book introduction

Towards a happy unification for all

North Korea's story to future leaders

North Korea, as a nation, likes it or dislikes it, but it is the opponent of unification. However, North Korea-related news mainly focuses on war. If you think of North Korea as a target for unification rather than war, your view of North Korea will be very different. This book talks about curiosity about North Korea and thoughts on unification, focusing on the field, at the level of teenagers who are not very interested in these topics. It does not speak of certain values, ideas, or visions, but very realistic and concrete things, such as the jobs, marriages, and travels that teenagers will face in the future.

The content of the book consists of two main parts. One is North Korea and the other is unification. What we should aim for is good unification, not blind unification. In order for inter-Korean unification to bring happiness to all, future leaders must know North Korea, the opponent of unification, and, in the end, must also look at division, the root of unification. The author, who has visited North Korea several times, said that over the past 20 years, meeting with teenagers through unification education or the NGO Civil Control Line (Civil Control Line) Volunteer Corps has been a great help in writing the book.

Kim Ho-seong, former president of Seoul National University of Education, said in his recommended speech that the story of unification without burden and simplicity, and the differences between North and South Korea were explained in relatively easy terms to improve readability. So, it is a content that should be read by anyone, young or old, in the global village who is interested in the issue of unification of the Korean Peninsula, which has been extremely confrontational for the past 70 years. In particular, as the title of the book 'A Story of Unification for Teenagers' suggests, it is recommended that young people at home and abroad who will be responsible for the future of our nation read it.

The author, Hoonil Ra, has been interested in unification since college and majored in North Korea-related master's and doctoral programs. In addition, through direct practice and action, he has been answering difficult questions about North Korea and unification, which can be said to be difficult to deal with, to middle and high school students and college students. Through this first publication, the true role of a field educator who informs hard subjects in a fun and easy way is contained in one book.

Contents

Author's remarks _ A new approach for unification where everyone is happy

Part 1 Interesting North Korea Story

01 Are there YouTubers in North Korea?

02 Do North Koreans get married in love?

03 Are there marts or convenience stores in North Korea?

04 Are there idols in North Korea?

05 Is there an SAT in North Korea?

06 Can North Koreans travel freely?

07 Is North Korea territory of South Korea?

08 How long is your military service in North Korea?

09 The most popular down town in North Korea

Part 2 The heart-pounding story of unification

01 Why is the Korean War not over yet?

02 Why does North Korea make nuclear weapons?

03 Do other countries want unification of the Korean Peninsula?

04 Should South Korea help North Korea?

05 Three reasons against unification

06 Three reasons for unification

07 Unification came first, North Korean defectors

08 South Korea’s federation system, North Korea’s federation system, which is better?

09 Seven South Koreans mentioned in Kim Jong-un's Great Man

10 The United Nations, the midwives of the Republic of Korea to the unified nation

Recommendation _ Path of Efforts for Peace on the Korean Peninsula

Recommendation _ The story of unification tailored to the level of teenagers

About the author

Ra Hoon-il

When I was a teenager, I loved computer games so much that I chose Electrical Engineering as my college major. After entering university, I was more interested in working as a reporter for an English-language newspaper at a university than in my major, and I became very interested in North Korea and unification. Then, after meeting a North Korean university student at a seminar, he entered this field in earnest. When I visited Pyongyang, there was a moment when a North Korean resident I met while taking a walk handed me a packed lunch and offered to eat with me. At that time, I thought that the North Koreans were no different from us, not strange aliens. After that, I promised myself that someday I would write about reunification with the North Korean people. I tried to capture the current state of the North Korean people as raw as possible, and I tried to break the prejudice that the story of unification is not interesting. When I was a teenager, my nickname was Ramen, and as soon as inter-Korean relations improve, I plan to open a ramen shop in North Korea. After majoring in electronic engineering at Kwangwoon University, I received the Chairman's Award while receiving a master's degree from the University of North Korean Studies. After that, he completed his Ph.D. at Dongguk University. Since 2003, the NGO Civil Control Line Volunteer Corps has been established to connect unification education and volunteer work. He has been to Pyongyang, Kaesong, and Mt. Kumgang several times, and has been appointed as a member of the Unification Education Committee under the Park Geun-hye and Moon Jae-in governments and is still active.