North Korea and South Korea - Report Example

North Korea and South Korea Affiliation: North Korea and South Korea Economy and Economic development North Korea In the past, North Korea had substantial modern investments in its economy. Most of it was owed to the Japanese settlement in the country. However, after the Second World War and the sudden exist of the Japanese from Korea, it created economic chaos. The economy was hit hard especially by the withdrawal of the engineering prowess possessed by the Japanese. The North Korean economy was plunged further into despair during the Korean War as industrial plants were destroyed. From that point onwards its economic development nosedived and recovery does not seem to be anytime soon. Modern North Korea is a family dynasty run country. It is founded on a philosophy known as ‘Juche’. It advocates for self-sufficiency. The philosophy pushed the country to impoverishment and slow economic development. In 2011 a survey of 179 countries was conducted by the Heritage Foundations to determine the Index of Economic Freedom. North Korea was ranked at number 179. The poor ranking underlines the poor economy that ravage across the country. The government interferes with the economy heavily. Pyongyang has centralized planning and control making entrepreneurial activity almost impossible to develop (Pethokoukis, 2011). As of March 2012, the GDP of the country was $40 billion, per capita income was $1,800. The national budget was a deficit budget (Revenue: $3.2 billion, expenses: $3.3 billion). Taxes contributed 11.4% of the GDP. In terms of the balance of trade, exports from North Korea were $2.557 billion in 2010 while imports from the same year stood at $3.529 billion. Today, the country’s economic situation tumbles even further thanks to economic sanctions imposed upon it by countries such as the U.S., Japan, China, Russia and South Korea. South Korea After the end of the Korean War, the country was in a state of disrepair. Destruction reigned over the entire country. When Park Chung Hee took over in 1962 through a military coup, he launched the first five-year economic development plan. The plan boosted the economic growth from $2.3 billion in 1962 to $204 billion in 1989. The rapid economic growth was attributed to an outward looking strategy in the 1960s. South Korea is an economic powerhouse in Asia and the Pacific. After the end of World War II, the South established itself as an economic powerhouse. It is one of the G-20 economies globally. Major global companies were started in the south and went on to scale globally. Among them include; LG, Samsung and Hyundai (Taylor, 2013). The country has flourished in the electronic and home appliances markets. Also, a big contributor to the economic development of South Korea is the nation’s shipbuilding industry. To underline its position as a global economic powerhouse, South Korea hosted the G-20 Summit in 2010, the Nuclear Security Summit in 2012 and is poised to host the 2018 Winter Olympics. In 2011, the country was ranked position 35 out of 179 countries in a survey by the Heritage Foundation on Index of Economic Freedom. Its vibrant economy nurtures and supports the private sector. The country’s ease of doing business is high and plays a vital role in attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). South Korea’s GDP as at 2011 was $1.554 trillion. Per capita income was $31,700 while unemployment rate stood at 3.4%. Taxes contributed to 23% of the GDP. Exports from the country were $441.5 billion while imports stood at $400. Billion. The budget was a surplus. The figures ranked it as the seventh largest exporter and importer in the world. Health Care System North Korea The health care system in North Korea is in various tiers. They include; Household doctors (1 doctor attends to 130-150 households), polyclinic, country health centers, provincial hospitals, and referral hospitals. The national health management system is highly centralized, and information often tampered with. WHO in 2009 cited that North Korea spent not more than $1 per capita income on health care a great distance from the average expense of around $716. It was the lowest expense across the globe. The healthcare system is so poor that even hospitals lack basic work tools such as needles, syringes, clean water, and food. A report by Amnesty International indicates that patients in North Korea are subjected to agonizing pain as they undergo surgery without anesthesia. It was once claimed that North Korea provided free medical services to a doctor population of 44,000 to an extent that they made house calls. Though the services are free, hospitals were deprived of basic sanitary conditions, food, medical equipment, and pharmaceuticals. To compound the situation of a poor health care system, the country is with malnutrition and its people are prone to ailments such as TB due to poor immune systems (Barbara, 2010). It is estimated that close to two-thirds of the population, about 16 million remain hungry or suffer from malnutrition. It is difficult to understand a country whereby its ruling elite advocate so much for nuclear programs, even affords to send a satellite into orbit and still leave its people to suffer due to a poor healthcare system. Its nuclear ambitions have contributed to the country being isolated and imposed upon international sanctions. Though humanitarian aid is exempt from the restrictions, the sanctions are proving challenging and makes it difficult to import pharmaceutical supplies. Donors are also reluctant to offer any assistance as North Korea continues its push to gain nuclear capability prominence. South Korea The healthcare system in the South is a contrast from what happens in the North. The healthcare system is effective in terms of costs and outcomes. Residents and foreigners can access medical care for an affordable fee. It is run by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and its citizens are accorded free service at the point of delivery. Technology has been the backdrop of an excellent healthcare system in South Korea. Medicine technology has increased the quality of living standards; it has led to increased life expectancy of men to around 75 years while women are at 82 years. In a country where most of the population are interconnected and own a smartphone, the government has leveraged on the technology available to roll out healthcare systems that suit its citizen’s needs. Among the systems include the mobile health data, the country combines mHealth information with traditional clinical research to point out indicators of potential fatal diseases. The quality healthcare system has also contributed to a decrease in infant mortality to 5.3 deaths in 1,000 live births. The system is well streamlined to ensure that only licensed medical practitioners provide health services. They include; doctors, nurses, oriental medical doctors, and midwives. According to data collected in 2007, South Korea had 91,400 physicians, 23,114 dentists, 235,687 nurses, 8,587 midwives and 57,176 pharmacists. According to the healthcare system, a Korean patient can be attended to in any health facility of their choosing. The healthcare security system is into three categories; National Health Insurance Program, Long-term Care Insurance Program, and Medical Aid Program. The National Health Insurance Program is a program targeted to all citizens. According to the Medical Insurance Act, if a firm has more than 500 employees, it is expected to place them under medical insurance coverage. The National Health Insurance Program constitutes of the Ministry of Health, National Health Insurance Corporation (NHIC), Health Insurance Review Agency (HIRA) and Health Institutions. The Long-term Care Insurance Program is targeted to take care of an individual during old age. It is funded by contributions from the insured, subsidy by the government and co-payments by beneficiaries. The Medical Aid Program is targeted to low-income households (Song, 2009). Social Structure and Values North Korea The dominant value system in North Korea is Neo-Confucianism. It combines the social ethics of Chinese philosophers Confucius (Kong Zi, 551-479 B.C) and Mencius with Buddhist and Daoist metaphysics. The value system defines all forms of social relations at different levels. North Korea’s social norms and values are adhered to by all parties, including ordinary citizen and the ruling class. All are bound to maintain a set standard of code of conduct so as to be seen as to maintain the social capital of the ruling elite and the legitimacy of the institutions that owe their existence to the regime. North Korea is built around three main social structures; Ideology, North Korea struggles with the idea of maintaining the same old fallacy that was conceived during the struggle for self-rule. People still cling to the concept of Juche despite the fact that they struggle to earn a living. The attachment to Juche created an overarching social structure that all must live under. The regime owes its existence to such kind of ideology because people accepted it, and it became almost unchallengeable. Insecurity, for the case of an authoritarian country, insecurity is a powerful weapon. Succession government in North Korea has managed to hold the grip of power and even managed to evade the threat of the cold war by ruling with an iron fist. They position their institutions upon fear, militarism, struggle and ethnic purity. Class, the class factor best paints the real life picture of social structures in North Korea. Wealth and influence largely fall into this category. In a country where hunger and poverty have been used to subject people into accepting an oppressive government, only those who conform to certain rules prosper (Worden, 2009). South Korea Social values in South Korea are diversified. It’s a blend of indigenous and foreign values. The diversity of South Korean values is expressed in daily human relations. Its citizens reflect the two sides of a coin. On one side, they are self-controlled and committed to the fulfillment of their social obligations while on the other side they are known for their emotions and volatility. They are referred to as the ‘Irish of the East’. One concept of neo-Confucianism is that institutions and norms of a society are an indication of the absolute rules that guide the movement of a people. Social relations are not described by the joy of the co-habitants of the place but by the peaceful co-existence of people in a society that aspire the peace of the natural order. Most of the western cultural values such as democracy and equality were introduced to South Korea in late nineteenth century. The western values have become integrated in South Korean culture (Savada and Shaw, 1992). Language, Symbols, and Religion North Korea Koreans had lived under the influence of the Chinese 2000 years ago. When the Japanese were a dominant colonialist they attempted to force the Koreans to adopt Japanese but the resisted and instead drew some of the languages from Chinese. The national language is Korean. North Korea regards its language as cultured or what the locals term as ‘munhwa’. The language uses the regional dialect as its standard. The Koran alphabet was developed in 1444. In North Korea, the alphabet is popularly known as ‘josoen guel’. As part of its symbols, North Korea distinct itself from the rest by its architecture and planning. Most of it is a cultural expression constructed in contemporary form. Structures have been categorized into three broad categories; monuments, structures that involve a combination of Korean architectural forms such as traditional tiled roof and modern construction techniques, and skyscrapers. In North Korea, the citizens are popular with Buddhism and Confucianism. However, there are also Christians and another religion known as the religion of the heavenly way. South Korea Korean is the national language. However, the writing system is Hangeul. English is taught in junior high and high schools. At some point in the 19th and 20th century, a mixed writing style was developed whereby there was a combination of Chinese alphabets (Hanja) and ‘Hangeul’. In South Korea, school children were required to learn 1,800 Hanja by the time they completed high school. In South Korea, the standard language is known as ‘p’yojuno, and it is based on the Seoul dialect. Though, the traditional buildings have been overrun by modern skyscrapers, when one walks around Seoul or any town in South Korea the feeling of a homogeneous people who share a similar cultural and linguistic heritage is symbolic in their harmonious co-existence. In a survey carried out in 2005, results showed that almost one-half of the population believed in religion. The most popular were Buddhists, Protestants, and Catholics. References Barbara D., (2010), North Korea’s Healthcare is a Horror. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/16/world/la-fg-north-korea-health-20100716 on 06.05.2015 Pethokoukis J., (2011), North Korea vs. South Korea, a natural economic experiment. American Enterprise Institute. Retrieved from https://www.aei.org/publication/north-korea-vs- south-Korea-a-natural-economic-experiment/ on 06.05.2015 Savada A.M., & Shaw, W., (1992), South Korea: A Country Study. Library of Congress. Federal Research Division Song, J.Y., (2009), The South Korean Health Care System. International Medical Community, JMAJ, May/June 2009- Vol. 52, No. 3 Taylor, A., (2013), A crazy comparison of life in North Korea and South Korea. Business Insider. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/life-in-north-korea-vs-south- korea-2013-4 on 06.05.2015 Worden L.R., (2009), North Korea: A Country Study. Library of Congress, Federal Research Division Read More