North Korea has always been a topic Americans enjoy talking about, but as much as Americans like to talk about issues that interest them, think about Westminster’s own South Korean exchange students and how much this issue means to them.

“Personally, I’m kind of scared, we don’t really know how another war with North Korea is going to go, there has always been an immediate threat but as tensions rise I’m starting to get worried,” said Dongbin Lee, sophomore.

This immediate threat is primarily why South Korea has a mandatory military.

“They just need money, North Korea is known to have a really bad economy. A barking dog never bites, they are making threats with no actual commitment behind them. There will not be a war, they know that if they start trouble it is the end for them,” said Sang Hyuk Park, Sophomore.

Westminster students learn about North Korea as an immediate threat, for South Koreans it is completely different.

“When you are living in South Korea you don’t really think of North Korea as an immediate threat, you don’t really think about them until something happens,” said Peter Kim, Junior. It mildly resembles America’s relationship with terrorists, you don’t think about them until they attack.

”I definitely fear for my family back home. One time my mom sent me an e-mail full of the contacts of my cousins and uncles and aunts so I could call them if anything happened. It really shocked me into seeing the reality of the situation,” said Lee. Many of the South Korean Westminster students feel the same way.

“This crisis definitely makes me more worried about my family, I don’t want them getting hurt,” said Kim. Most South Korean Westminster students maintain frequent communication with their families.

“I am sort of worried, but not entirely. My brother is going into military service this summer so that worries me. That aside, I communicate with my family a lot and they always reassure me not to worry. I have lived in South Korea sixteen years, and during that time North Korea has always made threats like this, it happens a lot,” said Park. America is currently working towards sanctioning North Korea even further. America’s stance and progress on maintaining peace between these two countries is marked with mixed opinions amongst Americans and South Koreans alike.

“I think America is handling the Issue really well. I love that this country is our ally. This comes as a reassurance to me that if anything does happen, it will end quickly,” said Lee. America has not always handled this issue with as much urgency as they have done before.

“I think America is handling this issue much better than they have before,” said Kim. Amongst the issues caused by North Korea, Kim Jong Un seems to always be at the forefront. “He is like a dog, always being led around by others. It seems he can not even make his own decisions,” says Park. American students tend to treat this issue in a different light rather than how South Korean students are taught about this issue.

“This issue is not necessarily America’s problem, in this way American students are ignorant towards the very real threats that face our country,” said Lee.