U.S.-North Korea Relations and Foreign Policy

North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un made his first trip to another country since assuming power in 2011. President Trump has declared a willingness to meet with him this May.

Instructors, click the link below to download this week’s lecture for use in your classroom. The deck contains a writing prompt, a debate question, as well as other assessment questions.

Download the PowerPoint Lecture Spark for U.S.-North Korea Relations and Foreign Policy

Links

North Korea Profile – Timeline
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-15278612

The U.S. and North Korea On The Brink: A Timeline
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/the-u-s-and-north-korea-on-the-brink-a-timeline/

Trump Administration Is Trying To Make It Harder For North Korea To Evade Sanctions
https://www.npr.org/2018/02/23/588374700/trump-administration-is-trying-to-make-it-harder-for-north-korea-to-evade-sancti

Trump accepts offer to meet Kim Jong Un
https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/08/politics/donald-trump-kim-jong-un/index.html

China says North Korea wants denuclearization, but Kim Jong Un’s motives remain shrouded in mystery as Trump meeting approaches
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/28/north-korea-leader-kim-jong-uns-motives-remain-shrouded-in-mystery.html

Trump only has one chance if North Korea calls his bluff
https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/29/opinions/trump-kim-jong-un-xi-jimping-robertson-opinion-intl/index.html

Why Trump’s potential meeting with Kim Jong Un is “a really big deal” that could “go south”
https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/29/opinions/trump-kim-jong-un-xi-jimping-robertson-opinion-intl/index.html

Assessment

• Writing: What issues lay at the root of the tension between North Korea and the United States?
• Debate: Only a more aggressive posture by the United States can resolve the issues with North Korea.
• Poll: President Trump should advocate the use of tactical nuclear weapons against North Korea to preempt  North Korea’s ability to harm the United States and its allies.
• Short Answer: Why does the United States keep thousands of military troops in South Korea?

Current events quiz:

1) North Korea has openly acknowledged that it has nuclear capabilities. (T/F)

2) President Donald Trump referred to North Korea as part of the “axis of evil” in the world. (T/F)

3) Kim Jong-un has travelled extensively throughout the world as leader of North Korea. (T/F)

4) Since becoming leader of North Korea in 2011, Kim Jong-un has travelled to

a. The United States

b. China

c. Japan

d. All of the above

5) Which sitting U.S. President has agreed to personally meet with the leader of North Korea?

a. Richard Nixon

b. Bill Clinton

c. Donald Trump

d. All of the above

Answers:

1. True

2. False

3. False

4. B

5. C

 

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