Reading the invisible flow of the world as a ‘line’!
Geopolitics, first encountered through the world's straits, canals, tunnels, and mountain ranges

My life is inevitably influenced by the movements of the world, and these currents are so rapidly changing and tangled that they are difficult to understand at a glance.
One effective way to overcome this barrier is geopolitics, which interprets changes in global politics and economy through the lens of geography.

The book focuses on the world's straits, canals, tunnels, and mountain ranges, helping young people develop a perspective on the world from a geopolitical perspective.
These twelve locations are shaped like lines, representing 'boundaries between regions with different characteristics.'
Authors who teach geography in schools tell us why certain things happen in certain places and what might happen in the future.
It carefully describes not only the geographical features of each place, but also how that place is connected to other areas.
To make reading stories about unfamiliar regions more enjoyable, we have included over 90 images, including maps, diagrams, and photographs.
The 'Stories Beyond the Line' corner introduced interesting episodes or explained complex geographic concepts.

After crossing all twelve borders in the book, you will gain a three-dimensional view of the world's politics, economy, culture, and history connected to these places.
You will also be able to easily understand the regions and concepts taught in middle school social studies, high school integrated social studies, world citizenship and geography, and Korean geography exploration classes.

Oil-producing countries in the Persian Gulf would inevitably suffer huge economic losses if Iran blocks the Strait of Hormuz.
Accordingly, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are building and operating pipelines that bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
…if the sea route from the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean had not been as narrow as the Strait of Hormuz, conflicts between countries over crude oil transport would not have been so great.
The Strait of Hormuz illustrates how geography can influence relations between nations.
For Iran, the narrow Strait of Hormuz, a natural barrier, will feel like a gift from God.

However, unlike in the past when it was thought that no one could resist because God had created it, today there are active efforts to overcome this situation.
Relations between nations are not absolutely determined by nature, as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have done with their pipelines bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.
You can overcome nature and create new relationships.
--- pp.58-59

The United States invested enormous amounts of capital and labor, dreaming that if it could build the Panama Canal, it would be able to control the flow of global logistics.
Panama's interior is higher than sea level, so it was necessary to build a lock canal (a canal that controls the water level by blocking or releasing water through locks).
It was a task that was difficult to even imagine, like water flowing up a mountain.
But the United States persisted until the end and eventually completed the Panama Canal in 1914.


…the Panama Canal paid for itself as soon as it opened.
Not only did it contribute to the growth of the United States as a logistics hub, but during World War II, the Panama Canal allowed U.S. naval fleets active in the European theater to quickly cross into the Pacific.
So, it was possible to fight in two oceans, the Pacific and the Atlantic, without having to divide military forces significantly.
Even during the Cold War that followed, the power of the U.S. Navy, which could freely navigate the two largest oceans in the world, posed a significant threat to the Soviet Union.

--- pp.99-102

The period when Hokkaido's geopolitical value was actively studied was when Japan, harboring imperialistic ambitions, was attempting to advance into the continent.
There was a plan to build a so-called 10,000 km railway.
Japan dreamed of building an undersea tunnel to connect Honshu and Hokkaido, then connecting Hokkaido with Sakhalin and further to Russia, and then connecting to Europe via the Trans-Siberian Railway.
There was also a plan to connect Busan to the railway through the seabed and use it to connect to Southeast Asia and India via China.

In this way, Japan sought to become a global logistics hub, connecting the Eurasian continent through railways and America through Pacific ports.
The first step in that plan was an undersea tunnel connecting Hokkaido and Honshu.
In other words, the idea of ​​crossing the sea boundary through the Seikan Tunnel existed even before the tunnel was built.

--- p.123

As Nepal and China grow closer, India is trying to reestablish friendly relations with Nepal.
In 2016, India provided a $750 million loan (approximately 844 billion won) to Nepal to help rebuild after the earthquake.
In addition, the two countries promised economic cooperation by discussing projects such as improving border highways and exchanging electricity.

But China did not back down from its relationship with Nepal.
In 2019, China granted Nepal the right to use its ports, roads, and railways for trade purposes.
Due to its geographical characteristics, Nepal was blocked from advancing north by the Himalayas, and even when dealing with India or third countries, it had to go through India.
But China's move has opened up opportunities for Nepal to reduce its trade dependence on India and reach out to the world beyond the Himalayas.

China and India are competing to provide benefits to Nepal in their quest for hegemony in South Asia.
An opportunity arose for Nepal, which had been isolated due to its unique geographical location in the Himalayas.
It will be interesting to see how Nepal will leverage India and China to advance into the world in the future.

--- p.159