In this blog post, I will focus on introducing the plots and main themes of several volumes from Kang Jun-man’s magnum opus, “A Stroll Through American History” (17 volumes), that left a particularly deep impression on me.
Introduction
While South Koreans may hold various views on the United States, the spectrum of opinions and understanding likely varies widely across social classes, generations, and ideologies. Most Koreans likely remember the U.S. as a country we are deeply grateful to. However, the reality is that the majority of people do not have an accurate understanding of the United States and likely only have a vague notion of it. Therefore, the author compiled a book that comprehensively covers everything about the U.S., allowing readers to enjoy it with the lighthearted mindset of a stroll—just as the title suggests—and that book is ‘A Stroll Through American History’. This series consists of a whopping 17 volumes. It covers all fields—society, economy, culture, politics, and media—and provides a clear and concise overview of major global wars and significant historical events. In the preface, the author explains that had a more detailed book on the United States been available during his four years studying there, it would have been a great help; however, since no such book existed at the time, he decided to create a guide to understanding the United States, albeit belatedly.
The author served as a professor in the Department of Journalism and Broadcasting at Jeonbuk National University and is one of Korea’s leading public intellectuals. The number of books he has authored to date is approaching 300, and he is renowned for his prolific output, rivaling that of the great scholar Jeong Yak-yong. While Jeong Yak-yong co-authored many works with his disciples, Professor Kang has written almost entirely on his own, leading one to believe he may have authored the most books in Korea. This book is so heavily annotated that it might even be considered tedious. However, the references cited in the footnotes encompass everything from original English texts to domestic publications on U.S. current affairs and newspapers. In particular, as the author’s field of expertise (journalism and broadcasting) is rooted in the United States—often considered the birthplace of modern media—content related to American media organizations permeates the book throughout.
As the most powerful nation in history, the United States has established a unipolar system through its formidable strength. The primary reason for the dissolution of the former Soviet Union was the arms race with the United States; the Soviet Union collapsed after providing unsustainable aid to its satellite states and Third World nations. Although China is currently catching up to the United States at an alarming pace, it is unlikely that China will surpass the United States to become the most powerful nation. This is because the Chinese economy itself is highly dependent on the United States, and the yuan cannot establish itself as a reserve currency like the dollar. That is why I wanted to learn more about the United States, with which we share an inseparable relationship. In a sense, the United States holds the fate of the Korean Peninsula in its hands, and in every field—economy, culture, politics, education, and sports—we cannot be free from the influence of the United States. Studying abroad in the U.S. has become essential for personal success, and even the famous K-pop only gained recognition once it reached American stages.
This book covers Volume 1, “Migration to the New World and the War of Independence,” through Volume 17, “The Obama Administration.” I have read all 17 volumes, but it would be difficult to cover them all here. I would like to introduce the plots of just a few volumes that left a deep impression on me.
Volume 1
The book emphasizes that since American history is the history of a nation founded by European immigrants, one cannot understand American history without knowing contemporary European history. It argues that the conflict between Israel and its neighboring Muslim nations in the Middle East today can only be understood by properly understanding both European and American history. The place Columbus believed to be America was what is now San Salvador. Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press allowed the Bible to be printed in large quantities, making it freely accessible to everyone. As a result, the authority of the clergy and the Pope declined, eventually leading to the Protestant Reformation. Ultimately, believers who had faced religious persecution became the core group that crossed over to America. Tragically, all 102 people who arrived on the Mayflower perished. They demonstrated a fundamental ignorance of survival. Although the waters where they landed were teeming with cod, they lacked even the most basic equipment to catch it, and so they starved and died of disease. In particular, as religious wars in Europe reached their peak, the desire to emigrate to the New World grew, and they began to intensify their efforts to hunt for slaves in Africa to address their labor shortage. Furthermore, regarding conflicts with the indigenous Native Americans, they claimed that slaughtering them was the only solution, and brutal methods were fully mobilized to effectively exterminate the Native Americans. Eventually, as the early settlers became part of the middle class, a tax war with their homeland, Britain, began. Volume 1 focused on the “independence” of the middle-class settlers who moved to America to break free from British interference and build a new nation.
Volume 2
Volume 2 covers the period from the first president, George Washington, to the seventh president, Andrew Jackson. Through the War of Independence, the United States was founded; the nation laid the groundwork for its future, drafted a constitution, and began to openly pursue territorial expansion. Ultimately, through the War with Mexico, the United States annexed Texas and California, laying the groundwork for its rise as a major power. At the same time, the clash between knowledge imported from Europe and America’s new values served as an opportunity for intellectual growth. In particular, many war films related to the United States were produced in Hollywood; many of these films, while distorting historical facts, remained faithful to the “America First” spirit. The most striking example is ‘The Patriot’ (starring Mel Gibson), featured in Volume 1, a film depicting the war with Britain in the 1770s, which was sharply criticized for distorting historical facts. Additionally, the film ‘The Alamo’ (starring John Wayne) also distorted many facts. Because Mexico shared a border with the United States, it was considered the most unfortunate nation in modern history.
Volume 3
The Civil War broke out in the United States. Thanks to the inventions of the railroad, the telephone, and the incandescent light bulb, this period marked the beginning of America’s dominance over time and space and laid the groundwork for its rise as a global superpower. The author emphasized that the Civil War and President Lincoln are inextricably linked, and that Lincoln did not abolish slavery out of humanitarianism but rather largely for political expediency. The author notes that there are about 10,000 books and documents related to Lincoln; after examining both sides to maintain balance, the conclusion reached is that it is reasonable to label Lincoln a “racist.” The American Civil War left European nations like Britain and France in a quandary, as they could not rashly take sides with either the South or the North. Furthermore, the Battle of Gettysburg is famous for being the war in which the greatest number of people died in the shortest period in the history of warfare. Furthermore, during this period, the United States and the “Hermit Kingdom” of Joseon had their first direct encounter when the USS General Sherman sailed as far as the mouth of the Daedong River to demand trade. When their demand was rejected, they resorted to violence; ultimately, under the command of Park Gyu-su, the USS General Sherman was burned to the ground and its crew executed.
North Korea distorts history by claiming that Kim Eung-u, Kim Il-sung’s great-grandfather, led the sinking of the General Sherman, using this as part of its anti-American propaganda. This incident later sparked the Sinmi Yangyo, during which Ganghwa Island was reduced to ruins and suffered the humiliation of having its sujagi (a flag symbolizing a general or commander) seized. (This is featured in the drama ‘Mr. Sunshine’.) Later, in 2007, this sujagi returned to its homeland after 136 years through a 10-year long-term loan agreement and is currently on display at the Ganghwa Museum.
A new chapter of history unfolded as railroads began to be built across the American continent. Furthermore, the invention of the telephone compressed time and space, accelerating the development of industrialization, while the invention of the incandescent light bulb transformed the dark hours of the evening into a time of high productivity. Before white settlers arrived on the American mainland, approximately 40 million bison roamed across the United States. Buffalo were a lifeline for Native Americans, providing meat, clothing, and materials for tents, but white settlers embarked on indiscriminate hunting of buffalo as part of their campaign to exterminate the Native Americans. A tourist attraction involving riding trains and shooting buffalo with rifles whenever herds appeared became popular. This paved the way for driving out the buffalo and raising large numbers of cattle (cows) brought from Europe. During this period, massive capitalists—akin to today’s conglomerates—began to emerge in earnest, sparking land speculation that drew the ire of many.
Volume 6
covered the Great Depression and the New Deal Revolution. With the dawn of the radio age, the birth of massive media empires like NBC and CBS was heralded. In May 1927, Lindbergh became the first person in the world to successfully complete a solo transatlantic flight, and in 1931, he also succeeded in a trans-Pacific flight, instantly rising to hero status. This laid the foundation for large aircraft to grow into a major mode of transportation in the future. Automobile magnate Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor Company and achieved operational efficiency through the assembly line system by standardizing products and specializing production methods to reduce costs. During this period, the Great Depression began, plunging the world into fear. In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States (and the only president to serve four terms), implemented the New Deal.
By regulating agricultural production, building dams in the Tennessee Valley to provide relief for the unemployed, and improving workers’ rights, he helped the nation overcome the Great Depression. In Chicago, gangster Al Capone reigned as the kingpin of the underworld, amassing a vast fortune through bootlegging in violation of the U.S. Prohibition Act. He helped those in need, much like a modern-day Robin Hood, and the common people were grateful to him. “Scarface” was his nickname, derived from a scar on his face that ran from his ear to his lip. During this period, a photograph taken in Brooklyn, New York, showing four slender white women strolling down the street in broad daylight with cigarettes in their mouths caused a sensation. Of course, this was part of Marlboro’s advertising campaign targeting women, but the ad ended up sparking the feminist movement. The 1930s marked the dawn of American sports, with professional baseball, basketball, and boxing enjoying tremendous popularity. Nylon stockings, developed by DuPont, brought about a revolution in women’s fashion.
The latter half of Volume 6 deals with the war between the United States and Japan over Japan’s control of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. The author uses various sources to demonstrate that U.S. intelligence agencies were already aware of Japan’s planned attack on Pearl Harbor and deliberately allowed it to happen unilaterally. In other words, the U.S. needed a justification to enter World War II and intentionally used Pearl Harbor as a scapegoat to gain American public support. As time passed, Japan gradually collapsed, and the book vividly depicts its desperate, inhumane final acts—such as forcing mass suicides under the pretext of “okukusai” (meaning “to shatter as beautifully as jade,” signifying a pure death for the sake of loyalty).
Volume 7
This volume discusses the Hot War and the Cold War. It covers the final stages of World War II, the outbreak of the Korean War, and the armistice. Japan suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Midway and the Battle of Guadalcanal, and after suffering defeat after defeat in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, even its mainland was placed in jeopardy. The United States, too, was suffering countless casualties with every battle, so it sought a way to end the war quickly. Finally, it decided to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. However, the military faction that had been supporting the puppet emperor called for a fight to the death, but, fearing occupation by the Soviet Union, they unilaterally surrendered to the United States. Meanwhile, in Europe, the Allied forces, having gained the upper hand with the Normandy landings, finally won the war, and Mussolini and Hitler met their ends.
An event that shook American society at the time was Professor Kinsey’s paper, which sent shockwaves across the United States. Through his 1948 and 1953 publications, ‘Sexual Behavior in the Human Male’ and and ‘Sexual Behavior in the Human Female’, published in 1948 and 1953 respectively, he presented findings based on face-to-face interviews with 18,000 people across the country. These revealed that 37% of men had engaged in homosexual activity at least once, approximately 25% of married men and women had experienced extramarital affairs, and half of women had had sexual relations before marriage. This ruthlessly exposed the hypocrisy of American society, which was steeped in Protestant values. Furthermore, the 1940s and 1950s saw the advent of television and the golden age of Hollywood cinema. On June 25, 1950, the Korean War broke out on the Korean Peninsula. We remember it as a devastating war. Just as unification seemed imminent, the intervention of Chinese forces ultimately led to the bitter reality of a divided nation. General MacArthur, who had a strained relationship with President Truman, delivered his farewell address to the U.S. Congress, leaving behind the famous quote, “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away,” before making a lonely exit from the stage. As a result, voices warning against communism grew louder in the U.S. Congress, and McCarthyism reached its peak, with Senator Joseph McCarthy indiscriminately branding his political opponents as communists.
Volume 8
This volume explores the themes of American affluence and loneliness. It examines American society, which, while economically prosperous after establishing itself as the world’s leading nation through World War II and the Korean War, was also deeply lonely. By 1952, the Korean War was rapidly drawing to a close, and with the Republican victory, Eisenhower became president. The most urgent problem facing him was to bring the Korean War to a swift conclusion by any means necessary. Amidst this, President Syngman Rhee shocked the world by unilaterally releasing anti-communist prisoners of war. This crisis erupted just as ceasefire talks were being conducted through backchannel negotiations. However, both the president and the public at the time were firmly united in the belief that advancing northward to achieve unification was the only way forward, driven by an anti-communist spirit. As a result, when the armistice talks came to the surface, both sides engaged in a protracted stalemate, suffering even more casualties than at the war’s outset in their attempts to seize even the smallest patch of land. (This is depicted in the film ‘High Ground’.) Finally, an armistice was reached, leaving behind the scars of war: the division of the Korean Peninsula and cities and villages reduced to rubble. Furthermore, the deaths of millions and the creation of separated families only intensified the suffering. However, the United States entered an era of prosperity and reveled in happiness. TV saw the rise of news anchors and the birth of sitcoms, while Hugh Hefner generated immense wealth by presenting men worldwide with the “gift” (?) of pornography through ‘Playboy’ magazine. Actress Marilyn Monroe, who emerged during this time, captivated all men with her sensuality and sex appeal. Furthermore, the rise of James Dean and Elvis Presley gave birth to the first idol culture. Americans were completely captivated by James Dean’s charm as seen in ‘East of Eden’ and ‘Giant’, while Elvis Presley drove everyone wild with his stage presence—tight-fitting pants, glittery outfits, and his signature hip-swinging dance moves.
Although slavery had been abolished, discrimination against Black people persisted. The discrimination experienced by Rosa Parks, an African American woman, when she boarded a bus led to the ruling that segregation laws were unconstitutional. Additionally, Martin Luther King Jr. spearheaded the civil rights movement and contributed to the advancement of African American rights, but he committed the error of sexually assaulting women due to his severe sex addiction. During this period, McDonald’s and Disneyland—which have become symbols of America today—were born. McDonald’s is a fast-food franchise that represents the United States and has grown into a massive multinational corporation. Disneyland opened as the world’s first theme park, providing a space where adults and children could enjoy themselves together. The British Empire, which once ruled the world, returned the Suez Canal to Egypt without conditions, causing it to fall from being the “Empire on which the sun never sets” to a small island nation.
Volume 9
Through World War I and World War II, the United States rose from a second-rate peripheral nation to become the world’s leading superpower. President John F. Kennedy became president in his early 40s, and First Lady Jacqueline was beloved by both the American people and the world. Although President Kennedy is still regarded as a great president among Americans today, it is true that his achievements during his tenure were not as significant as those of Vice President Johnson, who succeeded him after his assassination. However, he continues to be loved due to the image that has been established. Kennedy successfully navigated the Cuban Missile Crisis. President Kennedy was the subject of much controversy at the time due to a scandal involving Marilyn Monroe, a global sex symbol, and his reputation for womanizing. He was revealed to be a sex addict. On November 22, 1963, President Kennedy was assassinated by a man named Oswald. Although the assassin was executed, conspiracy theories continue to this day. President Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, became mired in the Vietnam War—a conflict that can be described as a disgrace in American history. On August 2, 1964, an incident occurred in the Gulf of Tonkin when North Vietnamese forces mistook a U.S. fleet for South Vietnamese ships. Using this incident as a pretext, the U.S. mobilized B-52 bombers to carry out airstrikes and deployed ground troops in February 1965, marking the beginning of the Vietnam War. At that time, President Park Chung-hee, who had seized power through a coup, desperately needed the support of the United States and Japan to solidify his regime. Amidst this situation, he paid a state visit to the United States, where he was warmly received, thereby establishing the legitimacy of the coup and securing safeguards for his regime. However, the Vietnam War evolved from a U.S. war into an international conflict, and South Korea’s participation became a foregone conclusion. After the war broke out, South Korea decided to dispatch troops to Vietnam in October 1964, and eventually combat units were deployed. The decision aligned with mutual interests, as the dispatch was in exchange for loans to enhance the South Korean military’s capabilities and support economic development. Through our participation in the Vietnam War, we acquired valuable foreign currency, laying the foundation for economic development. However, some critics denounce this money as having been obtained at the cost of blood. By the end of the Vietnam War, South Korea had lost over 5,000 soldiers, and tens of thousands were wounded. Japan accumulated massive amounts of foreign currency through the Korean War and the Vietnam War, rising to become the world’s second-largest economy without shedding a single drop of blood. At the time, economic prosperity and anti-war sentiment in the United States reached a peak. College students refused conscription, and anti-war demonstrations were rampant on college campuses. Artists used songs and films to expose the injustice and horrors of the war, trapping the U.S. government in a dilemma. Furthermore, the emergence of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X amid racial tensions opened new horizons for the African American civil rights movement and contributed to the advancement of human rights. On October 30, 1966, at the height of the Vietnam War, President Johnson visited South Korea and received a massive welcome. Although he had been in a bad mood after being criticized by Philippine President Marcos for U.S. intervention in the Vietnam War, the welcome in South Korea was like a timely rain after a long drought. It seems likely that this period was the “honeymoon phase” when relations between South Korea and the United States were at their best.
Volume 10
In 1968, as the Vietnam War was drawing to a close, Richard Nixon was inaugurated as the 37th President of the United States. Although Nixon achieved many accomplishments during his tenure, he also went down in history as the worst president, forced to resign before completing his term due to the Watergate scandal. During this period, humanity landed on the moon for the first time, and diplomatic relations were established with China. Even today, there are theories claiming the moon landing was faked, but these are nothing more than rumors. Nixon served as Vice President during the administration of President Eisenhower (Republican Party) and, in 1953, visited South Korea in his capacity as Vice President, presenting the gift of the Mutual Defense Treaty between South Korea and the United States. Eisenhower, taken aback by President Syngman Rhee’s release of anti-communist prisoners, sent Nixon to appease Rhee. After losing the election to Kennedy, Nixon visited South Korea in 1968, but President Park Chung-hee committed the discourtesy of refusing to meet with him, thereby sowing the seeds of future discord between South Korea and the United States. As soon as he was elected, Nixon reduced U.S. troops in Korea by 25,000 and announced the Nixon Doctrine. He declared that, except in cases where the United States was directly threatened, Asian nations must deal with their own internal rebellions or invasions on their own, and that the United States would no longer intervene. South Korea was the country most immediately affected by this development. In August 1969, President Park Chung-hee arranged to meet with Nixon at the White House for a summit. However, even after President Park arrived, Nixon continued chatting with a friend in his office, completely ignoring President Park. It is believed that this cold reception may have led President Park to consider acquiring nuclear weapons.
Finally, the United States concluded there was no longer any reason to suffer further casualties in the Vietnam War and withdrew through hypocritical negotiations with North Vietnam. South Korea also withdrew in 1975, and Vietnam became a forbidden land that vanished from our minds for a time. Nixon, who was re-elected in 1972, endured a painful period until he resigned in August 1974 due to the Watergate scandal. The Watergate scandal refers to Nixon’s wiretapping of the Democratic Party’s offices. Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward successfully uncovered the scandal, and eventually, Nixon faded into the annals of history. Gerald Ford, who became president after serving as vice president, visited South Korea in December of that year and strengthened the ROK-U.S. alliance. In 1975, as Vietnam fell to communism, Pol Pot seized power in neighboring Cambodia and massacred millions of people. This event was later made into a film, sparking global outrage. At the time, President Park Chung-hee sought to quell public sentiment against the Yushin system by constantly amplifying coverage of Vietnam’s fall and the Cambodian genocide through the media.
At that time, the global trend was moving toward putting the Cold War era behind and fostering a spirit of détente. While a thaw was underway as relations between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, as well as between the U.S. and China, improved, inter-Korean relations remained in a state of Cold War, and relations between the Soviet Union and China were also still in a state of Cold War.
Volume 11
In the 1976 presidential election, peanut farmer Jimmy Carter defeated Ford to become the 39th President of the United States. The Park Chung-hee regime found itself facing a U.S. president who was even more of a headache than Nixon. Breaking with previous diplomatic conventions, the Carter administration pursued a human rights-centered foreign policy based on the principle that “even pro-American nations would no longer be shielded if they were dictatorships.” Domestically, as the Yushin regime reached its peak, there were many forces challenging the system, and the regime showed no mercy. It was a period marked by a reign of terror that included not only human rights abuses but also kidnappings, detentions, torture, terrorism, and executions. Additionally, in the United States, a scandal known as the “Korea Gate” erupted when a lobbyist named Park Dong-sun was caught bribing U.S. lawmakers. Kim Hyung-wook, the former head of the Central Intelligence Agency, defected to the U.S. and testified before Congress about the Park Chung-hee regime’s most sensitive issues, further applying pressure through his memoirs. President Carter used the withdrawal of U.S. troops as a means of pressuring the Park Chung-hee regime. When Carter visited South Korea in June 1979, it had been agreed in advance that the withdrawal of U.S. troops would not be raised as a topic of discussion; however, President Park Chung-hee brought up this issue first, and relations with the United States were heading toward their worst point. When Carter raised the issue of U.S. troop withdrawal, the Park Chung-hee regime touted the banner of “self-reliant national defense” while secretly pursuing nuclear development. However, the CIA had caught wind of all these activities. In Iran, the pro-American Pahlavi dynasty collapsed, and Ayatollah Khomeini, a Muslim cleric, came to power. When the U.S. refused to extradite the Pahlavi, who had sought asylum in the U.S., Iran took about 70 U.S. embassy staff members hostage in November 1979, eventually releasing them 444 days later. Domestically, President Park Chung-hee was assassinated, and Carter’s human rights diplomacy backfired, leading to his defeat in the next presidential election. Ronald Reagan (the 40th President), a former third-rate Hollywood actor, was elected. Reagan, championing the slogan “Building a Strong America,” pursued a policy of embracing even dictators as long as they were pro-American, in an effort to restore the national pride lost during the Carter era. Reagan was sympathetic to the Chun Doo-hwan regime, which had come to power through the Gwangju Massacre and a coup d’état. He permitted Kim Dae-jung to visit the U.S. on the condition that his death sentence be commuted to life imprisonment. Meanwhile, domestically, the U.S. stood idly by as the long-awaited “Spring of Seoul” unfolded, leading to the December 12 Incident and the Gwangju Massacre. Since the U.S. held wartime operational control at the time, the military could not be deployed without the permission of the commander of the U.S. Eighth Army. Consequently, led by university students, protests erupted condemning the U.S. for supporting the dictatorial regime, with anti-American sentiments escalating to the point where the U.S. Cultural Center was occupied. Meanwhile, during the Reagan era, the U.S. was gradually regaining its status as a superpower. By pressuring the Soviet Union and engaging with China, it played a pivotal role in triggering the Soviet Union’s self-collapse. Reagan was a master of image politics, captivating the public with his sharp wit and humor. During his presidency, he pursued “Star Wars” and “Reaganomics.” “Star Wars” refers to the deployment of nuclear-tipped missiles in the UK, Germany, and other locations in 1983 to pressure the Soviet Union and thwart its hegemony. Although this drove U.S.-Soviet relations to their lowest point, it ultimately led to the collapse of the Soviet Union. The core of Reaganomics consisted of policies to reduce government spending, deregulate, cut taxes, and increase domestic spending, which ultimately resulted in massive fiscal deficits. However, Reagan remains highly popular today, consistently ranking among the top U.S. presidents in public opinion polls.
Volumes 12 and 13
The 1984 Los Angeles Olympics were held. However, the Games were effectively halved due to the boycott by the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc nations. In protest of the Soviet Union’s 1979 invasion of Afghanistan, Western nations led by the United States boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics en masse. South Korea emerged as a sporting powerhouse through the Los Angeles Olympics. During this period, the movie ‘Rambo’, starring Sylvester Stallone, was a massive hit. Rambo, a Vietnam War veteran who struggled to readjust to society after returning home, was subjected to unfair treatment during a routine police stop. He then used an M60 machine gun to take down the authorities in this action film, which spawned sequels and sparked the “Rambo phenomenon.” Meanwhile, in the music industry, fans went wild over the appearance of Italian-American singer Madonna, captivated by her sexy dance moves and poses. With bold lyrics and choreography on the themes of “love and sex”—unseen before—she swept all men off their feet. In the 1988 presidential election, George H.W. Bush was elected as the 41st President. During his term, he punished Iraq for its invasion of Kuwait through Operation Desert Storm. This is known as the Gulf War.
Putting the two previous “half-Olympics” behind them, the “Seoul Olympics,” in which many countries from around the world participated, were grandly held in 1988.
In November 1989, the Berlin Wall fell, and in June 1990, the Soviet Union finally dissolved. This marked a victory for capitalist nations and signaled that there was no longer any country on Earth capable of rivaling the United States, thereby solidifying the unipolar world order.
In April 1992, a Black man named Rodney King was brutally beaten by white police officers during a traffic stop after driving his car at excessive speed. After seeing the video footage, Black protesters staged massive demonstrations, which escalated when the crowd surged into Koreatown, causing extensive damage through looting and arson. Of the total damage amounting to $750 million, Koreatown bore 40% of the losses. This incident was further inflamed by the media’s irresponsibility in distorting the facts to frame it as a conflict between Koreans and African Americans, as well as the lukewarm response from U.S. law enforcement. However, the unrest had already spread significantly due to the incitement of a small minority of African Americans harboring latent grievances, fueled by the Korean community’s past behavior of neglecting their primary customer base—African Americans. Subsequently, the Korean-American community made efforts to heal the rift by organizing “reconciliation events” with Black customers. This incident laid bare the internal contradictions of racial discrimination and law enforcement failures in the United States. In the 1992 presidential election, George H.W. Bush failed to win re-election, and Democrat Bill Clinton was elected as the 42nd President. Having grown up in difficult circumstances, he achieved the American Dream, but his good looks led to numerous sex scandals that pushed him to the brink of impeachment during his eight-year term. He was a sex addict, and the successive revelations from the women he had relationships with even gave rise to the neologism “Zippergate.” Fortunately, he managed to survive by the skin of his teeth and complete his presidential term. In the early days of the Clinton administration, North Korea’s Kim Il-sung regime was developing nuclear weapons in a desperate struggle for survival. However, the United States and South Korea viewed the North Korean nuclear issue as a major threat. Simulation results from “War Game” indicated that bombing North Korea’s nuclear facilities would result in millions of deaths. South Korea’s Kim Young-sam administration also issued a statement strongly opposing the bombing of North Korea. Ultimately, former President Jimmy Carter was dispatched as a special envoy to North Korea. Through talks with Kim Il-sung, he agreed to build a light-water reactor and announced that North Korea would halt its nuclear development. However, this was a deceptive ploy, and today North Korea possesses not only nuclear weapons but also intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
