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20: A Tale of Two Koreas
A Tale of Two Koreas
The 2002 FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan, was an historic occasion. The USA achieved their best result since 1930. The South Korean hosts shocked the world by making it to the final. Finally, England ended 36 years of hurt by winning the World Cup Final on penalties and bringing football home.
Ashley Cole celebrates after scoring the winning penalty for England in the 2002 FIFA World Cup Final
However, amid the jubliation of the World Cup, a new crisis was brewing. North Korea was believed to be developing nuclear weapons. Time was running out, and urgent action was needed. The Trump Administration began to up the pressure on the North Korean regime, hoping to pressure them into giving up on their nuclear program.
Unfortunately, these actions only provoked North Korea and brought the peninsula to the brink of war. Through the summer and fall of 2002, North Korea continued to make bellicose threats towards South Korea and the west. It was clear that the Trump Administration’s current approach was not working.
Instead, Trump approached Russia and China to make a deal. These were strange bedfellows, yet nevertheless necessary allies in order to counter the rogue North Korean regime.
After striking a deal with these two nations, Trump decided to pursue a “good cop, bad cop” approach to the situation. Trump would be bellicose and aggressive, in the spirit of the madman theory while Russia and China would apply light pressure behind the scenes for North Korea to change.
After a military clash between the two Koreas in mid 2002, fears of war grew. These fears were only exacerbated by Trump’s aggresive rhetoric. Trump’s political opponents tried to use the Korean crisis to paint him as dangerous and unfit, but there was a method to Trump’s madness.
US and North Korean officials met behind the scenes to discuss peace. The actions of diplomats on all sides during the crisis helped prevent war, and deal would later be struck that would change the face of east Asia...
The 2002 FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan, was an historic occasion. The USA achieved their best result since 1930. The South Korean hosts shocked the world by making it to the final. Finally, England ended 36 years of hurt by winning the World Cup Final on penalties and bringing football home.
Ashley Cole celebrates after scoring the winning penalty for England in the 2002 FIFA World Cup Final
However, amid the jubliation of the World Cup, a new crisis was brewing. North Korea was believed to be developing nuclear weapons. Time was running out, and urgent action was needed. The Trump Administration began to up the pressure on the North Korean regime, hoping to pressure them into giving up on their nuclear program.
Unfortunately, these actions only provoked North Korea and brought the peninsula to the brink of war. Through the summer and fall of 2002, North Korea continued to make bellicose threats towards South Korea and the west. It was clear that the Trump Administration’s current approach was not working.
Instead, Trump approached Russia and China to make a deal. These were strange bedfellows, yet nevertheless necessary allies in order to counter the rogue North Korean regime.
After striking a deal with these two nations, Trump decided to pursue a “good cop, bad cop” approach to the situation. Trump would be bellicose and aggressive, in the spirit of the madman theory while Russia and China would apply light pressure behind the scenes for North Korea to change.
After a military clash between the two Koreas in mid 2002, fears of war grew. These fears were only exacerbated by Trump’s aggresive rhetoric. Trump’s political opponents tried to use the Korean crisis to paint him as dangerous and unfit, but there was a method to Trump’s madness.
US and North Korean officials met behind the scenes to discuss peace. The actions of diplomats on all sides during the crisis helped prevent war, and deal would later be struck that would change the face of east Asia...
- Abraham Washington
- Word Count: 350