The Inquiry Junior - Why are North and South Korea divided?
The Inquiry
BBC
4.6 • 1.7K Ratings
🗓️ 20 September 2018
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The story of how a line on a map becomes a hard state border that no one can cross. Korea was ruled as one Kingdom for a thousand years. They valued poetry and scholars helped rule the country. But their Kingdom was invaded by Japan. When Japan left, Russia and America raced to take their place. Amid frantic organising, a line dividing Korea in two was suggested. Who knew that line would become the front line in a war, eventually creating a hard border between two new countries?
This is a special edition that 10-14 year olds can also enjoy, but if you are not in that age bracket we hope that there’s something in it for you too. It’s a trial and we’d love to know what you think. Email theinquiry@bbc.com or tweet @bbctheinquiry – thanks to Niko, Christina and Sophie for your feedback. The Inquiry will be back to normal next week.
(image 2018: A North Korean student attends a class at Kang Pan Sok revolutionary school outside of Pyongyang. Credit: Ed Jones/Getty Images)
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hi, I'm Kate Lamble. |
| 0:02.0 | And I'm Priscilla Niede. |
| 0:03.0 | Yes, on this week's edition of the inquiry, |
| 0:05.0 | you're getting two presenters for the price of one. |
| 0:08.0 | That's because this is a special edition that we hope 10 to 14 year olds might enjoy. |
| 0:13.0 | But if you're a loyal podcast subscriber, |
| 0:15.0 | we're pretty sure this episode contains something new too. |
| 0:19.0 | But if it's not your thing, the inquiry, as you know and love it, |
| 0:22.0 | will return next week. |
| 0:24.0 | You're listening to the inquiry on the BBC World Service with me, Lamble in London. |
| 0:32.8 | I'm me Priscilline there in Nairobi. |
| 0:35.0 | Each week we answer one pressing question from the news. |
| 0:38.0 | We're trying something a little bit different this week, an inquiry junior if you like. |
| 0:46.0 | Yes, it's an episode we think might appeal to younger listeners around 10 to 14, |
| 0:51.0 | but we hope our regular listeners will enjoy it too. |
| 0:54.0 | Don't worry though, the inquiry will be back to normal next week. We want to introduce you to someone. |
| 1:05.0 | Lee-Gum Sum is 92 and she lives in South Korea. |
| 1:11.0 | She's got short white hair and a broad smile and a few weeks ago she got on a bus |
| 1:16.7 | heading north to visit her son. But this wasn't just any visit. You see Lee Kum sum hasn't seen her son since he was four years old. He's now 71. |
| 1:31.2 | They haven't been able to meet for so long because Legum's son lives in a different country, North Korea. |
| 1:37.0 | When Korea was split in two, so were the family. |
| 1:49.0 | She's been dreaming of a reunion for a long time. She wants to throw her arms around him, she wants to throw her arms around him, she says. She wants to ask how he is and who he lived with when he was growing up. |
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