Three Kingdoms

Main articles: Three Kingdoms of Korea, Baekje, Goguryeo, and Silla

7th century Tang dynasty painting of envoys from the Three Kingdoms of Korea: Baekje, Goguryeo, and Silla

The Three Kingdoms of Korea consisted of Goguryeo, Silla, and Baekje. Silla and Baekje controlled
the southern half of the Korean Peninsula, maintaining the former Samhanterritories, while
Goguryeo controlled the northern half of the Korean Peninsula, Manchuria and the Liaodong
Peninsula, uniting Buyeo, Okjeo, Dongye, and other states in the former Gojoseon territories.[21]
Goguryeo was a highly militaristic state;[22][23] it was a powerful empire and one of the great powers
in East Asia,[24][25][26][27] reaching its zenith in the 5th century when its territories expanded to
encompass most of Manchuria to the north, parts of Inner Mongolia to the west,[28] parts of Russia to
the east,[29] and the Seoul region to the south.[30] Goguryeo experienced a golden age
under Gwanggaeto the Great and his son Jangsu,[31][32][33][34] who both subdued Baekje and Silla
during their times, achieving a brief unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea and becoming the
most dominant power on the Korean Peninsula.[35][36] In addition to contesting for control of the
Korean Peninsula, Goguryeo had many military conflicts with various Chinese dynasties,[37] most
notably the Goguryeo-Sui War, in which Goguryeo defeated a huge force said to number over a
million men.[38][39][40][41][42] In 642, the powerful general Yeon Gaesomunled a coup and gained complete
control over Goguryeo. In response, Emperor Tang Taizong of China led a campaign against
Goguryeo, but was defeated and retreated.[43][44] After the death of Tang Taizong, his son
Emperor Tang Gaozong allied with the Korean kingdom of Silla and invaded Goguryeo again, but
was unable to overcome Goguryeo's stalwart defenses and was defeated in 662.[45][46] However,
Yeon Gaesomun died of a natural cause in 666 and Goguryeo was thrown into chaos and weakened
by a succession struggle among his sons and younger brother, with his eldest son defecting
to Tang and his younger brother defecting to Silla.[47][48] The Tang-Silla alliance finally conquered
Goguryeo in 668. After the collapse of Goguryeo, Tang and Silla ended their alliance and fought
over control of the Korean Peninsula. Silla succeeded in gaining control over most of the Korean
Peninsula, while Tang gained control over Goguryeo's northern territories. However, 30 years after
the fall of Goguryeo, a Goguryeo general by the name of Dae Joyeong founded the Korean-Mohe
state of Balhae and successfully expelled the Tang presence from much of the former Goguryeo
territories.
Seokguram Grotto from the Silla era, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The southwestern Korean kingdom of Baekje was founded around modern-day Seoul by
a Goguryeo prince, a son of the founder of Goguryeo.[49][50][51] Baekje 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 parts of Hwanghae and Gangwon) to a
centralised government; during the expansion of its territory, Baekje acquired Chinese culture and
technology through maritime contacts with the Southern Dynasties. Baekje was a great maritime
power;[52] its nautical skill, which made it the Phoenicia of East Asia, was instrumental in the
dissemination of Buddhism throughout East Asia and continental culture to Japan.[53][54] Historic
evidence suggests that Japanese culture, art, and language were influenced by the kingdom of
Baekje and Korea itself;[27][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65] Baekje also played an important role in transmitting
advanced Chinese culture to the Japanese archipelago. Baekje was once a great military power on
the Korean Peninsula, most notably in the 4th century during the rule of Geunchogo when its
influence extended across the sea to Liaoxi and Shandong in China, taking advantage of the
weakened state of Former Qin, and Kyushu in the Japanese archipelago;[66] however, Baekje was
critically defeated by Gwanggaeto the Great and declined.[67][self-published source]

The Three Kingdoms of Korea, at the end of the 5th century

Although later records claim that Silla was the oldest of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, it is now
believed to have been the last kingdom to develop. By the 2nd century, Silla existed as a large state
in the southeast, occupying and influencing its neighboring city-states. In 562, Silla annexed
the Gaya confederacy which was located between Baekje and Silla. The Three Kingdoms of Korea
often warred with each other and Silla was often dominated by Baekje and Goguryeo. Silla was the
smallest and weakest of the three, but it used cunning diplomatic means to make opportunistic pacts
and alliances with the more powerful Korean kingdoms, and eventually Tang China, to its great
advantage.[68][69] In 660, King Muyeol ordered his armies to attack Baekje. General Kim Yu-shin, aided
by Tang forces, conquered Baekje after defeating General Gyebaek at the Battle of Hwangsanbeol.
In 661, Silla and Tang attacked Goguryeo but were repelled. King Munmu, son of Muyeol and
nephew of General Kim Yu-shin, launched another campaign in 667 and Goguryeo fell in the
following year.

North-South States Period

Main articles: North South States Period, Later Silla, and Balhae
Beginning in the 6th century, Silla's power gradually extended across the Korean Peninsula. Silla
first annexed the adjacent Gaya confederacy in 562. By the 640s, Silla formed an alliance with
the Tang Dynasty of China to conquer Baekje and later Goguryeo. After conquering Baekje and
Goguryeo, Silla repulsed Tang China from the Korean peninsula in 676. Even though Silla unified
most of the Korean Peninsula, most of the Goguryeo territories to the north of the Korean Peninsula
were ruled by Balhae. Former Goguryeo general[70][71] or chief of Sumo Mohe[72][73][74] Dae Jo-yeong led
a group of Goguryeo and Mohe refugees to the Jilin and founded the kingdom of Balhae, 30 years
after the collapse of Goguryeo, as the successor to Goguryeo. At its height, Balhae's territories
extended from southern Manchuria down to the northern Korean peninsula. Balhae was called the
"Prosperous Country in the East".[75]

Unified Silla and Balhae in the 8th century AD

Later Silla carried on the maritime prowess of Baekje, which acted like the Phoenicia of
medieval East Asia,[76] and during the 8th and 9th centuries dominated the seas of East Asia and the
trade between China, Korea and Japan, most notably during the time of Jang Bogo; in addition, Silla
people made overseas communities in China on the Shandong Peninsula and the mouth of
the Yangtze River.[77][78][79][80] Later Silla was a prosperous and wealthy country,[81] and its metropolitan
capital of Gyeongju[82] was the fourth largest city in the world.[83][84][85][86] Later Silla was a golden age of
art and culture,[87][88][89][90] as evidenced by the Hwangnyongsa, Seokguram, and Emille Bell. Buddhism
flourished during this time, and many Korean Buddhists gained great fame among Chinese
Buddhists[91] and contributed to Chinese
Buddhism,[92] including: Woncheuk, Wonhyo, Uisang, Musang,[93][94][95][96] and Kim Gyo-gak, a Silla
prince whose influence made Mount Jiuhua one of the Four Sacred Mountains of Chinese
Buddhism.[97][98][99][100][101]
Later Silla fell apart in the late 9th century, giving way to the tumultuous Later Three Kingdoms
period (892–935), and Balhae was destroyed by the Khitans in 926. Goryeo unified the Later Three
Kingdoms and received the last crown prince and much of the ruling class of Balhae, thus bringing
about a unification of the two successor nations of Goguryeo.[102]

Goryeo dynasty
Main article: Goryeo

Goryeo was founded in 918 and replaced Silla as the ruling dynasty of Korea. Goryeo's land was at
first what is now South Korea and about 1/3 of North Korea, but later on managed to recover most of
the Korean peninsula. Momentarily, Goryeo advanced to parts of Jiandao while conquering
the Jurchens, but returned the territories due to the harsh climate and difficulties in defending them.
The name "Goryeo" (高麗) is a short form of "Goguryeo" (高句麗) and was first used during the time
of King Jangsu. Goryeo regarded itself as the successor of Goguryeo, hence its name and efforts to
recover the former territories of Goguryeo.[103][104][105][106] Wang Geon, the founder of Goryeo, was of
Goguryeo descent and traced his ancestry to a noble Goguryeo clan.[107] He made Kaesong, his
hometown, the capital.
During this period, laws were codified and a civil service system was
introduced. Buddhism flourished and spread throughout the peninsula. The development
of celadon industries flourished in the 12th and 13th centuries. The publication of the Tripitaka
Koreana onto more than 80,000 wooden blocks and the invention of the world's first metal movable
type in the 13th century attest to Goryeo's cultural achievements.[5][6][7][8][9][10]

Goryeo in 1374

Goryeo had to defend frequently against attacks by nomadic empires, especially the Khitans and
the Mongols. Goryeo had a hostile relationship with the Khitans, because the Khitan Empire had
destroyed Balhae, also a successor state of Goguryeo. In 993, the Khitans, who had established
the Liao dynasty in 907, invaded Goryeo, demanding that it make amity with them. Goryeo sent the
diplomat Seo Hui to negotiate, who successfully persuaded the Khitans to let Goryeo expand to the
banks of the Amnok River, citing that in the past the land belonged to Goguryeo, the predecessor of
Goryeo.[108] During the Goryeo–Khitan War, the Khitan Empire invaded Korea twice more
in 1009 and 1018, but was defeated.
After defeating the Khitan Empire, which was the most powerful empire of its time,[109][110] Goryeo
experienced a golden age that lasted a century, during which the Tripitaka Koreana was completed,
and there were great developments in printing and publishing, promoting learning and dispersing
knowledge on philosophy, literature, religion, and science; by 1100, there were 12 universities that
produced famous scholars and scientists.[111][112]
Goryeo was invaded by the Mongols in seven major campaigns from the 1230s until the 1270s, but
was never conquered.[113] Exhausted after decades of fighting, Goryeo sent its crown prince to
the Yuan capital to swear allegiance to the Mongols; Kublai Khan accepted, and married one of his
daughters to the Korean crown prince,[113] and the dynastic line of Goryeo continued to survive under
the overlordship of the Mongol Yuan dynasty as a semi-autonomous vassal state and compulsory
ally. The two nations became intertwined for 80 years as all subsequent Korean kings married
Mongol princesses,[113] and the last empress of the Yuan dynasty was a Korean princess.[114][self-published
source]

In the 1350s, King Gongmin was free at last to reform the Goryeo government when the Yuan
dynasty began to crumble. 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. During this
tumultuous period, Goryeo momentarily conquered Liaoyang in 1356, repulsed two large invasions
by the Red Turbans in 1359 and 1360, and defeated the final attempt by the Yuan to dominate
Goryeo when General Choe Yeong defeated a Mongol tumen in 1364. During the 1380s, Goryeo
turned its attention to the Wokouthreat and used naval artillery created by Choe Museon to
annihilate hundreds of pirate ships.

Joseon dynasty
Main article: Joseon

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Donggwoldo

In 1392, the general Yi Seong-gye overthrew the Goryeo dynasty after he staged a coup and
defeated General Choe Yeong. Yi Seong-gye named his new dynasty Joseon and moved the capital
from Kaesong to Hanseong (formerly Hanyang; modern-day Seoul) and built
the Gyeongbokgung palace.[115] In 1394, he adopted Confucianism as the country's official ideology,
resulting in much loss of power and wealth by the Buddhists. The prevailing philosophy of the
Joseon dynasty was Neo-Confucianism, which was epitomized by the seonbi class, scholars who
passed up positions of wealth and power to lead lives of study and integrity.
Joseon was a nominal tributary state of China but exercised full sovereignty,[116][117] and maintained
the highest position among China's tributary states,[118][119] which also included countries such as
the Ryukyu Kingdom, Vietnam, Burma, Brunei, Laos, Thailand,[120][121][122]and the Philippines, among
others.[123][124] In addition, Joseon received tribute from Jurchens and Japanese until the 17th
century,[125][126][127] and had a small enclave in the Ryukyu Kingdom that engaged in trade with Siam
and Java.[128]
During the 15th and 16th centuries, Joseon enjoyed many benevolent rulers who promoted
education and science.[129] Most notable among them was Sejong the Great (r. 1418–50), who
personally created and promulgated Hangul, the Korean alphabet.[130] This golden age[129]saw great
cultural and scientific advancements,[131] including in printing, meteorological observation, astronomy,
calendar science, ceramics, military technology, geography, cartography, medicine, and agricultural
technology, some of which were unrivaled elsewhere.[132] Joseon implemented a class system that
consisted of yangban the noble class, jungin the middle class, yangin the common class,
and cheonin the lowest class, which included occupations such as butchers, tanners, shamans,
entertainers, and nobi, the equivalent of slaves, bondservants, or serfs.[133][134]
In 1592 and again in 1597, the Japanese invaded Korea; the Korean military at the time was
unprepared and untrained, due to two centuries of peace on the Korean Peninsula.[135]Toyotomi
Hideyoshi intended to conquer China and India[136] through the Korean Peninsula, but was defeated
by strong resistance from the Righteous Army, the naval superiority of Admiral Yi Sun-sin and
his turtle ships, and assistance from Wanli Emperor of Ming China. However, Joseon experienced
great destruction, including a tremendous loss of cultural sites such as temples and palaces to
Japanese pillaging, and the Japanese brought back to Japan an estimated 100,000–
200,000 noses cut from Korean victims.[137] Less than 30 years after the Japanese invasions,
the Manchus took advantage of Joseon's war-weakened state and invaded in 1627 and 1637, and
then went on to conquer the destabilized Ming dynasty.
After normalizing relations with the new Qing dynasty, Joseon experienced a nearly 200-year period
of peace. Kings Yeongjo and Jeongjo led a new renaissance of the Joseon dynasty during the 18th
century.[138][139]
In the 19th century, the royal in-law families gained control of the government, leading to mass
corruption and weakening of the state, with severe poverty and peasant rebellions spreading
throughout the country. Furthermore, the Joseon government adopted a strict isolationist policy,
earning the nickname "the hermit kingdom", but ultimately failed to protect itself
against imperialism and was forced to open its borders, beginning an era leading into Japanese
imperial rule.

Korean Empire
Main article: Korean Empire

The earliest surviving depiction of the Korean flag was printed in a US Navy book Flags of Maritime Nations in
July 1889.
Beginning in 1871, Japan began to exert more influence in Korea, forcing it out of China's traditional
sphere of influence. As a result of the Sino-Japanese War (1894–95), the Qing dynasty had to give
up such a position according to Article 1 of the Treaty of Shimonoseki, which was concluded
between China and Japan in 1895. That same year, Empress Myeongseong of Korea was
assassinated by Japanese agents.[140]
In 1897, the Joseon dynasty proclaimed the Korean Empire (1897–1910). King Gojong became
an emperor. During this brief period, Korea had some success in modernizing the military, economy,
real property laws, education system, and various industries. Russia, Japan, France, and the United
States all invested in the country and sought to influence it politically.
In 1904, the Russo-Japanese War pushed the Russians out of the fight for Korea. In Manchuria on
26 October 1909, An Jung-geunassassinated the former Resident-General of Korea, Itō Hirobumi,
for his role in trying to force Korea into occupation.

Japanese occupation and Japan-Korea Annexation

Main article: Korea under Japanese rule

See also: Japanese war crimes

The memorial tablet for the March 1st movement in Pagoda Park, Seoul

In 1910, an already militarily occupied Korea was a forced party to the Japan-Korea Annexation
Treaty. The treaty was signed by Lee Wan-Yong, who was given the General Power of Attorney by
the Emperor. However, the Emperor is said to have not actually ratified the treaty according to Yi
Tae-jin.[141] There is a long dispute whether this treaty was legal or illegal due to its signing under
duress, threat of force and bribes.
Korean resistance to the brutal Japanese occupation[142][143][144] was manifested in the
nonviolent March 1st Movement of 1919, during which 7,000 demonstrators were killed by Japanese
police and military.[145] The Korean liberation movement also spread to
neighbouring Manchuria and Siberia.
Over five million Koreans were conscripted for labour beginning in 1939,[146] and tens of thousands of
men were forced into Japan's military.[147] Nearly 400,000 Korean labourers died.[148] Approximately
200,000 girls and women,[149] mostly from China and Korea, were forced into sexual slavery for the
Japanese military.[150] In 1993, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono acknowledged the
terrible injustices faced by these euphemistically named "comfort women".[151][152]
During the Japanese annexation, the Korean language was suppressed in an effort to eradicate
Korean national identity. Koreans were forced to take Japanese surnames, known as Sōshi-
kaimei.[153] Traditional Korean culture suffered heavy losses, as numerous Korean cultural artifacts
were destroyed[154] or taken to Japan.[155] To this day, valuable Korean artifacts can often be found in
Japanese museums or among private collections.[156] One investigation by the South Korean
government identified 75,311 cultural assets that were taken from Korea, 34,369 in Japan and
17,803 in the United States. However, experts estimate that over 100,000 artifacts actually remain in
Japan.[155][157] Japanese officials considered returning Korean cultural properties, but to date[155] this
has not occurred.[157] Korea and Japan still dispute the ownership of the Dokdo, islets located east of
the Korean Peninsula.[158]
There was a significant level of emigration to the overseas territories of the Empire of Japan during
the Japanese occupation period, including Korea.[159] By the end of World War II, there were over
850,000 Japanese settlers in Korea.[160] After World War II, most of these overseas
Japanese repatriated to Japan.

Division
Main articles: Division of Korea, Korean conflict, and Korean reunification

Flag of North Korea

Flag of South Korea

In 1945, with the surrender of Japan, 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 politics of the Cold War resulted in the 1948 establishment of
two separate governments, North Korea and South Korea.
Satellite image of the Korean peninsula taken at night showing the extent of the division between the Koreas;
note the difference in light emitted between the two countries

The aftermath of World War II left Korea partitioned along the 38th parallel, with the north under
Soviet occupation and the south under US occupation supported by other allied states.
Consequently, North Korea, a Soviet-style socialist republic was established in the north and South
Korea; a Western-style regime, was established in the South.
North Korea is a one-party state, now centred on Kim Il-sung's Juche ideology, with a centrally
plannedindustrial economy. South Korea is a multi-party state with a capitalist market economy,
alongside membership in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and
the Group of Twenty. The two states have greatly diverged both culturally and economically since
their partition, though they still share a common traditional culture and pre-Cold War history.
Since the 1960s, the South Korean economy has grown enormously and the economic structure
was radically transformed. In 1957, South Korea had a lower per capita GDP than Ghana,[161] and by
2008 it was 17 times as high as Ghana's.[a]
According to R.J. Rummel, forced labor, executions, and concentration camps were responsible for
over one million deaths in North Korea from 1948 to 1987;[163] others have estimated 400,000 deaths
in concentration camps alone.[164] Estimates based on the most recent North Korean census suggest
that 240,000 to 420,000 people died as a result of the 1990s famine and that there were 600,000 to
850,000 unnatural deaths in North Korea from 1993 to 2008.[165] It's misleading, however, to hold that
North Korea was the sole or primary perpetrator of human rights abuses. As guerrilla activities
expanded everywhere in South Korea, the South Korean government used strong measures against
peasants, such as forcefully moving their families from guerrilla areas. The losses incurred from that
terror were: 36,000 people killed; 11,000 people wounded; and 432,000 people displaced.[166]

Korean War
Main article: Korean War

Urban combat in Seoul, 1950, as U.S. Marines fight North Koreans holding the city.

The Korean War broke out when Soviet-backed North Korea invaded South Korea, though neither
side gained much territory as a result. The Korean Peninsula remained divided, the Korean
Demilitarized Zone being the de facto border between the two states.
In June 1950 North Korea invaded the South, using Soviet tanks and weaponry. During the Korean
War (1950–53) more than 1.2 million people died and the three years of fighting throughout the
nation effectively destroyed most cities.[167] The war ended in an Armistice Agreement at
approximately the Military Demarcation Line, but the two governments are officially at war. In 2018,
the leaders of North Korea and South Korea officially signed the Panmunjom Declaration,
announcing that they will work to end the conflict.
Demographics
Main articles: Koreans, Demographics of South Korea, and Demographics of North Korea
The combined population of the Koreas is about 76 million (North Korea: 25 million, South Korea: 51
million). Korea is chiefly populated by a highly homogeneous ethnic group, the Koreans, who speak
the Korean language.[168] 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 reside.[169] It
was estimated in 2006 that only 26,700 of the old Chinese community now remain in South
Korea.[170] However, in recent years, immigration from mainland China has increased; 624,994
persons of Chinese nationality have immigrated to South Korea, including 443,566 of ethnic
Korean descent.[171] Small communities of ethnic Chinese and Japanese are also found in North
Korea.[172]

Language
Main articles: Korean language and Korean Sign Language

Hunminjeongeum, afterwards called Hangul.

Korean is the official language of both North and South Korea, and (along with Mandarin) of Yanbian
Korean Autonomous Prefecture in the Manchuria area of China. Worldwide, there are up to 80
million speakers of the Korean language. South Korea has around 50 million speakers while North
Korea around 25 million. Other large groups of Korean speakers through Korean diaspora are found
in China, the United States, Japan, former Soviet Union and elsewhere.
The classification of Korean is debated. Some linguists place it in the Altaic language family; others
consider it to be a language isolate. Korean is agglutinative in its morphology and SOV in its syntax.
Like Japanese and Vietnamese, Korean has borrowed much vocabulary from the Chinese or
created vocabulary on Chinese models.
Modern Korean is written almost exclusively in the script of the Korean alphabet (known as Hangul
in South Korea and Chosungul in China and North Korea), which was invented in the 15th century.
Korean is sometimes written with the addition of some Chinese characters called Hanja; however,
this is only occasionally seen nowadays. While Hangul may appear logographic, it is actually
a phonemic alphabet organised into syllabicblocks. Each block consists of at least two of the 24
hangul letters (jamo): at least one each of the 14 consonants and 10 vowels. Historically, the
alphabet had several additional letters (see obsolete jamo). For a phonological description of the
letters, see Korean phonology.

Culture and arts

Main articles: Culture of Korea, Korean art, Korean pottery and porcelain, Korean martial
arts, Korean dance, Korean bow, and Korean architecture

Goguryeo tombs

Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesong

Baekje Historic Areas

Changdeok Palace / Jongmyo Shrine

Gyeongju Historic Areas

Haeinsa

Hahoe

Yangdong

Hwaseong

Jeju
Namhansanseong

Royal Tombs of the Joseon

Bulguksaand Seokguram

Dolmen Sites

Sansa

Location of World Heritage Sites in Korea.[173][174]

Note: Seoul is home to three separate properties; Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty locate throughout the
country, only one site is shown on map.

Korean Buddhist architecture

Traditional Korean dance (Jinju geommu)

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).[175] Individuals
are regarded as one year old when they are born, as Koreans reckon the pregnancy period as one
year of life for infants, and age increments increase on New Year's Day rather than on the
anniversary of birthdays. Thus, one born immediately before New Year's Day may only be a few
days old in western reckoning, but two years old in Korea. Accordingly, a Korean person's stated
age (at least among fellow Koreans) will be one or two years more than their age according to
western reckoning. However, western reckoning is sometimes applied with regard to the concept
of legal age; for example, the legal age for purchasing alcohol or cigarettes in the Republic of Korea
is 19, which is measured according to western reckoning.
Literature
Main article: Korean literature
Korean literature written before the end of the Joseon Dynasty is called "Classical" or "Traditional."
Literature, written in Chinese characters (hanja), was established at the same time as the Chinese
script arrived on the peninsula. Korean scholars were writing poetry in the classical Korean style as
early as the 2nd century BC, 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, Buddhismand Taoism.
Modern literature is often linked with the development of hangul, which helped spread literacy from
the aristocracy to the common people. 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 on the wounds and chaos of war.
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.

Music
Main article: Music of Korea
Traditional Korean music includes combinations of the folk, vocal, religious and ritual music styles of
the Korean people. Korean music has been practiced since prehistoric times.[176] Korean music falls
into two broad categories. The first, Hyangak, literally means The local music or Music native to
Korea, a famous example of which is Sujechon, a piece of instrumental music often claimed to be at
least 1,300 years old.[177] The second, yangak, represents a more Western style.

Religion
Main articles: Religion in Korea, Religion in South Korea, and Religion in North Korea
See also: Korean shamanism, Korean Confucianism, Korean Buddhism, Taoism in
Korea, Christianity in Korea, and Islam in Korea

Amitabha and Eight Great Bodhisattvas, Goryeo scroll from the 1300s
Confucian tradition has dominated Korean thought, along with contributions by Buddhism, Taoism,
and Korean Shamanism. 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.
Throughout Korean history and culture, regardless of separation; the influence of traditional beliefs
of Korean Shamanism, Mahayana Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism have remained an
underlying religion of the Korean people as well as a vital aspect of their culture; all these traditions
have coexisted peacefully for hundreds of years up to today despite strong Westernisation from
Christian missionary conversions in the South[178][179][180] or the pressure from the Juche government in
the North.[181][182]
According to 2005 statistics compiled by the South Korean government, about 46% of citizens
profess to follow no particular religion. Christians account for 29.2% of the population (of which are
Protestants 18.3% and Catholics 10.9%) and Buddhists 22.8%.[183]
Islam in South Korea is practiced by about 45,000 natives (about 0.09% of the population) in
addition to some 100,000 foreign workers from Muslim countries.[184]

Cuisine
Main article: Korean cuisine
See also: Korean tea ceremony and Korean royal court cuisine

Tteokbokki, rice cakes with spicy gochujang sauce.

Koreans traditionally believe that the taste and quality of food depend on its spices and sauces, the
essential ingredients to making a delicious meal. Therefore, soybean paste, soy sauce, gochujang or
red pepper paste and kimchi are some of the most important staples in a Korean household.
Korean cuisine was greatly influenced by the geography and climate of the Korean Peninsula, which
is known for its cold autumns and winters, therefore there are many fermented dishes and hot soups
and stews.

Bulgogi and side dishes

Korean cuisine is probably best known for kimchi, a side dish which uses a
distinctive fermentation process of preserving vegetables, most commonly cabbage. Kimchi is said
to relieve the pores on the skin, thereby reducing wrinkles and providing nutrients to the skin
naturally. It is also healthy, as it provides necessary vitamins and nutrients. Gochujang, a traditional
Korean sauce made of red pepper is also commonly used, often as pepper (chilli) paste, earning the
cuisine a reputation for spiciness.
Bulgogi (roasted marinated meat, usually beef), galbi (marinated grilled short ribs),
and samgyeopsal (pork belly) are popular meat entrees. Fish is also a popular commodity, as it is
the traditional meat that Koreans eat. Meals are usually accompanied by a soup or stew, such
as galbitang (stewed ribs) or doenjang jjigae (fermented bean paste soup). The center of the table is
filled with a shared collection of sidedishes called banchan.
Other popular dishes include bibimbap which literally means "mixed rice" (rice mixed with meat,
vegetables, and red pepper paste) and naengmyeon (cold noodles).[185][186]
Instant noodles or ramyeon are a popular snack food and Koreans also enjoy food
from pojangmachas (street vendors), where customers can buy tteokbokki (rice cake and fish cake
with a spicy gochujang sauce), gimbap made of steamed white rice wrapped in dried laver
seaweed as well as fried squid and glazed sweet potato. Soondae, a sausage made of cellophane
noodles and pork blood, is widely eaten.
Additionally, some other common snacks include "Choco Pie", shrimp crackers, "bbeongtwigi"
(puffed rice grains), and "nurungji" (slightly burnt rice). Nurungji can be eaten as it is or boiled with
water to make a soup. Nurungji can also be eaten as a snack or a dessert.
Korea is unique among Asian countries in its use of metal chopsticks. Metal chopsticks have been
discovered in archaeological sites belonging to the ancient Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje
and Silla.

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

The modern South Korean school system consists of six years in elementary school, three years in
middle school, and three years in high school. Students are required to go to elementary and middle
school, and do not have to pay for their education, except for a small fee called a "School Operation
Support Fee" that differs from school to school. The Programme for International Student
Assessment, coordinated by the OECD, ranks South Korea's science education as the third best in
the world and being significantly higher than the OECD average.[187]
South Korea ranks second on math and literature and first in problem solving [citation needed]. Although
South Korean students often rank high on international comparative assessments, the education
system is criticised for emphasising too much upon passive learning and memorization. The South
Korean education system is rather notably strict and structured as compared to its counterparts in
most Western societies. Also, the prevalence of non-school for-profit private institutes such as
academies or cram schools (Hagwon [학원]), which too emphasise passive memorisation, as
opposed to conceptual understanding, in students are criticised as a major social problem. After
students enter university, however, the situation is markedly reversed. [citation needed] In Korea, university
is hard to enter, and graduation is comparatively easier than entry.
The North Korean education system consists primarily of universal and state funded schooling by
the government. The national literacy rate for citizens 15 years of age and above is over 99
percent.[188][189] Children go through one year of kindergarten, four years of primary education, six
years of secondary education, and then on to universities. The most prestigious university in the
DPRK is Kim Il-sung University. Other notable universities include Kim Chaek University of
Technology, which focuses on computer science, Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies, which
trains working level diplomats and trade officials, and Kim Hyong Jik University, which trains
teachers.
Outside the formal structure of schools and classrooms in the north is the extremely important
"social education". This education includes not only extracurricular activities but also family life and
the broadest range of human relationships within society. There is great sensitivity to the influence of
the social environment on the growing child and its role in the development of his or her character.
The ideal of social education is to provide a carefully controlled environment in which children are
exposed only to pro-Juche and anti-south influences. According to a North Korean official
interviewed in 1990, 'School education is not enough to turn the rising generation into men of
knowledge, virtue, and physical fitness. After school, our children have many spare hours. So it's
important to efficiently organise their afterschool education'.

Science and technology

Main article: History of science and technology in Korea
See also: List of Korean inventions and discoveries

Jikji, Selected Teachings of Buddhist Sages and Seon Masters, the earliest known book printed with movable
metal type, 1377. Bibliothèque Nationale de Paris.

One of the best known artifacts of Korea's history of science and technology is
the Cheomseongdae (첨성대, 瞻星臺), a 9.4-meter high observatory built in 634.
The earliest known surviving Korean example of woodblock printing is the Mugujeonggwang Great
Dharani Sutra.[190] It is believed to have been printed in Korea in 750–51, which if correct, would
make it older than the Diamond Sutra.
During the Goryeo Dynasty, metal movable type printing was invented by Choe Yun-ui in
1234.[191][7][192][193][10][5] This invention made printing easier, more efficient and also increased literacy,
which observed by Chinese visitors was seen to be so important where it was considered to be
shameful to not be able to read.[194] The Mongol Empire later adopted Korea's movable type printing
and spread as far as Central Asia. There is conjecture as to whether or not Choe's invention had any
influence on later printing inventions such as Gutenberg's Printing press.[195] When
the Mongols invaded Europe they inadvertently introduced different kinds of Asian technology.[citation
needed]

During the Joseon period, the Turtle Ship was invented, which were covered by a wooden deck and
iron with thorns,[196][197][198] as well as other weapons such as the bigyeokjincheolloe
cannon (비격진천뢰, 飛擊震天雷) and the hwacha.
The Korean alphabet hangul was also invented during this time by King Sejong the Great.

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

North Korea and South Korea usually compete as two separate nations in international events.
There are, however, a few examples of them having competed as one entity, under the name Korea.
While association football remains one of the most popular sports in South Korea, the martial art
of taekwondo is considered to be the national sport. Baseball and golf are also popular.

Taekwondo
Main article: Taekwondo
Taekwondo is one of Korea's most famous sports. It combines combat techniques, self-defense,
sport, exercise and in some cases meditation and philosophy. Taekwondo has become an official
Olympic sport, starting as a demonstration event in 1988 (when South Korea hosted the Games in
Seoul) and becoming an official medal event in 2000. There are two main authoritative Taekwondo
organizations in the world. One is World Taekwondo (formerly World Taekwondo Federation and the
larger of the two) and the other is ITF (International Taekwondo Federation).

Hapkido
Main article: Hapkido
Hapkido is a modern Korean martial art with a grappling focus that employs joint locks, throws, kicks,
punches and other striking attacks like attacks against pressure points. Hapkido emphasizes circular
motion, non-resisting movements and control of the opponent. Practitioners seek to gain advantage
through footwork and body positioning to employ leverage, avoiding the pure use of strength against
strength.

Ssireum
Main article: Ssireum
Ssireum is a traditional form of wrestling that has been practiced in Korea for thousands of years,
with evidence discovered from Goguryeo of Korea's Three Kingdoms Period (57 BCto 688). Ssireum
is the traditional national sport of Korea. During a match, opponents grip each other by sash belts
wrapped around the waist and the thigh, attempting to throw their competitor to the sandy ground of
the ring. The first opponent to touch the ground with any body part above the knee or to lose hold of
their opponent loses the round.
Ssireum competitions are traditionally held twice a year, during the Dano Festival (the 5th day of the
fifth lunar month) and Chuseok (the 15th day of the 8th lunar month). Competitions are also held
throughout the year as a part of festivals and other events.

Comparison of the two countries of Korea

Indicator North Korea South Korea

Capital Pyongyang Seoul

Official languages Korean

Official scripts Chosŏn'gŭl Hangul

Government Juche single-party state Representative democracy

Formal declaration 9 September 1948 15 August 1948

Area 120,540 km2 100,210 km2

Population (2014/2013 est.) 24,851,627 50,219,669

GDP total (2011/2014 est.) $40 billion $1.755 trillion

GDP/capita (2011/2014
$1,800 $34,777
est.)

Korean People's won (sign: ₩, ISO: Korean Republic won (₩,

Currency
KPW) KRW)

Calling code +850 +82

Internet TLD .kp .kr

Drives on the right

Active military personnel 1,106,000 639,000

Military expenditure
$10 billion $30 billion
(2010/2012)
Notable public holidays in South Korea
Main article: List of public holidays in South Korea

Independence Movement Day, March 1st

Samiljeol, Independence Movement Day, commemorates Korea's declaration of independence from
Japanese occupation on March 1, 1919. The name is derived from Korean 삼 "sam" 'three', 일 "il"
'one,' and 절 "jeol" 'day', the date of the uprising in 1919. Korea was annexed to the Empire of Japan
on August 29, 1910 following the imposed Japan-Korea Treaty. On March 1, 1919, Korean
presented their resistance towards Japan and Japanese occupation with a declaration of
independence. Following the conclusion of World War II, Korea was liberated from Japan and its
independence restored. The newly established Korean government set aside March 1 as a national
holiday to commemorate the sacrifices borne in the long struggle for Korean independence.

Memorial day, June 6th

Hyunchoongil is the national holiday in Korea commemorating those who fought and died for the
nation. In August 1948, only a few years after Korea achieved its independence from Japan, the
Korean War, in Korea also known as the 6.25 war, broke out between North and South Korea.
During this war, approximately 400,000 soldiers and some one million citizens were killed or injured.
In 1953, North and South Korea agreed to a cease-fire, and three years later the Korean
government established Hyungchoogil to commemorate the soldiers who fought in the Korean War.
Subsequent to its establishment, Hyungchoogil was reinterpreted as a day of remembrance for
those who died defending Korea in all conflicts, not only during the Korean War.

National Liberation Day, August 15th

Gwangbokjeol is the day for celebrating liberation of the country from Japan in 1945 as well as
celebrating the establishment of Korean government in 1948. Gwangbok means "returned light"
representing gaining national sovereignty from Japan. It was first declared to be national holiday in
1949 October 1. On this date every year, the president of Korea visits Independence Hall, and
invites diplomatic envoys from many countries and all social standings in countries to Cheongwadae
(the Blue House, the Korean presidential residence).

Hangul Day, October 9th

Hangul Day (also spelled as Hangeul Day) is a day that celebrates the creation of
the Hunminjeongeum (Hangul, Korean alphabet), which was inscribed to the UNESCO Memory of
the World Register in 1997.[199] Hangul was created by Sejong the Great in 1443 and proclaimed in
1446. Before the creation of Hangul, people in Korea (known as Joseon at the time) primarily wrote
using Classical Chinese alongside native phonetic writing systems that predate Hangul by hundreds
of years, including idu, hyangchal, gugyeol, and gakpil.[200][201][202][203] However, due to the fundamental
differences between the Korean and Chinese languages, and the large number of characters
needed to be learned, there was much difficulty in learning how to write using Chinese characters for
the lower classes, who often didn't have the privilege of education. To assuage this problem, King
Sejong created the unique alphabet known as Hangul to promote literacy among the common
people.[204] Hangul Day was founded in 1926 during the Japanese occupation by members of
the Korean Language Society, whose goal was to preserve the Korean language during a time of
rapid forced Japanization.[205] Today, both South Korea and North Korea celebrate Hangul Day as a
national holiday.