The Korean peninsula, first divided along the 38th parallel, later along the demarcation line

The division of Korea into North Korea and South Korea stems from the 1945 Allied victory in World War II, ending Japan's 35-year occupation of Korea. Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis powers during the Second World War. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Korea under Japanese rule refers to the period between 1910 and 1945 when Korea was forcibly annexed by the Japanese Empire. In a proposal opposed by nearly all Koreans, the United States and the Soviet Union agreed to temporarily occupy the country as a trusteeship with the zone of control demarcated along the 38th Parallel. The Korean people are an East Asian Ethnic group. Most Koreans speak the Korean language. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 In Common law legal systems a trust is an arrangement whereby Property (including real tangible and intangible is managed by one person (or persons or organizations The 38th parallel north is a Circle of latitude that is 38 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. The purpose of this trusteeship was to establish a Korean provisional government which would become "free and independent in due course. "[1] Though elections were scheduled, the two superpowers backed different leaders and two states were effectively established, each of which claimed sovereignty over the whole Korean peninsula.

The Korean War (1950-1953) left the two Koreas separated by the DMZ, remaining technically at war through the Cold War to the present day. The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the The Korean Demilitarized Zone ( Korean: 한반도의 군사 분계선 is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a Buffer Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the North Korea is a communist state, often described as Stalinist and isolationist. Communist state is a term used by many Political scientists to describe a Form of government in which the State operates under a one-party system Stalinism is the political regime named after Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union from 1929–1953 Isolationism is a Foreign policy which combines a non-interventionist military policy and a political policy of Economic nationalism ( Protectionism Its economy initially enjoyed a substantial growth but, unlike its neighbour the People's Republic of China's, collapsed in the 1990s. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES South Korea eventually became a capitalist liberal democracy and one of the largest economies in the world. Capitalism is the Economic system in which the Means of production are owned by private Persons and operated for Profit and where The term "liberal" in "liberal democracy" does not imply that the government of such a democracy must follow the political ideology of There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation

Since the 1990s, with progressively liberal South Korean administrations, as well as the death of North Korean founder Kim Il-sung, the two sides have taken small, symbolic steps towards a possible Korean reunification. Kim Il-sung ( 15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was the leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from its founding in early Korean reunification is a possible future Reunification of North Korea and South Korea under a single government ^[1]

History of Korea
Prehistory  Jeulmun period  Mumun period Gojoseon 2333-108 BC  Jin state Proto-Three Kingdoms: 108-57 BC  Buyeo, Okjeo, Dongye  Samhan: Ma, Byeon, Jin Three Kingdoms: 57 BC - 668 AD  Goguryeo 37 BC - 668 AD   Sui wars  Baekje 18 BC - 660 AD  Silla 57 BC - 935 AD  Gaya 42-562 North-South States: 698-935  Unified Silla 668-935  Balhae 698-926 Later Three Kingdoms 892-935 Goryeo 918-1392  Khitan wars  Mongol invasions Joseon 1392-1897  Japanese invasions 1592-1598  Manchu invasions Korean Empire 1897–1910 Japanese rule 1910–1945  Provisional Gov't 1919-1948 Division of Korea 1945–1948 North, South Korea 1948–present  Korean War 1950–1953
List of monarchs Timeline Military history Naval history Science and technology in Korea
Korea Portal This box: view • talk • edit

Historical background

Korea under Japanese Rule (1910-1945)

Main article: Korea under Japanese rule

As Russo-Japanese War ended in 1905, Korea became a nominal protectorate, and in 1910 it was annexed by Japan. The history of Korea stretches from Lower Paleolithic times to the present Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. This article is about the prehistory of the Korean Peninsula, from circa 500000 BCE through 300 BCE The Jeulmun Pottery Period is an archaeological era in Korean prehistory that dates to approximately 8000-1500 B The Mumun pottery period is an Archaeological era in Korean prehistory that dates to approximately 1500-300 BC Gojoseon was an ancient Korean kingdom considered the first proper nation of the Korean people. Jin state was an early Iron Age state which occupied some portion of the southern Korean peninsula during the 2nd and 3rd centuries BCE bordering the Korean Proto-Three Kingdoms of Korea refers to the period after the fall of Gojoseon and before the maturation of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla into Buyeo, Puyŏ, or Fuyu was an ancient Korean kingdom located from today's Manchuria to northern North Korea, from around the 2nd Okjeo was a small tribal state which arose in the northern Korean peninsula from perhaps 2nd century BCE to 5th century CE Dongye was a state which occupied portions of the northeastern Korean peninsula from roughly 150 BCE to around 400 CE Samhan refers to the ancient confederacies of Mahan, Jinhan, and Byeonhan in central and southern Korean peninsula Mahan was a loose confederacy of statelets that existed from around the 100BCE-300CE in the southern Korean peninsula in the Chungcheong Byeonhan, also known as Byeonjin, was a loose confederacy of chiefdoms that existed from around the beginning of the Common Era to the 4th century in the Jinhan was a loose confederacy of chiefdoms that existed from around the 1st century BC to the 4th century CE in the southern Korean peninsula, to the east of the Nakdong The Three Kingdoms of Korea ( refer to the ancient Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula Goguryeo or Koguryo was an ancient Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean peninsula, southern Manchuria, and Baekje (18 BCE – 660 CE or Paekche, was a kingdom located in southwest Korea Silla (57 BC – 935 AD was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Gaya was a confederacy of territorial polities in the Nakdong River basin of southern Korea, growing out of the Byeonhan confederacy of the Samhan North South States Period ( 698 CE - 936 CE refers to the period in Korean history when Silla and Balhae Unified Silla ( 668 CE - 935 CE or Later Silla is the name often applied to the kingdom of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Alternate meaning Bohai Sea Balhae (698 - 926 ( Bohai in Chinese, Пархэ in Russian) was an The Later Three Kingdoms of Korea (892 - 936 consisted of Silla, Hubaekje ("Later Baekje " and Taebong (also known as Hugoguryeo The Goryeo Dynasty ( 918 - 1392) (also spelled Koryŏ was a Sovereign state established in 918 by Taejo Wang Kon. The Mongol invasions of Korea (1231 - 1273 consisted of a series of campaigns by the Mongol Empire against Korea, then known as Goryeo, from 1231 to 1259 Two Japanese invasions of Korea and subsequent battles on the Korean peninsula took place during the years 1592-1598 The First Manchu invasion of Korea occurred in 1627 when Hong Taiji led the Manchu army against Korea 's Joseon dynasty. The Korean Empire was a former small empire of Korea that lasted from the Gwangmu Restoration of 1897 until Japan 's annexation of Korea in 1910 Korea under Japanese rule refers to the period between 1910 and 1945 when Korea was forcibly annexed by the Japanese Empire. The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea was a Government in exile based in Shanghai, China and later in Chongqing, during the For the history of Korea before its division, see History of Korea. For the history of the Korea before its division, see History of Korea. The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the The Korean Dynasties are listed in the order of their fall This list includes the monarchs' romanized posthumous or Temple names and reign dates This is a Timeline of the History of Korea. Some dates prior to the 6th century CE are speculative or approximate Korea ' s military history spans back thousands of years beginning with the kingdom of Gojoseon and its repulsions of ancient China The naval history of Korea dates back to the Three Kingdoms of Korea period when simple fishing ships were used Like most other regions in the world science and technology in Korea has experienced periods of intense growth as well as long periods of stagnation Korea under Japanese rule refers to the period between 1910 and 1945 when Korea was forcibly annexed by the Japanese Empire. The Russo-Japanese War (日露戦争 Romaji: Nichi-Ro Sensō Русско-японская война Russko-Yaponskaya Voyna;, 10 February 1904 – 5 September Year 1905 ( MCMV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting In International law, a protectorate is a autonomous territory that is "protected" by a stronger state or entity hense the protector which engages to protect

End of World War II (1939–1945)

Main article: World War II

In November 1943, Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Chiang Kai-shek met at the Cairo Conference to discuss what should happen to Japan's colonies, and agreed that Japan should lose all the territories it had conquered by force because of the dangers of resurgence. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 Chiang Kai-shek ( POJ: Chiúⁿ Kài-se̍k Jyutping: zoeng2gaai3sek6 GCB ( October 31, 1887 &ndash The Cairo Conference (codenamed "SEXTANT" of November 22 - 26 November 1943 held in Cairo, Egypt, addressed the Allied For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. In the declaration after this conference, Korea was mentioned for the first time. Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. The three powers declared that "mindful of the enslavement of the people of Korea [we] are determined that in due course Korea shall become free and independent” (Cairo Conference). For some Korean nationalists who wanted immediate independence, the phrase "in due course" was cause for dismay. Roosevelt may have proposed to Stalin that 3 or 4 years elapse before full Korean independence; Stalin demurred, saying that a shorter period of time would be desirable. In any case, discussion of Korea among the Allies would not resume until victory over Japan was nearly imminent.

With the war's end in sight in August 1945, there was still no consensus on Korea's fate among Allied leaders. Many Koreans on the peninsula had made their own plans for the future of Korea, and few of these plans included the re-occupation of Korea by foreign forces. Following the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945, Soviet leaders invaded Manchuria, as per Joseph Stalin's agreement with Harry Truman during the Potsdam conference. The Japanese city of ( is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshū, the largest of Japan 's Events 1538 - Bogotá, Colombia, is founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Joseph Stalin ( ნამდვილი გვარი ჯუღაშვილი|Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili; March 5 1953 was General Secretary of the Communist Party Also see Potsdam New York (in the USA For the Potsdam Conference see Potsdam Conference. ^[2] However, the American leaders worried that the whole peninsula might be occupied by the Soviet Union, and feared this might lead to a Soviet occupation of Japan. Later events showed these fears to be unfounded. The Soviet forces arrived in Korea before the American forces, but they occupied only the northern part of the peninsula, halting their advance at the 38th parallel, which was in keeping with their agreement with the United States. On August 10, 1945 two young officers – Dean Rusk and Charles Bonesteel – were assigned the task of creating an American occupation zone. Events 612 BC - Killing of Sinsharishkun, King of Assyrian Empire Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar David Dean Rusk ( February 9, 1909 &ndash December 20, 1994) was the United States Secretary of State from 1961 to 1969 under presidents General Charles Hartwell Bonesteel III ( New York City September 26, 1909 - Alexandria Virginia October 13, 1977) was an Working at extremely short notice and completely unprepared for the task, they used a National Geographic map to decide on the 38th parallel; they chose it because it divided the country approximately in half but would leave the capital Seoul under American control. Overview The NGS's historical mission is "to increase and diffuse geographic knowledge while promoting the conservation of the world's cultural historical and natural Seoul ( soʊl is the Capital and largest City of South Korea. No experts on Korea were consulted and the two men were unaware that forty years previous, Japan and Russia had discussed sharing Korea along the same parallel; Rusk later said that had he known, he "almost surely" would have chosen a different line. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending ^[3] Regardless, the decision was hastily written into General Order Number One for the administration of postwar Japan.

As a colony of Japan, the Korean people were systematically excluded from important posts in the administration of Korea. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. The general Abe Nobuyuki, the last Japanese Governor-General of Korea, was in contact with a number of influential Koreans since the beginning of August 1945 to prepare the hand-over of power. was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, Governor-General of Korea, and 36th Prime Minister of Japan from 30 August 1939 to 16 The post of Governors-General of Korea ( Korean: 조선총독부 Hanja: 朝鮮總督府 Japanese: 朝鮮総督府 served as the On August 15, 1945, Lyuh Woon-Hyung, a moderate left-wing politician, agreed to take over. Events 778 - The Battle of Roncevaux Pass, at which Roland is killed Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Yuh Woon-Hyung ( May 26 1886 – July 19 1947) was a Korean politician who argued that Korean independence was essential to world peace He was in charge of preparing the creation of a new country and worked hard to build governmental structures. On September 6, 1945, a congress of representatives was convened in Seoul. Events 3114 BC - According to the Proleptic Julian calendar the current era in the Maya Long Count Calendar started Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar The foundation of a modern Korean state took place just three weeks after Japan's capitulation. The government was predominantly left wing, caused in part by the many resistance fighters who agreed with many of communism's views on imperialism and colonialism.

After World War II

In the South

Main article: United States Army Military Government in Korea

On September 7, 1945, General MacArthur announced that Lieutenant General John R. Hodge was to administer Korean affairs, and Hodge landed in Incheon with his troops the next day. The United States Army Military Government in Korea, also known as USAMGIK, was the official ruling body of the southern half of the Korean Peninsula from Events 1251 BC - A Solar eclipse on this date might mark the birth of legendary Heracles at Thebes Greece. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar General MacArthur redirects here for other meanings see General MacArthur (disambiguation. John Reed Hodge ( June 12, 1893 - November 12, 1963) was a military officer of the United States Army, not to be confused with U Incheon is a metropolitan city and a major seaport on the west coast of South Korea, near Seoul. The "Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea" sent a delegation with three interpreters, but he refused to meet with them. The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea was a Government in exile based in Shanghai, China and later in Chongqing, during the

With their focus overwhelmingly being on Japan, the American military authorities paid much less attention to Korea and soldiers generally did not want to be assigned there. While Japan was put under the administration of civilians, Korea was placed under the direct administration of military units. Little changed in the administration of the country; officials then serving under the Japanese authorities remained in their positions. The Japanese governor was not dismissed until the middle of September and many Japanese officials stayed in office until 1946. Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. These decisions angered most Koreans since these same Japanese had helped exploit Koreans. Adding to this anger was the American military's choice to give many governmental positions to Koreans who were perceived to have betrayed their country by collaborating with the Japanese rulers.

The US occupation authorities in southern Korea viewed many indigenous attempts at government as a communist insurgency and refused to recognize the "Provisional Government". However, an anti-communist named Syngman Rhee, who moved back to Korea after decades of exile in the US, was considered an acceptable candidate to provisionally lead the country since he was considered friendly to the US. Syngman Rhee or Yi Seungman ( March 26, 1875 – July 19, 1965) was the first president of South Korea. Under Rhee, the southern government conducted a number of military campaigns against left-wing insurgents who took up arms against the government and persecuted other political opponents. Over the course of the next few years, over between 30,000 ^[4] and 100,000 people would lose their lives during the war against the left-wing insurgents. ^[5] In August 1948, Syngman Rhee became the first president of South Korea, and U. South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː S. forces left the peninsula.

In the North

In August 1945 the Soviet Army established the Soviet Civil Authority to rule the country until a domestic regime, friendly to the USSR, could be established. Provisional committees were set up across the country putting Communists into key positions. In March 1946 land reform was instituted as the land from Japanese and collaborator land owners was divided and handed over to poor farmers. Kim Il-sung initiated a sweeping land reform program in 1946. Kim Il-sung ( 15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was the leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from its founding in early Organizing the many poor civilians and agricultural laborers under the people's committees a nationwide mass campaign broke the control of the old landed classes. Landlords were allowed to keep only the same amount of land as poor civilians who had once rented their land, thereby making for a far more equal distribution of land. The North Korean land reform was achieved in a less violent way than that of China or Vietnam. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially Official American sources stated, "From all accounts, the former village leaders were eliminated as a political force without resort to bloodshed, but extreme care was take to preclude their return to power. "^[6] This was very popular with the farmers, but caused many collaborators and former landowners to flee to the south where some of them obtained positions in the new South Korean government. According to the U. S. military government, 400,000 northern Koreans went south as refugees. ^[7]

Key industries were nationalized. The economic situation was nearly as difficult in the north as it was in the south, as the Japanese had concentrated agriculture in the south and heavy industry in the north.

In February 1946 a provisional government called the North Korean Provisional People's Committee was formed under Kim Il-sung, who had spent the last years of the war training with Soviet troops in Manchuria. A provisional government is an emergency or interim government set up when a political void has been created by the collapse of a previous administration or regime Kim Il-sung ( 15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was the leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from its founding in early Manchuria ( Romanized Manchu: Manju,, Маньчжурия Mongolian: Манж is a historical name given to a vast geographic region in northeast Conflicts and power struggles rose up at the top levels of government in Pyongyang as different aspirants maneuvered to gain positions of power in the new government. At the local levels, people's committees openly attacked collaborators and some landlords, confiscating much of their land and possessions. As a consequence many collaborators and others disappeared or were assassinated. It was out in the provinces and by working with these same people's committees that the eventual leader of North Korea, Kim Il-sung, was able to build a grassroots support system that would lift him to power over his political rivals who had stayed in Pyongyang. Kim Il-sung ( 15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was the leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from its founding in early Soviet forces departed in 1948.

Establishment of two Koreas

With mistrust growing rapidly between the formerly allied United States and Soviet Union, no agreement was reached on how to reconcile the competing provisional governments. The U. S. brought the problem before the United Nations in the fall of 1947. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The USSR opposed UN involvement.

The UN passed a resolution on November 14, 1947, declaring that free elections should be held, foreign troops should be withdrawn, and a UN commission for Korea should be created. Events 1533 - Conquistadors from Spain under the leadership of Francisco Pizarro arrive in Cajamarca, Inca Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Soviet Union, although a member with veto powers, boycotted the voting and did not consider the resolution to be binding. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991

In April 1948, a conference of organizations from the north and the south met in Pyongyang. Pyongyang (pʰjʌŋjaŋ is the Capital and largest City of North Korea, located on the Taedong River, at. This conference produced no results, and the Soviets boycotted the UN-supervised elections in the south. There was no UN supervision of elections in the north. On May 10 the south held elections. Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Syngman Rhee, who had called for partial elections in the south to consolidate his power as early as 1947, was elected, though left-wing parties boycotted the election. Syngman Rhee or Yi Seungman ( March 26, 1875 – July 19, 1965) was the first president of South Korea. An election boycott is the Boycotting of an Election by a group of voters each of whom abstains from voting Widespread corruption was reported in the elections and the Republic of Korea began life without a great deal of legitimacy. On August 13, the Republic of Korea formally took over power from the U. Events 3114 BC - According to the Lounsbury correlation the start of the Maya calendar. S. military.

Korean War

Main article: Korean War

In the North, Democratic People's Republic of Korea was declared on September 9, with Kim Il-sung as prime minister. The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the This division of Korea, after more than a millennium of being unified, was seen as unacceptable and temporary by both regimes. From 1948 until the start of the civil war on June 25, 1950, the armed forces of each side engaged in a series of bloody conflicts along the border. In 1950, these conflicts escalated dramatically when North Korean forces attacked South Korea, triggering the Korean War and effectively making the division permanent. An armistice was signed ending hostilities and the two sides agreed to create a three-mile wide buffer zone between the states, where nobody would enter. This area came to be known as the Demilitarized Zone or DMZ.

After the Korean War (1953–present)

Main articles: Korean Demilitarized Zone and Korean reunification

North and South Korea have never signed a formal peace treaty and thus are still officially at war; only a ceasefire was declared. The Korean Demilitarized Zone ( Korean: 한반도의 군사 분계선 is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a Buffer Korean reunification is a possible future Reunification of North Korea and South Korea under a single government South Korea's government came to be dominated by its military and a relative peace was punctuated by border skirmishes and assassination attempts. The North failed in several assassination attempts on South Korean leaders, most notably in 1968, 1974 and 1983; tunnels were frequently found under the DMZ and war nearly broke out over the axe murder incident at Panmunjeom in 1976. The 1983 Rangoon bombing was an Assassination attempt against then- South Korean President, Chun Doo Hwan. The Axe Murder Incident (판문점 도끼 살인 사건 was the killing of two United States Army officers by North Korean soldiers on August 18, 1976 In 1973, extremely secret, high-level contacts began to be conducted through the guise of the Red Cross, but ended after the Panmunjeom incident with little progress having been made. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an International humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers worldwide who stated

In the late 1990s, with the South having transitioned to democracy, the success of the Nordpolitik policy, and power in the North having been taken up by Kim Il-sung's son Kim Jong-il, the two nations began to engage publicly for the first time, with the South declaring its Sunshine Policy. Nordpolitik ( German for "Northern Policy" was the signature foreign policy of South Korean president Roh Tae-woo. Kim Jong-il (also written as Kim Jong Il) (born 16 February 1941 Vyatskoye, Soviet Union; official biographies state 16 February 1942 Baekdu The Sunshine Policy was the South Korean doctrine towards North Korea until Lee Myung-bak 's election to presidency in 2008

Recently, in effort to promote reconciliation, the two Koreas have adopted an unofficial Unification Flag, representing Korea at international sporting events. The Unification Flag is used to represent all of Korea when North and South Korea participate together in sporting events The South provides the North with significant aid and cooperative economic ventures, and the two governments have cooperated in organizing meetings of separated family members and limited tourism of North Korean sites. However, the two states still do not recognize each other, and the Sunshine Policy remains controversial in South Korea.

The apportionment of responsibility for the division is much debated, although the older generation of South Koreans generally blame the North's communist zeal for instigating the Korean War. The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the Many in the younger generation see it as a byproduct of the Cold War, criticizing the US role in the establishment of separate states, presence of US troops in the South, and hostile policies against the North. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the

Infiltrations and incursions

Since the division of Korea, there have been numerous instances of infiltration and incursions across the border largely by North Korean agents, although the North Korean government never acknowledges direct responsibility for any of these incidents. A total of 3,693 armed North Korean agents have infiltrated into South Korea between 1954 to 1992, with 20% of these occurring between 1967 and 1968^[8]. Some instances include:

Land border incidents

• 17 January 1968: 31 North Korean commandos crossed the border disguised as South Korean soldiers in an attempt to assassinate President Park Chung Hee at The Blue House. Events 38 BC - Octavian marries Livia Drusilla. 1287 - King Alfonso III of Aragon invades Minorca Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Park Chung-hee ( November 14, 1917 – October 26, 1979) was a former ROK Army general and the autocratic dictator of the Republic Park Chung-hee ( November 14, 1917 – October 26, 1979) was a former ROK Army general and the autocratic dictator of the Republic Cheong Wa Dae (translation The House of the Blue Roof Tiles or the Blue House, Office of the President of the Republic of Korea) is the executive office The failed mission resulted in 29 commandos killed, one committed suicide, and the last captured. Two South Korean policemen and five civilians were killed by the commandos. Other reports indicated as many as 68 South Koreans killed and 66 wounded, including about 24 civilians. Three Americans were killed and another three wounded in an attempt to prevent the commandos from escaping back via the DMZ^[9].
• October 1968: 130 North Korean commandos entered the Ulchin and Samcheok areas in Gangwon-do. Samcheok is a city in Gangwon-do, South Korea. History Ancient age & Three Kingdom It was called "Siljikguk Gangwon-do is a province of South Korea, with its capital at Chuncheon. Eventually 110 of them were killed, 7 were captured and 13 escaped.
• March 1969: Six North Korean infiltrators crossed the border near Chumunjin, Gangwon-do and killed a South Korean policeman on guard duty. Gangwon-do is a province of South Korea, with its capital at Chuncheon.
• October 1969: North Korean infiltrators killed four United States soldiers near the southern boundary of the DMZ. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the
• April 1970: Three North Korean infiltrators were killed and five South Korean soldiers wounded at an encounter in Kumchon, Gyeonggi-do. Gyeonggi-do is the most populous province in South Korea. The provincial capital is located at Suwon.
• November 1974: The first of what would be a series of North Korean infiltration tunnels under the DMZ was discovered.
• March 1975: The second North Korean infiltration tunnel was discovered.
• June 1976: Three North Korean infiltrators and six South Korean soldiers were killed in the eastern sector south of the DMZ. Another six South Korean soldiers were injured.
• 18 August 1976: The Axe Murder Incident resulted in the death of two U. Events 293 BC - The oldest known Roman temple to Venus is founded starting the institution of Vinalia Rustica. Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Axe Murder Incident (판문점 도끼 살인 사건 was the killing of two United States Army officers by North Korean soldiers on August 18, 1976 S. soldiers and injuries to another four U. S. soldiers and five South Korean soldiers. The incident may not be technically considered an "infiltration" however, as it took place in a neutral zone of the Joint Security Area. The Joint Security Area (JSA or Panmunjeom, often called the "Truce Village" in both the media and various military accounts is the only
• October 1978: The third North Korean infiltration tunnel was discovered. The Third Tunnel of Aggression is a tunnel under the border between North Korea and South Korea.
• October 1979: Three North Korean agents attempting to infiltrate the eastern sector of the DMZ were intercepted, killing one of the agents.
• March 1980: Three North Korean infiltrators were killed attempting to enter the south across the estuary of the Han River. Han River is in South Korea is the confluence of the Namhan River (South Han River which originates in Mount Daedeok, and the Bukhan River
• March 1981: Three North Korean infiltrators spotted at Kumhwa, Gangwon-do, one was killed. Gangwon-do is a province of South Korea, with its capital at Chuncheon.
• July 1981: Three North Korean infiltrators were killed in the upper stream of Imjin River. The Imjin River is a river of North and South Korea. It flows from North to South crossing the Demilitarized Zone and joining the Han River
• May 1982: Two North Korean infiltrators were spotted on the east coast, one was killed.
• March 1990: The fourth North Korean infiltration tunnel was discovered, in what may be a total of 17 tunnels in all.
• May 1992: Three North Korean infiltrators dressed in South Korean uniforms were killed at Cheorwon, Gangwon-do. Cheorwon County ( Cheorwon-gun) also spelt Cholwon, is a county in Gangwon Province South Korea. Gangwon-do is a province of South Korea, with its capital at Chuncheon. Three South Koreans were also wounded.
• October 1995: Two North Korean infiltrators were intercepted at Imjin River. The Imjin River is a river of North and South Korea. It flows from North to South crossing the Demilitarized Zone and joining the Han River One was killed, the other escaped.
• April 1996: Several hundred North Korean armed troops entered the Joint Security Area and elsewhere on three occasions in violation of the Korean armistice agreement. The Joint Security Area (JSA or Panmunjeom, often called the "Truce Village" in both the media and various military accounts is the only
• May 1996: Seven North Korean soldiers crossed the DMZ but withdrew when fired upon by South Korean troops.
• April 1997: Five North Korean soldiers cross the military demarcation line's Cheorwon sector and fired at South Korean positions. Cheorwon County ( Cheorwon-gun) also spelt Cholwon, is a county in Gangwon Province South Korea.
• July 1997: Fourteen North Korean soldiers crossed the military demarcation line, causing a 23-minute exchange of heavy gunfire.

Incidents in other areas

• June 1969: North Korean agent reached Huksan Island, resulting in 15 killed.
• August 1975: Two North Korean infiltrators intercepted at Gochang County, Jeollabuk-do kills one infiltrator, two South Korean soldiers and wounds another two South Korean soldiers. Gochang County ( Gochang-gun) is a county in North Jeolla Province South Korea. Jeollabuk-do (North Jeolla is a province in the southwest of South Korea.
• November 1978: Three North Korean agents killed two South Korean civilians in Hongseong, one civilian in Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do and another civilian at Osan, Gyeonggi-do. Hongseong County ( Hongseong-gun) is a county in South Chungcheong Province South Korea. Gongju ( Gongju-si) also spelt Kongju, is a city in South Chungcheong province South Korea. Chungcheongnam-do (South Chungcheong is a province in the west of South Korea. Osan is a city in Gyeonggi Province South Korea, approximately 35 km south of Seoul. Gyeonggi-do is the most populous province in South Korea. The provincial capital is located at Suwon.
• November 1980: Three North Korean infiltrators and one South Korean civilian were killed at Whenggando, Jeollanam-do. Jeollanam-do (South Jeolla is a province in the southwest of South Korea. Six others were wounded.
• December 1980: Three North Korean infiltrators and two South Korean soldiers were killed off the southern coast of Gyeongsangnam-do. Gyeongsangnam-do (South Gyeongsang is a province in the southeast of South Korea. Two other South Korean soldiers were wounded.
• September 1984: A North Korean infiltrator killed two civilians and wounded another at Daegu before committing suicide. Daegu (pronounced) also spelled Taegu (pronounced) officially called Daegu Metropolitan City, is the fourth largest city in South Korea after
• October 1995: Two North Korean infiltrators were intercepted at Buyeo County. Buyeo County ( Buyeo-gun) is a county in South Chungcheong Province South Korea. One was killed, the other captured.
• 17 September 1996: 26 North Korean military personnel landed on the east coast near Jeongdongjin, 20 kilometres south of Gangneung, Gangwon-do from a disabled North Korean submarine. Events 1176 - The Battle of Myriokephalon is fought 1462 - The Battle of Świecino (or Battle of Żarnowiec Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) Gangneung is a city in Gangwon-do, on the east coast of South Korea. Gangwon-do is a province of South Korea, with its capital at Chuncheon. Out of these, 11 were killed by North Korean commandos from the submarine presumably in a bid to save the rest. 13 were killed by South Korean soldiers as they tried to make their way back over the DMZ over the next 49 days, one was captured and one escaped. 13 South Korean soldiers and 4 civilians were killed^[10], and five others wounded, including an off-duty ROK soldier strangled by the escaping infiltrators. North Korea threatened to retaliate over the incident, and in October 1996, a South Korean diplomat, Choi Duk Keun, was found poisoned in Vladivostok by a substance similar to that carried on the submarine. Vladivostok ( is Russia 's largest port city on the Pacific Ocean and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai. By 29 December, however, the North issued an official statement expressing "deep regret" over the submarine incident, although it did not issue a direct apology. Events 1170 - Thomas Becket: Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II In return, the South Korean government returned the cremated remains of the infiltrators to the North via Panmunjom on 30 December. Events 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield. 1816 - The Treaty of St The beached submarine remains at Jeongdongjin, where it has since been turned into an outdoor exhibit. Investigations in the South over the intrusion resulted in twenty ROK officers and soldiers punished for "negligence of duty" and the dismissal of a lieutenant general and a major general. A taxi driver who first spotted the intruders and alerted the authorities was given a hefty reward^[11].

Maritime incidents

• June 1981: A North Korean spy boat was sunk off Seosan, Chungcheongnam-do, with nine agents killed and one captured. Seosan is a city in South Chungcheong Province South Korea. It is located at. Chungcheongnam-do (South Chungcheong is a province in the west of South Korea.
• October 1985: A North Korean spy ship was sunk by the South Korean navy off the coast of Busan.
• May 1996: Five North Korean naval patrol craft entered South Korean waters in the west coast and withdrew after a four-hour confrontation with Southern forces. Another incident in June 1996 saw three North Korean naval patrol crafts intruding for three-hours in the same area.
• June 1997: Three North Korean patrol boats entered South Korean waters in the Yellow Sea, firing at South Korean patrol boats. The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a Marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean.
• 22 June 1998: A North Korean midget submarine was found caught in South Korean fishing nets in South Korean waters. Events 217 BC - Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) All nine submarine crew were found dead in an apparent group suicide. North Korea blasted the South for causing the death of the crew and demanded the return of the bodies and submarine on 27 June. Events 1358 - Republic of Dubrovnik is founded 1709 - Peter the Great defeats Charles XII of Sweden South Korean President Kim Dae Jung asked for the North to "admit responsibility and take reasonable measures" in response. Kim Dae-jung (Born December 3, 1925, kim tɛdʑuŋ is a former South Korean president and the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize recipient
• July 1998: A dead North Korean frogman was found with paraphernalia on a beach south of the DMZ.
• November 1998: A North Korean spy boat entered South Korean waters near Ganghwa Island but escaped upon detection. Ganghwa Island is an island in the estuary of the Han River, on the west coast of South Korea.
• December 1998: A North Korean semisubmersible boat was sunk near Busan after an exchange with the South Korean navy. A North Korean frogman's body was found near the site.
• June 1999: A nine-day confrontation was sparked when several North Korean ships intruded into disputed waters near the Northern Limit Line on the Yellow Sea. Northern Limit Line or North Limit Line ( NLL) is a disputed maritime Demarcation line in the Yellow Sea between North Korea and A firefight erupted on 15 June 1999, sinking a North Korean torpedo boat and damaging five others. Events 763 BC - Assyrians record a Solar eclipse that will be used to fix the Chronology of Mesopotamian history Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) Two South Korean vessels were lightly damaged. North Korea issues a warning that violent exchanges were continue if the disputed waters continue to be intruded by South Korea or the United States.
• 9 April 2001: North Korean patrol boats entered South Korean waters briefly over the Northern Limit Line but retreated when challenged by the South Korean Navy. Events 193 - Septimius Severus is proclaimed Roman Emperor by the army in Illyricum (in the Balkans) Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Similar incidents were reported on February 5, March 3 and April 10. Events 1576 - Henry of Navarre converts to Roman Catholicism in order to ensure his right to the throne of France. Events 1284 - Statute of Rhuddlan incorporated the Principality of Wales into England 1575 - Indian Events 879 - Louis III becomes King of the Western Franks. 1407 - the lama 12 maritime intrusions were reported in total in 2001.
• 5 January 2002: North Korean patrol boats continue to infiltrate into South Korean waters, with another craft spotted off Yonpyong Island in the Yellow Sea. Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar.
• 29 June 2002: North Korean patrol boats crossed the Northern Limit Line and fired at a South Korean patrol boat, provoking a firefight which killed four South Korean military personnel and an unknown number of North Koreans. Events 512 - A Solar eclipse is recorded by a monastic chronicler in Ireland. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar.

Air incidents

• 19 February 2003: A North Korean fighter jet entered South Korean airspace over the Yellow Sea, the first since 1983. Events 197 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus defeats usurper Clodius Albinus in the Battle of Lugdunum Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Six South Korean figher planes responded, and the North Korean plane retreated after two minutes.

See also

• History of North Korea
• History of South Korea
• Korean reunification
• Workers' Party of Korea for information on the formation of North Korea

Notes

References

External links

• South Korean Ministry of Unification (Korean and English)
• North Korean News Agency (Korean and English)
• Korea Web Weekly (English)
• NDFSK (Mostly Korean; some English)
• Koreascope (Korean and English)
• Rulers.org, has list of Post-World War 2 US and Soviet administrators (in English)
• Korean Unification Studies