Question

Although North and South Korea are predominantly ethnically homogenous, a cultural divergence has taken place between the two countries. Write a paragraph that describes the cause of this cultural divergence and lists some of its effects.

Answer 1

Despite their shared ethnicity, the political divisions between the two countries have created cultural divergence, or contrasts in the development of culture.

While it is possible to say that the cultures of North and South Korea are similar, the two countries have also established independent cultural systems after being separated for a long time. It is appropriate to say the cultures of the two Koreas are a single yet different culture. Cultural differences are often viewed as obstacles to overcome, and each country pursues efforts to homogenize the two cultures by denying or attempting to change the other culture. The two Koreas should acknowledge the cultural achievements of both South and North developed after being divided, while cherishing the common traditional cultural elements. A detailed understanding of the similarities and differences of North and South Korean cultures is needed to achieve a divided yet all-encompassing Korean culture. This paper focuses on the differences and similarities in how the two Koreas understand the concept of cultural elements.