the prospect of
anyone else going through what they endured. They remember all too well the pain, horror, cold, and hardships, as well as the special
friends—those who survived and those who died in the war. Disconcertingly, soldiers still keep warlike vigil at the border, and since
the armistice in 1953, more than 350 American and South Korean soldiers have died in the demilitarized zone. American troops still
demonstrate to North Korea their commitment to the Korean Peninsula by conducting live fire exercises in the area, with experts on
the region believing that this is absolutely necessary. They feel there is still a need for a security force in the Asian-Pacific region that
includes forces from America, the Philippines, and Australia, and that any changes to this security force, including in South Korea,
would reverberate throughout the entire region. Experts and veterans of the Korean War alike feel that war in the region must be
avoided at all costs, in part due to the destructive nature of the military technology that now exists, and because, for the veterans at
least, they have already experienced that which most of us should never have to know.
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NORTH
KOREA A Legacy of Tension
Viewing Guide
NOTEWORTHY SOURCES
National Education Standards: Clip assembly and alignment are based on the following standards documents:
National Geography Standards: Geography for Life. Developed by the National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE), 1994.
National Standards for Civics and Government. Developed by the Center for Civic Education, 1994.
National Standards for History. Developed by the National Center for History in the Schools at UCLA, under the guidance of the National
Council for History Standards, revised 1996.
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