The origin of the split in the peninsula

The division of the Korean Peninsula has to start from the beginning of the last century. In 1910, Japan passed the merger treaty and annexed the entire peninsula and controlled it as a colony for more than 30 years. At that time, the North Koreans resisted a lot, but their internal opinions were not unified. Some were inclined toward Western capitalism, while others were influenced by the Soviet Union and took the socialist path, causing chaos.

In 1945, Japan surrendered, and the United States and the Soviet Union discussed using the 38th line as a dividing line, the United States governed the south and the Soviet Union governed the north. It originally thought it was a temporary measure, but when the Cold War broke out, this line became a foregone political border. In 1948, the Republic of Korea was established in the south, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north. There are two types of temptations from economy to politics. The market economy in the south is in full swing, and the planned economy in the north is coming step by step.

This split is not the responsibility of the US and the Soviet Union. The peninsula itself is too sensitive and is sandwiched between China, the Soviet Union and Japan. Everyone wants to interfere. In June 1950, the Korean War broke out, and the northern troops headed south and wanted to unify, but as soon as the United Nations army intervened, the Chinese volunteer army also participated in the war. After three years of fighting, countless casualties and wounded. In July 1953, the armistice agreement was signed.

But this agreement is not a peace treaty. The peninsula is still in a state of truce and the border is full of tensions every day. After the war, the United States quickly signed a defensive treaty with South Korea, bringing South Korea into its own camp and using it as a bridgehead to restrain socialist countries. In the north, naturally, relying on the Soviet Union and China, we have received a lot of financial aid and military support. During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union were evenly matched, so the peninsula barely stabilized and did not fight again.

In fact, North Korea has been deeply influenced by the Soviet Union since the beginning, and its diplomatic relations are mainly with socialist countries. During the war, the Soviet Union provided weapons and ammunition, and China sent troops to help, which allowed North Korea to gain a firm foothold. By the 1950s, North Korea's economy was once pretty good, and heavy industry started with the Soviet Union's technical and financial assistance.

A country that has been colonized for so long, suddenly becomes independent and split, and has to face sanctions. It is indeed the key to having external support. If it weren't for these aids, North Korea would have been in chaos. In general, the root of this division is deep and external forces have fueled the fire, but it has also allowed North Korea to learn a lot from it, sowing the seeds for later nuclear development.

The help of nuclear circuit start

The beginning of North Korea's nuclear development was very early, and I became interested in the 1950s. At that time, the Cold War was in full swing, and the leadership felt that it was necessary for a little hard guy to protect himself. In 1956, they signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with the Soviet Union, sent people to the Soviet Union to study nuclear technology, and built the first atomic energy research institute.

In 1959, the research center was set up in Ningbian, and Soviet experts came to help and taught how to build reactors. In 1965, the first small reactor was built with little power, but this was the beginning of North Korea's nuclear energy. The Soviet Union was the big brother at that time, helping to provide equipment, train personnel, and allowing scientists to study in Eastern European countries.

However, the Soviet Union had restrictions on its help. They insisted on a monopoly of nuclear technology, only gave support to civilian nuclear energy, and did not allow weapons to be used. North Korea has made several requests, but they have been rejected. For example, in 1967, when he wanted to build a nuclear power plant, the Soviet Union said it was not possible because of data sharing. North Korea has not given up and has transferred its nuclear program to a secret since 1969 and developed it on its own.

China's first atomic bomb exploded in 1964 also made North Korea angry. They envious and felt that they had to keep up. In the 1980s, the United States began to pay attention to North Korea's movements. Satellites captured facilities and quickly put pressure on the Soviet Union to take charge. The Soviet Union did persuade North Korea to accept international supervision, but it did not completely block North Korea's path.

In fact, Soviet aid was a key plug-in for North Korea's nuclear route. Early reactor and technician training depended on this. Without the Soviet Union, North Korea had to grop again. North Korea also develops materials from other channels, such as uranium mine development and self-built processing plants. In 1985, North Korea joined the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, but it was not signed until 1992.

The International Atomic Energy Agency visited several times. From 1992 to 1993, six inspections were conducted, and the results showed that North Korea's nuclear technology was still in its infancy and showed no signs of weapons. The United States does not believe it and insists on special inspections. North Korea is popular and refuses directly. This matter was a big deal. The United States invited South Korea to impose sanctions and carried out military exercises. North Korea prepared for war across the country. In 1993, it announced its withdrawal from the treaty. The first round of North Korea's nuclear crisis came like this.

Factors for successful nuclear possession

In the 1990s, the Cold War ended, the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, and North Korea suddenly lost its backer, and its sense of security plummeted. In 1994, with leadership changes, North Korea was determined to accelerate nuclear development. The North Korea-US framework agreement was signed, the United States agreed to provide energy assistance, and North Korea freezes facilities, but the implementation of the United States delayed the implementation, and the agreement collapsed in 2002.

North Korea admitted to uranium enrichment projects, the United States stopped oil, North Korea restarted its reactor, and withdrew from the treaty in 2003. The Six-Party Talks began in 2003. China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, the United States and North Korea held talks together. In September 2005, there was a joint statement that North Korea promised to abandon nuclear power and exchange for aid, but it broke up again not long after.

North Korea did not stop, and the United Nations immediately imposed sanctions on its first nuclear test in October 2006. The second time in 2009, the third time in 2013, the second time in 2016, and the sixth time in 2017, after each test, sanctions escalated, and arms trade, mineral exports, and financial freezes were banned.

North Korea's economy is under great pressure, but the closed system has withstood it, and resources are tilted to nuclear projects. By the way, North Korea's nuclear arsenal is estimated to have dozens of them now, and it has also created intercontinental missiles that can cover long-range targets. In 2022, North Korea's legislation confirms its nuclear status, saying that it will not give up regardless of how long the sanctions will last.

In fact, North Korea can become the ninth nuclear-capable country - tied with the United States, Russia, Britain, France, China, India, Pakistan and Israel - rely on many factors. The early Soviet aid lays the foundation, and then the source of strength is more determined. External sanctions did not overwhelm them, but instead inspired fighting spirit.

China plays a mediation role in the Six-Party Talks and promotes a peaceful resolution, and North Korea also benefits from it. North Korea has learned from technology inheritance, built a concentration facility and a reprocessing plant, and gradually mastered the entire chain. Think about it, a country with such a strict blockade has limited resources and can still produce nuclear weapons. How strong will it be. Although the sanctions are strict, North Korea's economy is resilient, agriculture is self-sufficiency, and industry is given priority to military industry.

In short, North Korea's nuclear possession is not a pie from the sky. There are historical reasons behind it, external help, and its own efforts. In the international situation, this reminds everyone that safety issues cannot be solely dependent on others, but must have their own trump card. China has always advocated denuclearization, but it also understands North Korea's situation and promotes dialogue. What will happen in the future depends on the negotiations, but North Korea's move is quite steady.