Korea
Capital		Pyongyang, Seoul 37°32′N 126°59′E / 37.533, 126.983
Largest conurbation (population)		Seoul
Official languages		Korean
Area
-	Total	220,186 km² (84th if ranked) 85,020 sq mi
-	Water (%)	2. Pyongyang (pʰjʌŋjaŋ is the Capital and largest City of North Korea, located on the Taedong River, at. Seoul ( soʊl is the Capital and largest City of South Korea. Seoul ( soʊl is the Capital and largest City of South Korea. An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory This article is mainly about the spoken Korean language See Hangul for details on the native Korean writing system Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. M^2 redirects here For other uses see M². CM2 redirects here This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" 8
Population
-	2007 estimate	72,326,462 (18th if ranked)
-	Density	328. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 48/km²  850. 7/sq mi
Currency		Won (₩) (N/S)
Time zone		KST (UTC+9)

Korea (Korean: North Korea: 북한. South Korea: 대한민국, see below) is a geographic area, civilization, and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is This page provides the history of the currency prior to 1945 For the later South and North Korean currencies see South Korean won and North Korean won. The wŏn ( sign: ₩; code: KPW) is the currency of North Korea. The won (ko 원 ( sign: ₩; code: KRW) is the currency of South Korea. Korea Standard Time (KST Korean: ko 한국 표준시 ko 韓國標準時 Han-guk pyojunsi is the standard time zone in North and South Korea and is 9 hours Gyeongbok Palace (경복궁 Gyeongbokgung) is a palace located in northern Seoul, South Korea. This article is mainly about the spoken Korean language See Hangul for details on the native Korean writing system Physical geography See also Geography of North Korea, Geography of South Korea Mountains cover 70 percent of the Korean Peninsula and arable plains are It borders China to the west and Russia to the north, with Japan situated to the east. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The Korean Peninsula is divided into two separate nations, North Korea and South Korea. 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 However, the name "Korea" is often used to refer to South Korea due to its greater economic significance and influence in the world.

The history of Korea began with the legendary founding of Gojoseon in 2333 BC by Dangun. Gojoseon was an ancient Korean kingdom considered the first proper nation of the Korean people. Dangun Wanggeom was the legendary founder of Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom around present-day Liaoning, Manchuria, and the Korean Limited linguistic evidence suggests probable Altaic origins of these people, whose northern Mongolian steppe culture absorbed migration and trade with the peoples of Manchuria and China. Altaic, according to its proponents is a language family that includes 66 Languages ref> Altaic languages spoken by about 348 million people mostly in and around The Mongolian-Manchurian grassland, also known as the Mongolian-Manchurian steppe, is a temperate grassland of Mongolia and northern China. Manchuria ( Romanized Manchu: Manju,, Маньчжурия Mongolian: Манж is a historical name given to a vast geographic region in northeast China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The adoption of the Chinese writing system ("hanja" in Korean) in the 2nd century BC, and Buddhism in the 4th century AD, had profound effects on the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Written Chinese comprises the written symbols used to represent Spoken Chinese and the rules about how they are arranged and punctuated Hanja is the Korean name for Chinese characters. More specifically it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated The Three Kingdoms of Korea ( refer to the ancient Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula Koreans later passed on a modified version of these cultural advances to Japan. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. ^[1][2][3][4]

Since the Goryeo Dynasty, Korea was ruled by a single government and maintained political and cultural independence until the nineteenth century, despite the Mongol invasions of the Goryeo Dynasty in the 13th century and Japanese invasions of the Joseon Dynasty in the 16th century. 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 The Goryeo Dynasty ( 918 - 1392) (also spelled Koryŏ was a Sovereign state established in 918 by Taejo Wang Kon. Two Japanese invasions of Korea and subsequent battles on the Korean peninsula took place during the years 1592-1598 In 1377, Korea produced the Jikji, the world's oldest movable metal print document. Jikji is the abbreviated title of a Korean Buddhist document whose full title can be translated "The Monk Baegun's Anthology of the Great Priests' Teachings ^[5] In the 15th century, the turtle ships, possibly the world's first ironclad warships, were deployed, and King Sejong the Great promulgated the Korean alphabet han-geul to increase literacy among his people who could not read nor write hanja (Chinese characters). Construction According to the Nanjung Ilgi, Yi's wartime diary Yi decided to resurrect the turtle ship in 1591 from pre-existing designs after discussing An ironclad was a steam-propelled Warship of the later 19th century protected by Iron or Steel armor plates Hanja is the Korean name for Chinese characters. More specifically it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated

During the latter part of the Joseon Dynasty, Korea's isolationist policy earned it the Western nickname the "Hermit Kingdom". Hermit kingdom is a Pejorative term applied to any Country or Society which willfully walls itself off (metaphorically or physically from the rest of the By the late 19th century, the country became the object of the colonial designs of Japan and Europe. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. In 1910, Korea was forcibly annexed by Japan and remained occupied until the end of World War II in August 1945. Korea under Japanese rule refers to the period between 1910 and 1945 when Korea was forcibly annexed by the Japanese Empire. 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

In 1945, the Soviet Union and the United States agreed on the surrender and disarming of Japanese troops in Korea; the Soviet Union accepting the surrender of Japan north of the 38th parallel and the United States taking the surrender south of it. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The surrender of Japan in August 1945 brought World War II to a close The 38th parallel north is a Circle of latitude that is 38 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. This led to division of Korea by the two super powers, exacerbated by their inability to agree on the terms of Korean independence. The division of Korea into North Korea and South Korea stems from the 1945 Allied victory in World War II, ending Japan A superpower is a State with a leading position in the international system and the ability to Influence events and project power on a worldwide scale The two Cold War rivals then established governments sympathetic to their own ideologies, leading to Korea's current division into two political entities: North Korea and South Korea. 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 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

Contents 1 Names of Korea 2 History 2.1 Prehistory and Gojoseon 2.2 Three Kingdoms 2.3 Unified Silla and Balhae 2.4 Goryeo 2.5 Joseon dynasty 2.6 Japanese occupation 2.7 Korean War 3 Geography 4 Demographics 4.1 Language 5 Culture and arts 5.1 Literature 5.2 Religion 5.3 Cuisine 6 Education 7 Science and technology 8 See Also 9 Notes 10 References 11 Further reading 12 External links

Names of Korea

Main article: Names of Korea

See also: Korean romanization

The name "Korea" derives from the Goryeo period of Korean history, which in turn referred to the ancient kingdom of Goguryeo. There are various names of Korea in use today derived from ancient kingdoms and dynasties Korean romanization is a system for representing the Korean language using the Roman alphabet The Goryeo Dynasty ( 918 - 1392) (also spelled Koryŏ was a Sovereign state established in 918 by Taejo Wang Kon. The history of Korea stretches from Lower Paleolithic times to the present Goguryeo or Koguryo was an ancient Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean peninsula, southern Manchuria, and Merchants of the Middle East called it Cauli (from the Chinese pronunciation), which then came to be spelled Corea and Korea. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. Korea is now commonly used in English contexts by both North and South Korea.

In the Korean language, Korea as a whole is referred to as Han-guk (abbreviation of Dae Han Min Guk) (Hangul: 한국(대한민국); Hanja: 韓國; Revised Romanization: Hanguk; McCune-Reischauer: Han'guk) by South Korea, and Chosŏn (Chosŏn'gŭl: 조선; Hancha: 朝鮮; McCune-Reischauer: Chosǒn; Revised Romanization: Joseon) by North Korea. This article is mainly about the spoken Korean language See Hangul for details on the native Korean writing system Hanja is the Korean name for Chinese characters. More specifically it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated The Revised Romanization of Korean is the official Korean language Romanization system in South Korea. McCune-Reischauer romanization is one of the two most widely used Korean language Romanization systems along with the Revised Romanization of Korean, which Hanja is the Korean name for Chinese characters. More specifically it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated McCune-Reischauer romanization is one of the two most widely used Korean language Romanization systems along with the Revised Romanization of Korean, which The Revised Romanization of Korean is the official Korean language Romanization system in South Korea. "The Land of the Morning Calm" is an English language nickname loosely derived from the hanja characters for Joseon, the name derived from the Joseon Dynasty and the earlier Gojoseon. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Hanja is the Korean name for Chinese characters. More specifically it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated Gojoseon was an ancient Korean kingdom considered the first proper nation of the Korean people. (Choson and Joseon are two Romanizations of the same name. )

History

Main article: History of Korea

See also: Prehistoric Korea, History of North Korea, and History of South Korea

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
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Prehistory and Gojoseon

Main articles: Prehistoric Korea and Gojoseon

The earliest known Korean pottery dates to around 10000 BCE, and the Neolithic period begins around 6000 BCE. The history of Korea stretches from Lower Paleolithic times to the present This article is about the prehistory of the Korean Peninsula, from circa 500000 BCE through 300 BCE 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 history of Korea stretches from Lower Paleolithic times to the present 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 The division of Korea into North Korea and South Korea stems from the 1945 Allied victory in World War II, ending Japan 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 This article is about the prehistory of the Korean Peninsula, from circa 500000 BCE through 300 BCE Gojoseon was an ancient Korean kingdom considered the first proper nation of the Korean people. The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos Gojoseon's founding legend describes Dangun, a descendent of heaven, as establishing the kingdom in 2333 BCE. Gojoseon was an ancient Korean kingdom considered the first proper nation of the Korean people. Dangun Wanggeom was the legendary founder of Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom around present-day Liaoning, Manchuria, and the Korean ^[6] Archaeological and contemporary written records indicate it developed from a federation of walled cities into a centralized kingdom sometime between the 7th and 4th centuries BCE. Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos

The original capital may have been at the Manchuria-Korea border, but was later moved to what is today Pyongyang, North Korea. Goguryeo or Koguryo was an ancient Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean peninsula, southern Manchuria, and Manchuria ( Romanized Manchu: Manju,, Маньчжурия Mongolian: Манж is a historical name given to a vast geographic region in northeast Pyongyang (pʰjʌŋjaŋ is the Capital and largest City of North Korea, located on the Taedong River, at. In 108 BCE, the Chinese Han Dynasty defeated Wiman Joseon and installed four commanderies in the area of Liaoning and the northern Korean peninsula. The Han Dynasty ( 206 BC–220 AD followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. Wiman Joseon (194 - 108 BC was the part of the Gojoseon period (2333 BC - 108 BC of Korean history. Subsequent Chinese immigrations from Yan and Qi brought elements of Chinese culture to the peninsula. Yan ( was a state during the Western Zhou, Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods in China. Qi ( 齊; Pinyin: Qí was a powerful state during the Spring and Autumn Period and Period of the Warring States. By 75 BCE, three of those commanderies had fallen, but the Lelang Commandery remained under successive Chinese control until 313. Lelang was one of the Chinese Commanderies which was kept in the Korean Peninsula over 400 years until Goguryeo conquered it in 313 A

Three Kingdoms

Main article: Three Kingdoms of Korea

The Three Kingdoms of Korea (Goguryeo, Silla, and Baekje) dominated the peninsula and parts of Manchuria during the early Common Era. 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 Silla (57 BC – 935 AD was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Baekje (18 BCE – 660 CE or Paekche, was a kingdom located in southwest Korea They competed with each other both economically and militarily.

Goguryeo united Buyeo, Okjeo, Dongye and other states in the former Gojoseon territory, in addition to destroying the last Chinese commandery. Goguryeo or Koguryo was an ancient Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean peninsula, southern Manchuria, and 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 ^[7] Goguryeo was the most dominant power, Goguryeo reached its zenith in the fifth century, when reign of the King Gwanggaeto and his son, King Jangsu expanded territory into almost all of Manchuria and part of inner Mongolia, and took the Seoul region from Baekje. King Jangsu of Goguryeo (394 - 491 r 413 - 491 was the 20th Monarch of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Seoul ( soʊl is the Capital and largest City of South Korea. Gwanggaeto and Jangsu subdued Baekje and Silla during their times. After the 7th Century, Goguryeo was constantly at war with the Sui and Tang dynasties of China. The Sui Dynasty ( 581 - 618 AD and in the undertaking of other construction projects including the reconstruction of the Great Wall. The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by

Founded around today's Seoul, the southwestern kingdom Baekje expanded far beyond Pyongyang during the peak of its powers in the 4th century. Seoul ( soʊl is the Capital and largest City of South Korea. Baekje (18 BCE – 660 CE or Paekche, was a kingdom located in southwest Korea Pyongyang (pʰjʌŋjaŋ is the Capital and largest City of North Korea, located on the Taedong River, at. It had absorbed all of the Mahan states and subjugated most of the western Korean peninsula (including the modern provinces of Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, and Jeolla, as well as part of Hwanghae and Gangwon) to a centralized government. Gyeonggi-do is the most populous province in South Korea. The provincial capital is located at Suwon. Chungcheong ( Chungcheong-do) was one of the eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Jeolla ( Jeolla-do in Korean formerly spelled Cholla or Chŏlla) was one of the eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty Haixi redirects here For the automobile manufacturer see Huanghai Bus Factory. Baekje acquired Chinese culture and technology through contacts with the Southern Dynasties during the expansion of its territory. The Southern dynasties 南朝 ( nanchao in Pinyin: nán cháo comprise the Liu Song, Southern Qi, Liang Dynasty and Chen

Although later records claim that Silla, in the southeast, was the oldest of the three kingdoms, it is now believed to have been the last kingdom to develop. Silla (57 BC – 935 AD was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Silla (57 BC – 935 AD was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. By the 2nd century, Silla existed as a large state, occupying and influencing nearby city states. Silla began to gain power when it annexed the Gaya confederacy in 562 AD. Gaya was a confederacy of territorial polities in the Nakdong River basin of southern Korea, growing out of the Byeonhan confederacy of the Samhan The Gaya confederacy was located between Baekje and Silla. The three kingdoms of Korea often warred with each other and Silla often faced pressure from Baekje and Goguryeo but at various times Silla also allied with Baekje and Goguryeo in order to gain dominance over the peninsula.

In 660, King Muyeol of Silla ordered his armies to attack Baekje. King Taejong Muyeol (602 &ndash 661 Birth name Kim Chunchu) was the 29th monarch of the southern Korean kingdom of Silla and ruled from 654 to 661 Baekje (18 BCE – 660 CE or Paekche, was a kingdom located in southwest Korea General Kim Yu-shin, aided by Tang forces, conquered Baekje. Kim Yusin (595-673 was a General in 7th-century Silla. He led the unification of the Korean peninsula by Silla under the reign of King The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by In 661, Silla and Tang moved on Goguryeo but were repelled. Goguryeo or Koguryo was an ancient Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean peninsula, southern Manchuria, and King Munmu, son of Muyeol and nephew of General Kim launched another campaign in 667 and Goguryeo fell in the following year. Munmu of Silla (reigned 661 &ndash 681) was the thirtieth king of the Korean kingdom of Silla.

Unified Silla and Balhae

Main articles: Unified Silla and Balhae

In the 5th, 6th, and 7th centuries, Silla's power gradually extended across the Korean Peninsula. 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 Silla first annexed the adjacent Gaya confederacy. Gaya was a confederacy of territorial polities in the Nakdong River basin of southern Korea, growing out of the Byeonhan confederacy of the Samhan By the 660s, Silla formed an alliance with the Tang Dynasty of China to conquer Baekje and later Goguryeo. After repelling Chinese forces, Silla partially unified the Peninsula, beginning a period often called Unified Silla. 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

In the north, former Goguryeo General Dae Joyeong led a group of Goguryeo refugees to the Jilin area in Manchuria and founded Balhae (698 AD - 926 AD) as the successor to Goguryeo. ( Postal map spelling: Kirin; Manchu: Girin ula is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the northeastern Alternate meaning Bohai Sea Balhae (698 - 926 ( Bohai in Chinese, Пархэ in Russian) was an At its height, Balhae's territory extended from northern Manchuria down to the northern provinces of modern-day Korea. Balhae was destroyed by the Khitans in 926. The Khitan (or Khitai,) were a Nomadic people, located in Mongolia and modern Manchuria (Northeast China from the 4th century dominating much of it

Unified Silla fell apart in the late 9th century, giving way to the tumultuous Later Three Kingdoms period (892-935). The Later Three Kingdoms of Korea (892 - 936 consisted of Silla, Hubaekje ("Later Baekje " and Taebong (also known as Hugoguryeo Goryeo unified the Later Three Kingdoms and absorbed Balhae refugees. The Goryeo Dynasty ( 918 - 1392) (also spelled Koryŏ was a Sovereign state established in 918 by Taejo Wang Kon.

Goryeo

Main article: Goryeo

The country Goryeo was founded in 918 and replaced Silla as the ruling dynasty of Korea. The Goryeo Dynasty ( 918 - 1392) (also spelled Koryŏ was a Sovereign state established in 918 by Taejo Wang Kon. The Goryeo Dynasty ( 918 - 1392) (also spelled Koryŏ was a Sovereign state established in 918 by Taejo Wang Kon. ("Goryeo" is a short form of "Goguryeo" and the source of the English name "Korea. ") The dynasty lasted until 1392. During this period laws were codified, and a civil service system was introduced. Buddhism flourished, and spread throughout the peninsula. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices The development of celadon industry flourished in 12th and 13th century. Celadon is a term for Ceramics denoting both a type glaze, and a ware of a specific color also called celadon. The publication of Tripitaka Koreana onto 80,000 wooden blocks and the invention of the world's first metal printing press in 13th century attest to Goryeo's cultural achievements. The Tripitaka Koreana (lit Goryeo Tripitaka) or Palman Daejanggyeong ("Eighty-Thousand Tripitaka " A printing press is a mechanical device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a medium (such as paper or cloth thereby transferring an image Their dynasty was threatened by Mongol invasion from the 1230s into the 1270s, but the dynastic line continued to survive until 1392 since they negotiated a treaty with the Mongols that kept its sovereign power. In 1350s, King Gongmin was free at last to reform a Goryeo government. King Gongmin (1330 &ndash 1374 ruled Goryeo ( Korea) from 1351 until 1374 Gongmin had various problems that needed to be dealt with, which included the removal of pro-Mongol aristocrats and military officials, the question of land holding, and quelling the growing animosity between the Buddhists and Confucian scholars.

Joseon dynasty

Main article: Joseon Dynasty

In 1392, the general Yi Seong-gye established the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) with a largely bloodless coup. Taejo of Joseon ( October 11, 1335 &ndash May 24, 1408; r 1392-1398 born Yi Seong-gye, whose changed name is Yi Dan, was The Joseon Dynasty is believed to have been the longest-lived actively ruling dynasty in East Asia. He named it the Joseon Dynasty in honor of the previous Joseon before (Gojoseon is the first Joseon. "Go", meaning "later", was added to distinguish between the two). King Taejo moved the capital to Hanseong (formerly Hanyang; modern-day Seoul) and built the Gyeongbokgung palace. Seoul ( soʊl is the Capital and largest City of South Korea. Seoul ( soʊl is the Capital and largest City of South Korea. Gyeongbok Palace (경복궁 Gyeongbokgung) is a palace located in northern Seoul, South Korea. In 1394 he adopted Confucianism as the country's official religion, resulting in much loss of power and wealth by the Buddhists. Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B The prevailing philosophy was Neo-Confucianism, which was developed by Zhu Xi. Neo-Confucianism (/( is a form of Confucianism that was primarily developed during the Song Dynasty, but which can be traced back to Han Yu and Li Zhu Xi or Chu Hsi (朱熹 born October 18, 1130, Yuxi, Fujian province China &ndash died April 23, 1200 Joseon experienced advances in science and culture. King Sejong the Great (1418-1450) promulgated hangul, the Korean alphabet. The period saw various other cultural and technological advances as well as the dominance of neo-Confucianism over the entire peninsula. Between 1592 and 1598, Japan invaded Korea. Two Japanese invasions of Korea and subsequent battles on the Korean peninsula took place during the years 1592-1598 Toyotomi Hideyoshi led the forces and tried to invade the Asian continent through Korea, but was eventually repelled before even getting through Korea. This war also saw the rise of the career of Admiral Yi Sun-shin and his "turtle ship" or gobukseon. Yi Sun-sin (April 28 1545 – December 16 1598 also commonly transliterated Yi Soon-shin or Lee Sun-shin, Korean:이순신 was a Korean Construction According to the Nanjung Ilgi, Yi's wartime diary Yi decided to resurrect the turtle ship in 1591 from pre-existing designs after discussing In the 1620s and 1630s Joseon suffered invasions by the Manchu who eventually also conquered the Chinese Ming Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty ( or Empire of the Great Ming ( was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol -led After that, the Joseon dynasty swore allegiance to the Qing Court. The Samjeondo Monument is a monument marking Korea 's submission to Qing Dynasty of China in 1636 after Second Manchu invasion of Korea. Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China During the Joseon dynasty, Koreans brought Roman Catholicism (and other forms of Christianity in Korea followed shortly thereafter) into Korea, at first in secret. The practice of Christianity in Korea has a relatively short history but after a difficult beginning it has seen significant growth and success

Japanese occupation

Main article: Korea under Japanese rule

Beginning in the 1870s, Japan began to force Korea to move out of China's sphere of influence into its own. Korea under Japanese rule refers to the period between 1910 and 1945 when Korea was forcibly annexed by the Japanese Empire. Japan forced Korea to engage in foreign trade through the Treaty of Ganghwa in 1876. The Treaty of Ganghwa, also known in Japan as Korea-Japanese Treaty of Amity (Korean language 강화도조약 Japanese language:, signed on February 27th In 1895, Empress Myeongseong of Korea was assassinated by the Japanese under Miura Gorō's directive (Kim et al. Empress Myeongseong ( October 19, 1851 &ndash October 8, 1895) was the first official wife of King Gojong, the 26th king of the was a Lieutenant general in the early Imperial Japanese Army. 1976). ^[8] In Manchuria on 1909, An Jung-geun assassinated the former Resident-General of Korea, Itō Hirobumi for his role in trying to force Korea into occupation. Manchuria ( Romanized Manchu: Manju,, Маньчжурия Mongolian: Манж is a historical name given to a vast geographic region in northeast Ahn Jung-geun or An Jung-geun ( September 2, 1879 - March 26, 1910) (Baptismal name Thomas) was a Korean independence The post of Governors-General of Korea ( Korean: 조선총독부 Hanja: 朝鮮總督府 Japanese: 朝鮮総督府 served as the was a Japanese statesman Resident-General of Korea, four time Prime Minister of Japan (the 1st 5th 7th and 10th and Genrō. In 1910, an already militarily occupied Korea was a forced party to the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty. The Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty was signed on August 22, 1910 by the representatives of the Korean and Japanese Imperial Governments and was This is a controversial treaty since the treaty was never ratified by the Korean Emperor and the required Korean Imperial seal was absent. ^[9]

Even before formal Japanese colonial rule, the Korean Independence Movement was already in existence. The Korean independence movement grew out the Japanese occupation of Korea from 1910-1945 Korean resistance to the brutal^[10][11][12] Japanese occupation was manifested in the nonviolent March 1st Movement of 1919, where 7,000 demonstrators were killed by Japanese police and military. The March First Movement, or Samil Movement, was one of the earliest displays of Korean independence movements during the Japanese occupation of Korea ^[13] The Korean liberation movement also spread to neighboring Manchuria and Siberia. The Korean independence movement grew out the Japanese occupation of Korea from 1910-1945 Manchuria ( Romanized Manchu: Manju,, Маньчжурия Mongolian: Манж is a historical name given to a vast geographic region in northeast Siberia (Сиби́рь Sibir) is the name given to the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving

Over five million Koreans were conscripted for labor beginning in 1939,^[14] and tens of thousands of men were forced into Japan's military. ^[15] Approximately 200,000 girls and women,^[16] mostly from Korea and China, were forced into sexual slavery for the Japanese military. ^[17] In 1993, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono acknowledged the terrible injustices faced by these euphemistically named "comfort women". Comfort women is a Euphemism for women forced into Prostitution and Sexual slavery for Japanese military brothels during World War ^[18][19] However, the Japanese tend to underestimate the sufferings of them.

During Japanese Colonial rule, the Korean language was suppressed in an effort to eradicate Korean nationalism. Koreans were forced to take Japanese surnames, known as Sōshi-kaimei. Sōshi-kaimei ( Japanese: 創氏改名) was a policy created by Jiro Minami, Governor-General of Korea under the Empire of Japan ^[20] Traditional Korean culture suffered heavy losses, as numerous Korean cultural artifacts were destroyed^[21] or taken to Japan. This article is about the traditional culture of Korea. For the modern culture see Culture of North Korea and Culture of South Korea ^[22] To this day, valuable Korean artifacts can often be found in Japanese museums or among private collections. ^[23] One investigation by the South Korean government identified 75,311 cultural assets that were taken from Korea, 34,369 of which are in Japan, and 17,803 of which are in the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the However, experts estimate that over 100,000 artifacts remains in Japan. ^{[22] [24]} Japanese people regarded the retuning Korean cultural properties are over after 1965 ^[22]and seem to have no desire to return such artifacts to the owners of Korea^[24]. Besides, Korean-Japan has disputed over the ownership of Liancourt Rocks, a small island located east of the Korean peninsula, is their land and as of 2008, the Japanese government decided to teach Japanese middle-school students that the islet is their rightful land. ^[25]

Korean War

Main article: Korean War

With the defeat of Japan in 1945, the United Nations developed plans for a trusteeship administration, the Soviet Union administering the peninsula north of the 38th parallel and the United States administering the south. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The 38th parallel north is a Circle of latitude that is 38 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. 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 The politics of the Cold War resulted in the 1948 establishment of two separate governments, North Korea and South Korea. 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 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

In June of 1950 North Korea invaded the South, using Russian tanks and weaponry. During the Korean War (1950-1953), millions of civilians died and the three years of fighting throughout the nation effectively destroyed most cities. 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 Around 171,000 POWs were captured and held by the Americans and South Koreans on Geojedo (an island in the south)^[26] The war ended in a ceasefire agreement at approximately the Military Demarcation Line (Korea). Geojedo or Geoje Island (also often spelled Koje Island) is the principal island of Geoje City on the southern coast of Gyeongsangnam-do The Military Demarcation Line, sometimes referred to as the Armistice Line, is the border between North Korea and South Korea.

Geography

Main article: Korean Peninsula

See also: Geography of North Korea, Geography of South Korea, and Provinces of Korea

Korea is located on the Korean Peninsula in North-East Asia. Physical geography See also Geography of North Korea, Geography of South Korea Mountains cover 70 percent of the Korean Peninsula and arable plains are To the northwest, the Amnok River (Yalu River) separates Korea from China and to the northeast, the Duman River (Tumen River) separates Korea from China and Russia. The Yalu River ( Chinese) or the Amnok River ( Korean) is a River on the border between China and North Korea. The Tumen or Tuman River is a 521 km-long river that serves as part of the boundary between China, North Korea, and Russia, rising in The Yellow Sea is to the west, the East China Sea is to the south, and the Sea of Japan (East Sea) is to the east of Korea. 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. The East China Sea is a Marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1249000 km² The Sea of Japan is a Marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, bordered by Japan, Korea, North Korea and Russia ^[27] Notable islands include Jeju-do, Ulleung-do, and Liancourt Rocks (Dokdo in Korean). Jeju may refer to Jeju-do, an island of South Korea Jeju City, the biggest city on that island Ulleungdo (also spelled Ulreungdo) is a South Korean island in the Sea of Japan (East Sea

The southern and western parts of the peninsula have well-developed plains, while the eastern and northern parts are mountainous. The highest mountain in Korea is Baekdusan (2744 m), through which runs the border with China. Baekdu Mountain, also known as Changbai Mountain in China, is a volcanic Mountain on the border between China and North Korea The southern extension of Baekdusan is a highland called Gaema Heights. This highland was mainly raised during the Cenozoic orogeny and partly covered by volcanic matter. The Cenozoic (also Caenozoic or Cainozoic) Era (ˌsiːnəˈzoʊɪk/ /ˌsɛn- (meaning "new life" ( Greek ( kainos) "new" To the south of Gaema Gowon, successive high mountains are located along the eastern coast of the peninsula. This mountain range is named Baekdudaegan. The Baekdudaegan is a mountain range and watershed-crest-line which runs through most of the length of the Korean Peninsula, from Baekdu Mountain in the north Some significant mountains include Sobaeksan (2,184 m), Baeksan (1,724 m), Geumgangsan (1,638 m), Seoraksan (1,708 m), Taebaeksan (1,567 m), and Jirisan (1,915 m). The Sobaek Mountains are a Mountain range cutting across the southern Korean peninsula. Seoraksan is the highest mountain in the Taebaek mountain range (태백산맥 in the Gangwon province in eastern South Korea. The Taebaek Mountains are a mountain range in both North and South Korea. Jirisan is a mountain in the southern region of South Korea. It is often considered one of the three most important mountains in South Korea with Hallasan and There are several lower, secondary mountain series whose direction is almost perpendicular to that of Baekdudaegan. They are developed along the tectonic line of Mesozoic orogeny and their directions are basically northwest.

Unlike most older mountains on the mainland, many important islands in Korea were formed by volcanic activity in the Cenozoic orogeny. Jeju-do, situated off the southern coast, is a large volcanic island whose main mountain Hallasan (1950 m) is the highest in South Korea. Jeju-do ( transliterated Korean for Jeju Province, short form of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province) is the only special self-governing province Hallasan is a Shield volcano on Jeju Island of South Korea. Hallasan is the highest Mountain of South Korea Ulleung-do is a volcanic island in the Sea of Japan, whose composition is more felsic than Jeju-do. Ulleungdo (also spelled Ulreungdo) is a South Korean island in the Sea of Japan (East Sea The volcanic islands tend to be younger, the more westward.

Because the mountainous region is mostly on the eastern part of the peninsula, the main rivers tend to flow westwards. The Korean peninsula is mainly mountainous along its east coast so most of its river water flows west emptying into the Yellow Sea. Two exceptions are the southward-flowing Nakdonggang and Seomjingang. The Nakdong River ( Rakdong in North Korean is the longest River in South Korea, and passes through major cities such as Daegu and The Seomjin River is a River in South Korea. It drains southeastern Jeollabuk-do as well as eastern Jeollanam-do and western Gyeongsangnam-do Important rivers running westward include the Amnok River (Yalu), the Cheong-cheongang, the Daedonggang, the Han River, the Geumgang, and the Yeongsangang. The Ch'ŏngch'ŏn River is a river of North Korea having its source in the Rangrim Mountains of Chagang Province and emptying into the Yellow Sea The Taedong River is a large river in North Korea. It rises in the Rangrim Mountains of the country's north 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 The Yeongsan River is a river in south-western South Korea. It enters the Yellow Sea at Mokpo. These rivers have vast flood plains and provide an ideal environment for wet-rice cultivation.

The southern and southwestern coastlines of Korea form a well-developed ria coastline, known as Dadohae-jin in Korean. A ria is a Landform, often referred to as a drowned river valley. Its convoluted coastline provides mild seas, and the resulting calm environment allows for safe navigation, fishing, and seaweed farming. In addition to the complex coastline, the western coast of the Korean Peninsula has an extremely high tidal amplitude (at Incheon, around the middle of the western coast. Incheon is a metropolitan city and a major seaport on the west coast of South Korea, near Seoul. It can get as high as 9 m). Vast tidal flats have been developing on the south and west coastlines

Demographics

Main articles: Koreans, Demographics of South Korea, and Demographics of North Korea

The combined population of the Koreas is about 73 million (North Korea: 23 million, South Korea: 50 million). The Korean people are an East Asian Ethnic group. Most Koreans speak the Korean language. Nationality noun South Korean(s adjective: South Korean Statistics Age structure 0-14 The demographics of North Korea are difficult to assess due to the limited amount of data available from the country Korea is chiefly populated by a highly homogeneous ethnic group, the Koreans, who speak the Korean language. The Korean people are an East Asian Ethnic group. Most Koreans speak the Korean language. This article is mainly about the spoken Korean language See Hangul for details on the native Korean writing system The number of foreigners living in Korea has also steadily increased since the late 20th century, particularly in South Korea, where more than 1 million foreigners currently reside. A minority population of ethnic Chinese (roughly 440,000 as of August 2007^[28]) live in South Korea and small communities of ethnic Chinese and Japanese are also found in North Korea. Ethnic Chinese in Korea have existed as a recognizable community for at least 120 years Japanese people in North Korea consist mainly of four groups of people prisoners-of-war in the Soviet Union, Japanese accompanying repatriating Zainichi Korean ^[29]

Language

Main articles: Korean language and Hangul

Korean is the official language of both North and South Korea, and of Yanbian Autonomous Prefecture in Manchuria area of China. This article is mainly about the spoken Korean language See Hangul for details on the native Korean writing system This article is mainly about the spoken Korean language See Hangul for details on the native Korean writing system Worldwide, there are up to 80 million speakers of the Korean Language. South Korea has around 50 million speakers while North Korea around 23 million. Other large groups of Korean speakers are found in the United States (around 2. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the 5 million speakers), China (around 2 million speakers), the former Soviet Union (around 500,000), Japan (around 900,000), Canada (100,000), Philippines (70,000) and Australia (150,000). Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. It is estimated that there are around 700,000 people scattered across the world who are able to speak Korean because of job requirements (for example, salespersons or businessmen with Korean contacts), marriages to Koreans or out of pure interest in the language.

The genealogical classification of Korean is debated. Some linguists place it in the Altaic language family; others consider it to be a language isolate. Altaic, according to its proponents is a language family that includes 66 Languages ref> Altaic languages spoken by about 348 million people mostly in and around A language isolate, in the absolute sense is a Natural language with no demonstrable genealogical (or "genetic" relationship with other living languages that is Korean is agglutinative in its morphology and SOV in its syntax. An agglutinative language is a Language that uses Agglutination extensively most Words are formed by joining Morphemes together In Linguistic typology, Subject Object Verb (SOV is the type of languages in which the subject, object, and Verb of a sentence appear or usually In Linguistics, syntax (from Ancient Greek grc συν- syn-, "together" and grc τάξις táxis, "arrangement" is the Like Japanese and Vietnamese, Korean has borrowed much vocabulary from the genetically unrelated Chinese or created vocabulary on Chinese models. is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities Vietnamese ( tiếng Việt, or less commonly Việt ngữ) formerly known under French colonization as Annamese ( see Annam)

Modern Korean is written almost exclusively in the hangul script, which was invented in the 15th century. While hangul may appear logographic, it is actually a phonemic alphabet organized into syllabic blocks. A logogram, or logograph, is a Grapheme which represents a word or a Morpheme (a meaningful unit of language The phoneME project is Sun Microsystems reference implementation of Java virtual machine and associated libraries of Java ME with source licensed under the GNU A syllable ( Greek:) is a unit of organization for a sequence of speech sounds Each block consists of at least two of the 24 hangul letters (jamo): at least one each of the 14 consonants and 10 vowels. In Articulatory phonetics, a consonant is a Speech sound that is articulated with complete or partial closure of the upper Vocal tract, the upper vocal In Phonetics, a vowel is a Sound in spoken Language, such as English ah! or oh!, pronounced with an open Vocal tract Historically, the alphabet had several additional letters (see obsolete jamo). For a phonological description of the letters, see Korean phonology. This article is mainly about the spoken Korean language See Hangul for details on the native Korean writing system Hanja (Chinese characters) and Latin alphabets are sometimes included within hangul texts, particularly in South Korea. Hanja is the Korean name for Chinese characters. More specifically it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated

Culture and arts

Main article: Culture of Korea

See also: Korean art, Korean pottery, Korean martial arts, Korean dance, and Korean bow

In ancient Chinese texts, Korea is referred to as "Rivers and Mountains Embroidered on Silk" (금수강산, 錦繡江山) and "Eastern Nation of Decorum" (동방예의지국, 東方禮儀之國). This article is about the traditional culture of Korea. For the modern culture see Culture of North Korea and Culture of South Korea Korean art is Art originating or practiced in Korea or by Korean artists from ancient times to today Korean ceramic history begins with the oldest Earthenware from around 8000 BC Korean martial arts ( Hangul: 무술 or 무예 Hanja: 武術 or 武藝 are the Martial arts that originated from Korea, or were adapted Korean dance is a type of Dance, historically derived in Korea. The Korean Bow ('Hwal' is a waterbuffalo horn-based composite reflex bow standardized about 1900 CE from the variety of such weapons in earlier use ^[30] During the 7th and 8th centuries, the silk road connected Korea to Arabia. The Silk Road, or Silk Routes, are an extensive interconnected network of Trade routes across the Asian continent connecting East South and Western Asia with the The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: شبه الجزيرة العربية šibh al-jazīra al-ʻarabīya or جزيرة العرب jazīrat al-ʻarab) In 845, Arab traders wrote, "Beyond China is a land where gold abounds and which is named Silla. Silla (57 BC – 935 AD was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. The Muslims who have gone there have been charmed by the country and tend to settle there and abandon all idea of leaving. ^[31]"

Korean festivities often showcase vibrant colors, which have been attributed to Mongolian influences: bright red, yellow, and green often mark traditional Korean motifs. Mongolian Culture has been heavily influenced by the Mongol nomadic way of life ^[32] These bright colors are sometimes seen in the traditional dress known as hanbok. Hanbok ( South Korea) or Chosŏn-ot ( North Korea) is the traditional Korean dress

One peculiarity of Korean culture is its age reckoning system. East Asian age reckoning ( Mongolian: Khii nas is a concept that originated in China and is used in East Asian countries Individuals are regarded as one year old when they are born, and their age increments on New Year's Day rather than on the anniversary of their birthday. Korean New Year, known as Seollal ( or Gujeong ( is the first day of the lunar Korean calendar. Thus, one born on December the 31st would be aged two on the day after they were born. Accordingly, a Korean person's stated age will be one or two years more than their age expressed in the Western tradition.

Literature

Main article: Korean literature

Korean literature written before the end of the Joseon Dynasty is called "Classical" or "Traditional. Korean literature is the body of Literature produced in Korea or by Korean writers " Literature, written in Chinese characters (hanja), was established at the same time as the Chinese script arrived on the peninsula. Hanja is the Korean name for Chinese characters. More specifically it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated Korean scholars were writing poetry in the classical Chinese style as early as the 2nd century BCE, reflecting Korean thoughts and experiences of that time. Classical Korean literature has its roots in traditional folk beliefs and folk tales of the peninsula, strongly influenced by Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions

Modern literature is often linked with the development of hangul, which helped spread literacy from the aristocracy to the common people and women. Hangul, however, only reached a dominant position in Korean literature in the second half of the 19th century, resulting in a major growth in Korean literature. Sinsoseol, for instance, are novels written in hangul.

The Korean War led to the development of literature centered around the wounds and chaos of 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 War is an international relations Dispute, characterized by organized Violence between National Military units Much of the post-war literature in South Korea deals with the daily lives of ordinary people, and their struggles with national pain. The collapse of the traditional Korean value system is another common theme of the time.

Religion

Main articles: Korean Confucianism, Korean Buddhism, and Christianity in Korea

Confucian tradition has dominated Korean thought, along with contributions by Buddhism, Taoism, and Korean Shamanism. Korean Confucianism is the form of Confucianism developed in Korea. Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what it sees as inconsistencies in Mahayana Buddhism The practice of Christianity in Korea has a relatively short history but after a difficult beginning it has seen significant growth and success Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions Korean shamanism encompasses a variety of indigenous beliefs and practices that have been influenced by Buddhism and Taoism. Since the middle of the 20th century, however, Christianity has competed with Buddhism in South Korea, while religious practice has been suppressed in North Korea. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings

According to 2003 statistics compiled by the South Korean government, about 46% of citizens profess to follow no particular religion. Christians account for 27. The practice of Christianity in Korea has a relatively short history but after a difficult beginning it has seen significant growth and success 3% of the population (of which half are Catholics and half are various denominations of Protestantism) and Buddhists 25. Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what it sees as inconsistencies in Mahayana Buddhism 3%.

Koreans valued scholarship and rewarded education and study of Chinese classic texts; Yangban boys were highly educated in hanja. Chinese classic texts or Chinese canonical texts ( refer to the pre- Qin Chinese texts especially the Confucian Four Books and Five Classics The yangban were a well educated scholarly class of male Confucian intellectuals who were part of the ruling elite within Korea prior to 1910 and the republics period Hanja is the Korean name for Chinese characters. More specifically it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated In Silla, the bone rank system defined a person's social status, and a similar system persisted through the end of the Joseon Dynasty. Silla (57 BC – 935 AD was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. The bone rank system was the system of aristocratic rank used in the ancient Korean kingdom of Silla. In addition, the gwageo civil service examination provided paths of upward mobility. The gwageo (or kwago) were the national civil service examinations under the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties of Korea

Cuisine

Main article: Korean cuisine

Korean cuisine is probably best known for kimchi(한글: 김치), which uses a distinctive fermentation process of preserving vegetables, most commonly cabbage. Korean cuisine as a national Cuisine known today has evolved through centuries of social and political change Kimchi, also spelled gimchi or kimchee, is a traditional Korean fermented dish made of vegetables with varied seasonings most commonly referring to Fermentation in Food processing typically refers to the conversion of Sugar to Alcohol using Yeast under Anaerobic conditions Pepper (chilli) paste(한글: 고추장 - pronounced go-choo-jang) is also commonly used, often as pepper (chilli) powder, earning the cuisine a reputation for being spicy.

Bulgogi(한글: 불고기) (roasted marinated meat, usually beef), galbi (ribs, 한글: 갈비), and samgyeopsal (pork belly, 한글: 삼겹살) are popular meat entrees. Bulgogi (pulɡoɡi in Korean Barbecued Beef, is one of the most popular ways of cooking beef in Korea. Galbi or kalbi generally refers to a variety of Gui or Grilled dishes in Korean cuisine that is made with Samgyeopsal (samgjʌpsal is a popular Korean dish. Commonly served as an evening meal it consists of thick fatty slices of Pork belly meat (similar Meals are usually accompanied by a soup or stew, such as galbitang (stewed ribs) and doenjang jjigae(한글: 된장찌개) (fermentated bean paste stew). Doenjang (tønʨaŋ is a traditional Korean fermented Soybean paste Jjigae (ʨiɡɛ is a Korean dish similar to a Western Stew. A typical jjigae is heavily seasoned with Chili pepper and served boiling hot The center of the table is filled with a shared collection of sidedishes called banchan. Banchan also spelled panchan, refers to small Side dishes served along with cooked rice in Korean cuisine.

Other popular dishes include bibimbap(한글: 비빔밥)which literally means "mixed rice" (rice mixed with meat, vegetables, and pepper paste) and naengmyeon(한글: 냉면) (cold noodles with soup). Bibimbap is a popular Korean dish. The word literally means "stirred/mixed Rice " or "stirred/mixed meal Naengmyeon (hangul 냉면; also spelled naeng-myeon, naengmyun, naeng-myun) literally "cold

See also: Korean tea ceremony and Korean royal court cuisine

Education

Main articles: Education in North Korea and Education in South Korea

The modern Korean school system consists of 6 years in elementary school, 3 years in middle school, and 3 years in high school. For the information regarding various types of Korean tea see Korean tea The Korean tea ceremony or darye is a traditional Korean royal court cuisine ( Joseon Wangjo Gungjung yori) is the cuisine traditionally consumed at the court of the Joseon Dynasty, which ruled Korea Education in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK is strictly controlled by the government. Education in South Korea is seen as the most important key to success and competition is consequently very heated and fierce Students are supposed to go to elementary and middle school, and do not have to pay for it. (The teachers are paid from taxes) Most public middle school and high school students have to wear uniforms, and are not supposed to grow their hair more than a particular length. The Programme for International Student Assessment, coordinated by the OECD, currently ranks South Korea's science education as the 11th best in the world, being significantly higher than the OECD average. ^[33] Although South Korean students often rank high on international comparative tests, the education system is sometimes criticized for its emphasis on passive learning and memorization. The Korean education system is much more strict and structured than most western societies and Korean students rarely have free time to spend enjoying themselves as they are under a lot of pressure to perform and gain entrance to university.

Science and technology

Main article: Science and technology in Korea

One of the best known artifacts of Korea's history of science and technology is Cheomseongdae (첨성대, 瞻星臺), a 9. 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 Cheomseongdae is an Astronomical observatory in Gyeongju, South Korea. Cheomseongdae is an Astronomical observatory in Gyeongju, South Korea. 4-meter high observatory built in 634. It is considered to be one of the world's oldest surviving astronomical observatories.

The world's first metal mechanical movable type printing was developed in Korea in 1232 by Choe Yun-ui during the Goryeo Dynasty, modeled after widespread Chinese clay (Bi Sheng in 1041), several hundred years before Johann Gutenberg developed his metal letterset type (Cumings 1997: 65). Choe Yun-ui was a Korean civil minister during the Goryeo Dynasty. The Goryeo Dynasty ( 918 - 1392) (also spelled Koryŏ was a Sovereign state established in 918 by Taejo Wang Kon. Bì Shēng ( 990-1051 AD was the inventor of the first known Movable type Printing system Johannes Gensfleisch zur Laden zum Gutenberg ( 1398 &ndash February 3, 1468) was a German Goldsmith and printer who is credited A printing press is a mechanical device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a medium (such as paper or cloth thereby transferring an image Though the block printing was used much earlier, metal movable type printing press marked a significant development in printing allowing the same tools to be used for more diverse printings. For the use of the technique in art see Woodcut on the technique and Old master print for the history in Europe and Woodblock printing in Japan. The Jikji is the world's earliest remaining movable metal printed book, printed in Korea in 1377. Jikji is the abbreviated title of a Korean Buddhist document whose full title can be translated "The Monk Baegun's Anthology of the Great Priests' Teachings The world's earliest known surviving example of woodblock printing is the Mugujeonggwang Great Dharani Sutra. Seokgatap ( Sakyamuni Pagoda is a stone Pagoda in South Korea designated as the 21st National Treasure on December 12, 1962 ^[34] It is believed to have been printed in Korea in 750-751 AD which, if correct, would make it older than the Diamond Sutra. The Diamond Sutra is a short Mahayana Sutra of the Perfection of Wisdom genre which teaches the practice of the avoidance of abiding in extremes Goryeo silk was highly regarded by China, and Korean pottery made with blue-green celadon was of the highest quality in the world and sought after by even Arabian merchants. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Pottery is the Ceramic ware made by potters It also refers to a group of materials that includes Earthenware, Stoneware Celadon is a term for Ceramics denoting both a type glaze, and a ware of a specific color also called celadon. Goryeo had a bustling economy with a capital that was frequented by merchants from all over the known world.

During the Joseon period the earliest ironclad warships, the Geobukseon (Turtle Ship) were invented,^[35] as well as other weapons such as the Bigyeokjincheolloe (비격진천뢰, 飛擊震天雷) and the hwacha. An ironclad was a steam-propelled Warship of the later 19th century protected by Iron or Steel armor plates Construction According to the Nanjung Ilgi, Yi's wartime diary Yi decided to resurrect the turtle ship in 1591 from pre-existing designs after discussing Construction According to the Nanjung Ilgi, Yi's wartime diary Yi decided to resurrect the turtle ship in 1591 from pre-existing designs after discussing Hwacha or Hwach'a. was an Anti-personnel Gunpowder weapon developed and used in Korea, inspired by Chinese Fire arrows

The Korean alphabet hangul was also invented during this time by Sejong the Great.

See Also

• List of rulers of Korea
• Famous Korean people
• Korean name
• National treasures of North Korea
• National treasures of South Korea
• Inter-Korean Summit
• List of divided nations
• Koreans
• South Korea
• North Korea

Notes

References

• Cumings, Bruce. Korea's Place in the Sun, Norton, 1997. ISBN 0-393-31681-5
• Kim, et al. Women of Korea: A History from Ancient Times to 1945, Ewha Womans University Press, 1976. ISBN 89-7300-116-7.
• Asian Info website
• Park's Associates
• [1]
• [2]
• http://www.diamond-dilemma.com/kor/doc/TariqHussain_KoreaHerald_5Mar2007.pdf

Further reading

• Chun, Tuk Chu. "Korea in the Pacific Community. " Social Education 52 (March 1988), 182. EJ 368 177.
• Cumings, Bruce. Bruce Cumings is the Gustavus F and Ann M Swift Distinguished Service Professor in History at the University of Chicago and specializes in modern Korean history The Two Koreas. New York: Foreign Policy Association, 1984.
• Focus On Asian Studies. Special Issue: "Korea: A Teacher's Guide. " No. 1, Fall 1986.
• Gi-Wook Shin/Michael Robinson (Ed. ). Colonial modernity in Korea, Cambridge, Mass. [u. a. ] : Harvard University, Asia Center; Distributed by Harvard Univ. Press 1999, ISBN 0-674-14255-1
• Joe, W. J. & Choe, H. A. Traditional Korea: A Cultural History, Seoul: Hollym, 1997.
• Joungwon, A. K. Divided Korea: The Politics of Development, Harvard University Press, 1975.
• Lee Ki-baik. A New History Of Korea. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1984.
• Lee Sang-sup. "The Arts and Literature of Korea. " The Social Studies 79 (July-August 1988): 153-60. EJ 376 894.
• Tae-Jin, Y. "The Illegality of the Forced Treaties Leading to Japan's Annexation of the Great Han Empire," In the Korean National Commission for UNESCO, Vol. 36, No. 4, 1996.
• Dennis Hart, From Tradition to Consumption: Construction of a Capitalist Culture in South Korea. Seoul:Jimoondang Pub. 2003.

External links

Official

• Government of North Korea
• President of South Korea
• Prime Minister of South Korea
• Cultural Heritage Administration

Informative

• Wikia has a wiki on this subject: Korea
• North Korea travel guide from Wikitravel
• South Korea travel guide from Wikitravel
• Korea at the Open Directory Project

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