Discussion-activity: Landmark meeting with North Korea

October 23, 2000
Web posted at: 5:05 PM EDT (2105 GMT)

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CNNfyi article, "Albright holds historic talks in North Korea"

1. What happened in Pyongyang, North Korea? Why was the meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il significant? Why do you think this is the first time a U.S. secretary of state has visited North Korea? What are some issues that Albright plans to discuss with Kim?

2. What is communism? What are some differences between a communist government and a democratic government? In which type of government would you prefer to live? Explain your answer.

3. Why do U.S. officials believe North Korea is interested in reconciliation? Why do you think that the United States is uneasy about having talks with countries that may sponsor terrorism? What would be some advantages for North Koreans if the sanctions were lifted?

4. Divide the class into two groups. One group will represent the United States and the other will represent North Korea. Give students 20 minutes to research political structures of each government. Have each group select five students to represent their country at peace talks to bring about a partnership between the United States and North Korea. Direct students to simulate a dialogue between officials from these countries.

U.S. State Department
Korean Central News Agency
Korean Information Service
South Korean government
North Korean government
UniKorea
European Union

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