Korea


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Korea is a peninsula in eastern Asia where people have lived since 12,000 -
15,000 years ago. It was once a huge unified country that had governed
territories in Manchuria and limited territories of what is called Siberia
today. At one point, it was the world's center for the very best silk in the
world as noted by ancient Chinese scripts (but unknown to Europeans) and had
the world's best goldsmiths during the 7th-8th Century. The art of movable
metal type was invented in Korea before 1232, long before Gutenberg's
inception in Europe.

Politically it is currently divided into the communist country of North
Korea and the capitalist country of South Korea, since the 1950s when the
Korean War occurred. For more on the regions of Korea (both North and
South), see Provinces of Korea. The nation is renowned for its traditional
dish called kimchi (see Korean cuisine) - which was developed by an
innovative and unique process of preserving dietary vegetables (i.e.
fermentation) before electric refrigeration existed.

Names

In Korean, Korea is referred to as "Chos?n"  in the North and "Hanguk" in the
south. The western name "Korea" is a neutral name often used by both countries
in international contexts. There are complex historical reasons for the use of
all three names, of which the following paragraph is a summary.

Before the Three Kingdoms Period, "Joseon" was the name of various early
states in northern Korea, while "Han" was used in the names of several
tribal confederacies in the south. (According to the Dangun myth, "Old
Joseon" was the first Korean state.) In the 660s, the kingdoms of Baekje and
Goguryeo came under the control of Silla, and Korea was called "Silla" (or
Unified Silla by modern historians) from then until the 10th century. In
936, the newly formed kingdom of Goryeo defeated Silla. From Goryeo came
"Cauli" (the Italian spelling of the name Marco Polo gave to the country in
his Travels), from which came the English names "Corea" and the now more
commonly used "Korea." (For the Corea-vs.-Korea debate, please see Names of
Korea.) In 1392, the Joseon Dynasty came to power and the country was
renamed "Joseon" (Daejoseonguk in full, or "Great Joseon Nation.") In 1897,
the Korean Empire (Daehan Jeguk) was formed, reviving the name "Han." In
1910, Korea was annexed by Japan and the name reverted to "Joseon" ("Chosen"
in Japanese). In 1919, the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea
was formed in Shanghai, which used the name "Republic of Korea" (Daehan
Minguk), a modified form of the name "Korean Empire." After independence
from Japan and the country's division in 1945, the southern
American-occupied zone became the "Republic of Korea" (or Hanguk for short
in Korean) in 1948, due to the influence of the non-Communist Shanghai
group. Meanwhile, the northern Soviet-occupied zone became the "Democratic
People's Republic of Korea" (or Joseon for short in Korean) under the
control of Kim Il-sung, who wished to use the name "Joseon" for its ancient
and northern connotations.

History of Korea

Prehistory

There exists archaelogical evidence that people were living in Korea during
the Palaeolithic period - i.e., before the last ice age (roughly 18,000 to
12,000 years ago). According to classic legend, Korea's first large social
civilization, Go-Chosun, was founded by the man-god Dangun (Tangun) in 2333
BC.

Ancient History

According to a few ancient transcripts, a Chinese exile Jizi (Gija) led
5,000 followers to the mountainous peninsula and founded a kingdom called
Gija Joseon in 1122 BC by merging with existent populations. Historians are
still debating migration of individuals that occurred around this period,
and some do not accept this chapter as being solely true.

Three Kingdoms Period

In the period 57 BC to AD 668, the Three Kingdoms of Silla (or Shilla),
Goguryeo, and Baekje existed, as well as the minor kingdom of Gaya (which
was eventually absorbed into Silla). All three major kingdoms were
influenced by China. Buddhism was introduced in 372. In 660 the stronger
kingdom, Silla (also known as Koryu) allied with China's (Tang Dynasty) and
overthrew Baekje (in 660) and Goguryeo (in 668). While Silla was forging
diplomatic ties with China, Baekje had sustained a close relationship to
Japan - and helped build the Nara Period (see Yamato) - before it completely
fell to the Silla-Tang alliance. During the Unified Silla period (681 to
935) Buddhism expanded, and culture developed substantially.

Goryeo

The kingdom of Goryeo was founded in 918 and replaced Silla as the dominant
power in Korea in the years 935-936. ("Goryeo" is a short form of "Goguryeo"
and the source of the English name "Korea.") The kingdom lasted until 1392.
During this period laws were codified, and a civil service system was
introduced. Buddhism flourished, and spread throughout the peninsula. In
1231 the Mongols invaded Korea and after 25 years of struggle the royal
family surrendered. For the following 150 years the Goryeo ruled, but under
the control of the Mongols.

Joseon

In 1392 a Korean general, Yi Seonggye, was sent to China to campaign against
the Ming Dynasty, but instead he allied himself with the Chinese, and
returned to overthow the Goryeo king and establish a new dynasty. The Joseon
Dynasty moved the capital to Hanseong (formerly Hanyang; modern-day Seoul)
in 1394 and adopted Confucianism as the country's official religion,
resulting in much loss of power and wealth by the Buddhists. During this
period, the Hangeul alphabet was introduced by King Sejong in 1443.

Joseon (as Korea was called during the Joseon Dynasty) suffered invasions by
Japan (1592 to 1598). Korea's most famous military figure, Admiral Yi
Sun-sin was instrumental in defeating the invasion. The Manchus (1627 to
1636). Throughout most of its rule, the Joseon Dynasty were in a tributary
relationship to the Chinese.

The 19th century

During the 19th century, Korea tried to prevent the opening of the country
to foreign trade by closing the borders to all nations but China, resulting
in it being called the Hermit Kingdom by many. In 1871, the United States
first met Korea militarily, in what the Koreans call the Shinmiyangyo.
Beginning in 1876 the Japanese forced trade agreements on Korea, won
influence over Korea following the Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895), and
assassinated Queen Min in 1895. In 1897, Joseon was renamed Daehan Jeguk
(Korean Empire), and King Gojong became Emperor Gojong. A period of Russian
influence followed, until Japan defeated Russia in the Russo-Japanese War
(1904-1905). Korea became a protectorate of Japan on 25 July 1907, the 1905
Protectorate Treaty having been promulgated without Emperor Gojong's
required seal. In 1910 the country was officially annexed by Japan
establishing the Japanese Colonial Period in Korea.

Japanese Colonial Period

In 1910 Japan annexed Korea by military force. Korea continued to be a
Japanese colony until Japan's surrender to the Allied Forces on 15 August
1945.

During the colonial rule Koreans were deprived of many rights, including
freedom of assembly and association, free speech and an independent press. A
Japanese school system was introduced, where subjects such as Korean history
and language were dropped in favour of their Japanese equivalents.

Modern Transport and communication networks were established across the
nation. This facilitated Japanese commerce. Koreans were barred from
engaging in similar activities. Many farmers were stripped of their land
after failing to register their ownership with the colonial rulers. Joint
ownership as it was common in Korea at the time was not recognized by Japan.

After the former Korean emperor Gojong had died, anti-Japanese rallies took
place nationwide on 1 March 1919 (the March 1st (Samil) Movement). A
declaration of independence was read in Seoul. It is estimated that 2
million people took part in these rallies. This peaceful protest was
brutally suppressed by the colonial rulers: an estimated 47,000 were
arrested, 7,500 killed and 16,000 wounded.

As a consequence Japan's iron rule was softened. A constabulary force
replaced the gendarmerie and partial freedom was given to the press. The
oppression of the people and the exploitation of Korea's resources
continued, although using different methods. Japan's speedy development as a
capitalist society was only possible at the expense of Korean people,
although as a by-product of the colonization Korea was industrialized.

Continued anti-Japanese rallies, such as the nationwide uprising of students
in November 1929, led to the reinstating of military rule in 1931. After the
outbreaks of the Sino-Japanese War in 1937 and World War II Japan attempted
to wipe out Korea as a nation. Worship at Japanese Shinto shrines was made
compulsory. The school curriculum was radically modified to reflect the
changed policies. Korean people were forced to adopt Japanese names whilst
the celebration of Korean culture was suppressed. Newspapers were prohibited
from publishing in Korean and the study of Korean history was banned at
university. Hundreds of thousands of able-bodied Koreans were drafted to
work in Japanese mines and factories. Many Korean men were forced to join
the Japanese military to fight against China whilst many women were forced
to work as comfort women.

During the Colonial Period, the Provisional Government of the Republic of
Korea was established in Shanghai. On December 11, 1941 this provisional
government declared war again and fought with its Korean Restoration Army
alongside the Allied Forces. Seven days after the sundering of the
friendship Pact, Soviet tanks invaded Korea from Siberia, meeting little to
no resistance. Japan surrendered to the Allied Forces on 15 August 1945,
ending 35 years of formal colonial rule. US forces under General Hodge,
would not arrive to southern part of Korea until September 8th. Colonel Dean
Rusk proposed splitting Korea at the 38th parallel at an emergency US
meeting to determine spheres of influence during this time.

List of Japanese governors-general in Korea

The Division of Korea

The surrender of Japan, the earlier collapse of Nazi Germany, combined with
fundamental shifts in global politics and ideology, led to the division of
Korea into two occupation zones effectively starting on September 8, 1945,
with the United States administering the southern half of the peninsula and
the Soviet Union taking over the area north of the 38th parallel. This
division was meant to be temporary and was first intended to return a
unified Korea back to its people until the United States, United Kingdom,
Soviet Union, and Republic of China could arrange a trusteeship
administration.

At the Cairo Conference on 1 December 1945, it was agreed that Korea would
be free "in due course as one unified country;" at a later meeting in Yalta
in February 1945, it was agreed to establish a four-power trusteeship over
Korea. In December 1945, a conference convened in Moscow to discuss the
future of Korea. A 5-year trusteeship was discussed, and a joint
Soviet-American commission was established. The commission met
intermittently in Seoul but deadlocked over the issue of establishing a
national government. In September 1947, with no solution in sight, the
United States submitted the Korean question to the UN General Assembly.

Initial hopes for a unified, independent Korea quickly evaporated as the
politics of the Cold War and domestic opposition to the trusteeship plan
resulted in the 1948 establishment of two separate nations with
diametrically opposed political, economic, and social systems. In June 1950
the Korean War broke out, ending any hope of a peaceful reunification for
the mean time. See History of North Korea and History of South Korea for the
post-war period.