Topic: Briefly discuss a current global issue, indicating why you consider it important and what you suggest should be done to deal with it.
"I think they realize they can't expect anything from Washington or Seoul for several months, so I think they made the provocation." ~ Choi Jin-wook, researcher at the Korea Institute of National Unification
On November 23, North Korea fired artillery toward the Yeonpyeong Island, the border between North and South Korea. This declaration aroused global attention, especially from the Chinese, American, Japanese and Taiwanese governments. The reason for this military action remains unknown, but the whole world understands that with one mistaken strategy, the world-wide consequences-the possibility of a nuclear war-would be unbearable. So, why start this military action? Did North Korea gain any political advantages? Or did the North Korean government, by
any chance, make a mistake that would soon backfire?
From my observations, there is one main possibility for this series of actions: to consolidate both domestic and international power. North Korea is a highly dictatorial nation. Its location and climate pattern only made it more vulnerable to food shortages and more dependent on international aid, especially from China. Imagine 90% of your country's energy and about 40% of food aid coming from another nation. This is how correlated China and North Korea currently are. Having experienced food and energy shortages in recent years and sensing isolation from many nations, especially their close advocate, China, North Korea is unwillingly facing a series of transition both internally and externally while domestic tension is on the rise. Internationally, North Korea wishes to convey a message through military strength that, yes, they are still powerful. And maybe through international negotiations, North Korea will gain the attention and aid it ultimately and desperately needs. Domestically, North Korea's government, under the ailment of the reclusive leader, Kim Jong Il, and the country's fear of China's isolation, decided that this military display would be the best placebo to assure the nation's rising anxiety, which in some ways worked perfectly in regards to their citizens' reignited confidence in their country and inscrutable patriotism.
Indeed, North Korea attained the attention it needed. However, how is the global community reacting to this behavior? In many ways China is even more isolated from the North Korean government: from the recent Wikileaks reports, the Chinese government is "ready to abandon North Korea." And many nations' recent threats to boycott Korea's supplies have only aggravated tension in the Asian region.
However, some countries refuse to condemn North Korea's recent violation. They are concerned that a possible outbreak of war in the Korean peninsula would result in the collapse of the global economy, which, under the current circumstances, cannot afford another breakdown. Of course, there is the obvious concern about North Korea's nuclear weaponry that could initiate a feared World War III. Before a negotiation takes place, many countries have to face numerous unresolved issues. For example, the delicate balance in relations between Taiwan, China and the US is something still highly controversial and debated. However, refusal to take action will only result in a lose-lose situation.
The influence this incident brings could be momentous, especially in East Asia. Take my own country, Taiwan, for instance: during the Second World War, the Taiwan Strait was one of the most important military bases, and the region remains strategically important. Taiwan, because of its political position and status, would without doubt be pulled into this political turmoil. The Chinese government will likely become the strongest nation in the world, due to its power to control amid this situation. On a wider international scale, the global economy would fluctuate and innocent citizens around the world would be injured or killed.
Occasions like this demonstrate how this region is in urgent need of effective diplomacy and wise leadership. Negotiations and compromises will have to be made from an objective point of view. Apathy toward this issue leads to tolerance, which is why China should be the first to apply pressure to both North and South Korea, especially North Korea due to their similar political standpoints. The members of the six-party talks need to reach a conclusion quickly in order to bring stability to the Asian region. North Korean citizens should be provided with necessary food supplies so that famines like the one which took place in the 1990s will never occur again.
Although applying pressure is definitely one solution, all governments should be cautious of the possible tension. If the governments are feeling the need to respond in some way, while other great powers in the world watch anxiously, only wanting to gain and not sacrifice, then the negotiations between nations spiral out of control before we know it.
Hello :)
This is my first time posting
I hope this essay is not too boring
(I know how many applicants would choose this issue so I am a bit worried)
I am working on a second prompt at this point
it's about the IMF and World Bank and how they failed their promises
I will post it up when I am finished
Thank you guys for your help
I really appresciate it!
I live in South Korea. So your essay interested me among other SFS essays.
I believe you have a good understanding of the current situation of North Korea, but there are some ideas that are being over-generalized in your essay. Also, some of them are not well-developed. Everything you say in your essay should be proven and explained.
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On November 23, North Korea fired artillery toward the Yeonpyeong Island, the border between North and South Korea. This declaration aroused global attention(what attention? did these government give any initiatives? , especially from the Chinese, American, Japanese and Taiwanese governments. The reason for this military action remains unknown, but the whole world understands (generalized idea) that with one mistaken strategy, the world-wide consequences-the possibility of a nuclear war-would be unbearable. So, why start this military action? Did North Korea gain any political advantages? Or did the North Korean government, by
any chance, make a mistake that would soon backfire? asking these types of questions, rather than making the readers curious, makes them irritated (especially the readers are admission officers who have to read tons of essays) So bring out your argument first.
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There are a lot more undeveloped ideas in the body, but I skipped them(I have to write my own SFS essay) you can seek for yourself if you keep asking yourself whether the sentences you wrote are from thorough research and thingking process or from arbitrary conception to fill out the space of your essay.
And your conclusion:
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The influence this incident brings could be momentous, especially in East Asia. Take my own country, Taiwan, for instance: during the Second World War, the Taiwan Strait was one of the most important military bases, and the region remains strategically important. Taiwan, because of its political position and status, would without doubt be pulled into this political turmoil (what does Taiwan being strategically important have to do with North Korea's recent attack? I do not understand. You need to explain the relationship . The Chinese government will likely become the strongest nation in the world, (how do you know this?) due to its power to control amid this situation. On a wider international scale, the global economy would fluctuate and innocent citizens around the world would be injured or killed.(this sentence is neither proven nor explained)
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Good luck with your application.
Hey, I just wanted to tell you this is not boring at all, and you should be confident about it. It seems so perfect for the prompt! And you really have the right idea, because you showed that you have a lot of knowledge about this.
The only way I know to make it stronger is to make a connection with your chosen career field.
But... seriously, even if you are correct when you say many other students will choose this issue... I think your essay will stand out among them. Great job!
