S3: What factors made Korea vulnerable and appealing for military occupation? What geopolitical factors in the 20th century led Korea’s invasion and occupation in June 1950?
The natural resources of Manchuria and the ease of access to Manchuria from the Korean peninsula makes Korea vulnerable and appealing for military occupation. These factors in conjunction with the expansion of the communist and the democratic parties greatly contributed to the invasion and occupation of Korea in June 1950.

This was compounded by the United State’s State Department not anticipating the ROK to enter another conflict and preventing the ROK from growing their military. Therefore the ROK was dependent on the US for a large portion of their military strength.