HISTORY

HISTORY  

The Prehistoric Age

Archaeological findings have indicated that the first settlements on the Korean Peninsula occurred 700,000 years ago.

Gojoseon (2333 - 108 B.C)

According to legend, the mythical figure Dan-gun founded Gojseon, the first Korean Kingdom , in 2333 B.C. Subsequently, several tribes moved from the southern part of Manchuria to the Korean Peninsula .

The Three Kingdoms Period (57 B.C. - A.D. 676)

The three kingdoms, Goguryeo (also known as "Koguryo"), Baekje and Silla, were established in the 1st century A.D. During this period, the kingdom's political systems, religions (Buddhism and Confucianism), and cultures developed.   The Unified Silla(676-935) The Unified Silla Kingdom promoted the development of culture and arts, and the popularity of Buddhism reached its peak during this period. The Unified Silla Kingdom declined because of contention for supremacy among the noble classes, and was annexed by Goryeo in 935.   Balhae(698-926) The Balhae Kingdom began to emerge just as the Goguryeo kingdom was on the verge of collapsing. Goguryeo General, Dae Joyeong founded Balhae along with his army of displaced peoples. At one point, Balhae became so powerful that it was able to acquire territories in northern and eastern parts of China . At those times, the Tang Dynasty of China referred to Balhae as 'the strong country by the sea in the east.' The significance of the Balhae Kingdom is greatly inherited from Goguryeo, including the land that it was able to retrieve.   The Goryeo Dynasty (918 - 1392) The Goryeo Dynasty was established in 918. Buddhism became the state religion during this time and greatly influenced politics and culture. Famous items produced during this time include Goryeo celadon and the Tripitaka Koreana. Jikjisimgyeong, Buddhist scripture printed with the world's first movable metal type developed in Korea during Goryeo Dynasty, is at least 78 years older than the first Gutenberg Bible. The Goryeo Dynasty's strength decreased gradually in the latter half of the 14th century.   The Joseon Dynasty (1392 - 1910) The Joseon Dynasty was formed at the end of the 14th century. Confucianism became the state ideology and exerted a massive influence over the whole of society. The Joseon Dynasty produced Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, which was invented in 1443, during the reign of King Sejong. The dynasty's power declined later because of foreign invasions, beginning with the Japanese invasion of 1592.   The Japanese Colonial Period (1910 - 1945) In 1876, the Joseon Dynasty was forced to adopt an open-door policy regarding Japan . The Japanese annexation of Korea concluded in 1910, and Korean people had to suffer under the Japanese colonial rule until the surrender of Japan in 1945, which ended World War II.   Establishment of the Korean Government (1945-1948) Korea was liberated from Japanese oppression on August 15, 1945, but it soon faced the tragic division of North and South along the 38th parallel. Both regions were placed under temporary military rule by the U.S. and Soviet armies. In 1948 with the help of the United Nations, South Korea held an election on May 10th and elected Dr. Rhee Syngman president. On August 15th of that same year, an official declaration was made about the birth of the South Korean government. On the other hand, North Korea formed the Provisional People's Committee for North Korea , led by Kim Il-sung, in February 1946. On September 9, 1948, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was officially founded. The Korean War (1950-1953) In the early hours of June 25th, 1950, North Korea attempted a forcible unification of North and South Korea by invading South Korea over the 38th parallel. In response, military help from over 16 nations helped defend South Korea against the threat of communism under the leadership of UN General Douglas MacArthur. China and the Soviet Union lent their military might to North Korea . The war continued over the next 3 years until coming to an end on July 27th 1953, with a peace agreement signed at Panmunjeom, located in the DMZ. Not only did the war ravage the peninsula, it also heightened hostile sentiments between the North and South, making reunification a difficult task.   The Aftermath of War (1954-Current) The Rhee Syngman government focused on an anti-communist approach to government beginning in 1954, but in 1960 the government's power collapsed with the student's anti government movement, the 4.19 Revolution. In 1963, Park Chung-hee was elected president and ruled with a controversial iron fist for the next 17 years. President Park Chung-hee's 'Saemaeul Undong' (New Community Movement, an effort to modernize Korea that began in 1970) brought about much progress in South Korea , and the systematic approach to economic development also yielded increased exports and positive returns. But with the democratic movement in progress and the citizens becoming wary of such extended rule, Park Chung-hee's life ended in a 1979 assassination. Afterwards in 1980, Chun Doo-hwan came to power and continued to lead the nation with an authoritarian slant as had been the case with former rulers. His rule came to an end in 1987 after massive protests across the country demanded democracy. In 1988 the Roh Tae-woo government started off the year on a good note by successfully hosting the 1988 Seoul Olympics. His government went on to join the UN in 1991. The Kim Young-sam government which began in 1993 implemented a new system in which people were required to use their real names when making financial transactions, a much needed revolution at the time. In 1998, Kim Dae-jung was elected president and threw his efforts into overcoming the IMF financial catastrophe that hit Asia in 1997, and also hosted the 17th FIFA World Cup in 2002. President Kim Dae-jung was also the winner of the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize for his Sunshine Policy regarding North Korea . President Rho Moo-hyun's term began in 2003 aiming, to achieve economic growth, and develop Korea as the hus of Asia with a more democratic style of leadership. On the other hand, North Korea has been ruled by Kim Jeong-il since the death of Kim Il-Sung in 1994. Faced with dire economic situations, North Korea has begun to implement partial free trade in an effort to remedy the situation. North and South Korea jointly signed an agreement on July 4th, 1972 concerning the reunification of the two Koreas , and in 2000 Kim Dae-jung and Kim Jeong-il took early steps to explore reunification, improving the economy, and solving the problem of separated families. The family reunification program, started in 1985, continues until this day. In 1998, South Korean citizens began to be admitted into North Korea to tour the Geumgangsan Diamond Mountains .

CLIMATE

Four Distinct Seasons Korea 's climate is regarded as a continental climate from a temperate standpoint and a monsoonal climate from a precipitation standpoint. The climate of Korea is characterized by four distinct seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter.  

Spring           

Spring lasts from late March to May and is warm. Various flowers, including the picturesque cherry blossom, cover the nation's mountains and fields during this time. 

 Summer             

 Summer lasts from June to early September. It is a hot and humid time of the year.  

                  Autumn            

 Autumn lasts from September to November, and produces mild weather. It is the best season for visiting Korea . 

                    Winter        

Winter lasts from December to mid-March. It can be bitterly cold during this time due to the influx of cold Siberian air. Heavy snow in the northern and eastern parts of Korea makes favorable skiing conditions.  

ABOUT KOREA

ABOUT KOREA 

 Location           

The Korean Peninsula is located in the northeast region of the Asian continent. The Korean territory consists of a peninsula that juts out to the southeast and some 3,200 islands. It borders China and Russia to the north and faces Japan across the Straits of Korea to the southeast.

Geographical coordinates

Korea is located between the latitudes of 33 and 43 degrees north and the longitudes of 124 and 132 degrees east. The east longitude of 127 degrees and 30 minutes and the north latitude of 38 degrees cross the middle of the peninsula. 
 
 
 Territory
 
The Korean Constitution declares the territory of the Republic of Korea consists of the Korean Peninsula and its adjacent islands.

Area

 Total territorial area: 222,300km²
 Area of South Korea: 99,600km² (45% of the total area)

Topographical features

 The Korean Peninsula stretches north-south, but when its islands are included, the east-west span is longer. The distance from
the northernmost tip to the southernmost one is about 840km. From the easternmost part to the westernmost is roughly 1,200km.

 Seventy-five percent of the territory is composed of mountainous terrain.

 Korea’s northern and eastern regions are generally higher in altitude than other parts of the country, while the southern and
western areas are gentle in slope. Thus, the eastern and northern parts of the country are mountainous, while the western and
southern areas are mainly composed of plains. 

Mountains and rivers                     

             
 
The highest mountain in the Korean Peninsula is Mt. Baekdu (2,744m) on the northern border. The highest peak in South Korea is
on Mt. Halla (1,950m) in Jeju Island.

 Most of the rivers in Korea flow from east to west.

 The longest river on the Korean Peninsula is Aprok River (a.k.a. Yalu River, 790.7km), and the second longest one in all of Korea,
and also the longest in South Korea, is Nakdong River (525.15km). Other major rivers that measure longer than 400 kilometers
include Duman River (a.k.a. Tumen River, 431.1km) and Daedong River (450.3km) in North Korea and Han River (514.4km) and
Geum River (401.4km) in South Korea.

Borders

 The Aprok River marks the northern border to China and the Duman River to Russia.

 The East Sea stands between Korea and Japan to the east and the Yellow Sea (West Sea) separates Korea and China to the west.
The Korean Peninsula borders the Pacific Ocean to the south