History of Separation

Introduction

       Despite North and South Korea being divided today, both states share centuries of history, culture, cuisine, experiences of colonialism and resistance, as well as a common language. However, due to the events of the 1940s and 50s, both states might as well live in parallel worlds. This collision was a result of the North Korean leader Kim Il-Sung as well as his Soviet supporters, invading South Korea in June of 1950. President Harry Truman immediately reacted and together with the U.N and South Korean forces fought to defend the South. Eventually, as the war dragged on, both sides suffered significant casualties and after the death of Stalin, a ceasefire was agreed upon.

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      The ceasefire line broke centuries of relationships between people, families, villages and what was once a united nation. From prohibition of certain radio frequencies to limitations on freedom of speech and movement, radical divisions have been splitting North and South Korea in both the mundane and the ideological. The North is a Stalinist-style totalitarian dictatorship, where starvation, ideological persecution, and torture of political rivals are commonplace. South Korea, on the other hand, is a diverse and modern society, that practices democratic principles and where a president was recently impeached due to overreach of authority.

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     This separation in mays shapes the story of this digital exhibit and the reality of the protagonist as she navigates life in North Korea. Our story takes roots in the 1990s, during a time when the mismanagement of limited resources resulted in a horrific famine that took the lives of up to several million Koreans. In these harsh conditions, the characters of our story Mi-rei, Yong-hwa, and their mother Na-young begin their journey. 

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