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Korea

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Asian Countries;
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                                                                     Korea
                                                   Location of Korea
                                               Entrance to Gyeongbokgung
                                               Joseon dynasty royal throne

   Korea ( Korean: 한국 or 조선, see below) is a geographic area,
   civilization, and former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East
   Asia. The peninsula is currently divided into North Korea and South
   Korea, and borders China to the northwest and Russia to the northeast,
   with Japan situated to the southeast across the Korea Strait.

   Korea began with the founding of Gojoseon in 2333 BC, according to the
   Dangun legend. Limited linguistic evidence suggests possible Altaic-
   Tungusic origins of these people, whose northern Mongolian Steppe
   culture absorbed immigrants and invaders from northern China. The
   adoption of the Chinese writing system (" hanja" in Korean) in the 2nd
   century BCE, and Buddhism in the 4th century CE, had profound effects
   on its society. Koreans later passed on these, as well as their own
   advances, to Japan.

   After the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea by Silla in 676,
   Korea was ruled by a single government and maintained political and
   cultural independence, despite the Mongol invasions of the Goryeo
   Dynasty in the 13th century and Japanese invasions of the Joseon
   Dynasty in the 16th century. In 1377, Korea produced the Jikji, the
   world's oldest printed document using movable metal type. In the 15th
   century, the turtle ships, possibly the world's first ironclad
   warships, were deployed, and during the reign of King Sejong the Great,
   the Korean alphabet hangul was created.

   During the latter part of the Joseon Dynasty, Korea's isolationist
   policy earned it the Western nickname the " Hermit Kingdom". By the
   late 19th century, the country became the object of colonial designs by
   the imperial aggressors of Japan and Europe. In 1910, Korea was
   forcibly annexed by Japan and remained occupied until the end of World
   War II in 1945.

   In 1945, Soviet Union and United States troops occupied the northern
   and southern halves of the country, respectively. The two Cold War
   enemies helped establish governments sympathetic to their own
   ideologies, leading to Korea's current division into two political
   entities: North Korea and South Korea.

Names of Korea

   The name "Korea" derives from the Goryeo period of Korean history,
   which in turn referred to the ancient kingdom of Goguryeo. It 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 Chosŏn (
   Korean chosŏn'gŭl: 조선; hanja: 朝鮮; McCune-Reischauer: Chosǒn; revised:
   Joseon ) by North Korea and Han-guk ( hangul: 한국

   hanja
          韓國

   revised
          Hanguk

   McCune-Reischauer
          Han'guk) by South Korea.

History

   There is archaeological evidence that people were living on the Korean
   Peninsula around 700,000 years ago, during the Lower Paleolithic. The
   earliest known Korean pottery dates to around 8000 BC, and the
   Neolithic period begins around 6000 BC. According to the Dangun legend,
   Gojoseon was founded in 2333 BC. 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 BC. The original capital may have been at the Manchuria-Korea
   border, but was later moved to today's Pyongyang, North Korea. In 108
   BC, the Chinese Han Dynasty defeated Wiman Joseon and installed four
   commanderies in the area of Liaoning. By 75 BC, three of those
   commanderies had fallen, but one commandery remained under Chinese
   control until 313 AD.
   The Three Kingdoms of Korea in the 5th century.
   Enlarge
   The Three Kingdoms of Korea in the 5th century.

   The Three Kingdoms of Korea ( Goguryeo, Silla, and Baekje) dominated
   the peninsula and parts of Manchuria during the early Common Era. 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 was the most dominant power, but was at constant war with the
   Sui and Tang dynasties of China. Founded around today's Seoul, the
   southwestern kingdom Baekje extended beyond Pyongyang during the peak
   of its powers in the 4th century. Although later records claim Silla,
   in the southeast, was the oldest of the three kingdoms, it is now
   believed to have been the last kingdom to develop.

   In the 5th, 6th, and 7th centuries, Silla's power gradually extended
   across Korea. Silla first annexed the adjacent Gaya confederacy. By the
   660s, Silla formed an alliance with the Tang Dynasty of China to
   conquer Baekje and later Goguryeo. After repelling Chinese forces,
   Silla established the first unified state to cover most of Korea; this
   period is often called Unified Silla. After the fall of Goguryeo,
   former Goguryeo general Dae Joyeong led a group of Koreans to the Jilin
   area in Manchuria and founded Balhae (698 AD - 926 AD) as the successor
   to Goguryeo. 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, and many remaining people from
   Balhae entered into Goryeo.

   Unified Silla fell apart in the late 9th century, giving way to the
   tumultuous Later Three Kingdoms period (892-936), which ended with the
   establishment of the Goryeo Dynasty. During the Goryeo period, laws
   were codified, a civil service system was introduced, and Buddhism
   flourished. Conflict increased between civil and military officials as
   the latter were degraded and poorly paid. In 1238, the Mongolian Empire
   invaded. After nearly thirty years of war, the two sides signed a
   treaty that favored the Mongols. In the 1340s, as the Mongol Empire
   declined rapidly, and Korea was able to pursue reform without
   interference.

   In 1392, the general Yi Seong-gye established the Joseon Dynasty
   (1392-1910) with a largely bloodless coup. The Joseon Dynasty is
   believed to have been the longest-lived actively ruling dynasty in East
   Asia. King Sejong the Great (1418-1450) promulgated Hangul, the Korean
   alphabet, and this period saw various other cultural and technological
   advances. Between 1592-1598, Japan invaded Korea, but was eventually
   repelled with the aid of China. In the 1620s and 1630s Joseon suffered
   invasions by the Manchu Qing Dynasty, who eventually also conquered the
   Chinese Ming Dynasty.

   Beginning in the 1870s, Japan began to force Korea to move out of
   China's sphere of influence into its own. In 1895, Empress Myeongseong
   of Korea was assassinated by the Japanese under Miura Goro's directive
   (Kim et al. 1976). In 1910, Japan forced Korea to sign the Japan-Korea
   Annexation Treaty, although executed by Korean ministers and advisors
   rather than the Korean head of state, the emperor.

   Korean resistance to the brutal Japanese occupation was manifested in
   the massive nonviolent March 1st Movement of 1919, where 7,000
   demonstrators were killed by Japanese police and military. Thereafter
   the Korean independence movement was largely active in neighboring
   Manchuria and Siberia.

   Over five million Koreans were conscripted for labor beginning in 1939
   and tens of thousands of men were conscripted into Japan's military.
   Approximately 200,000 girls and women, mostly from Korea and China,
   were pressed into work as sex slaves, euphemistically called " comfort
   women".

   The Korean language was banned in official documents and Koreans were
   obligated to adopt Japanese names. Traditional Korean culture suffered
   heavy losses, as numerous Korean cultural artifacts were destroyed or
   taken to Japan. To this day, valuable Korean artifacts can often be
   found in Japanese museums or among private collectors. One
   investigation by the South Korea 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.

   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 politics of the Cold War resulted in the
   1948 establishment of two separate governments, North Korea and South
   Korea. The Korean War began in June 1950 and lasted until 1953.
   Millions of civilians died and the United States waged a bombing
   campaign over North Korea that effectively destroyed most cities. The
   war ended in a ceasefire agreement at approximately the same boundary.
   Both Korean states proclaim eventual reunification as a goal.

Geography

   A view of Seoraksan Mountain.
   Enlarge
   A view of Seoraksan Mountain.

   Korea is located on the Korean Peninsula in North-East Asia. It is
   bound by two countries and three seas. To the northwest, the Yalu River
   separates Korea from China and to the northeast, the Tumen River
   separates Korea from Russia. 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. Notable islands include Jeju-do, Ulleung-do, and Dokdo.

   The southern part and western part of the Korean mainland have well
   developed plains, while the eastern and northern parts are mountainous.
   The highest mountain in Korea is Mt. Baekdu (2744 m, Chinese say
   Changbaishan). The border with China runs through the mountain. The
   southern extension of Mt. Baekdu is a highland called Gaema Gowon. This
   highland was mainly raised during the Cenozoic orogeny and partly
   covered by volcanic matter. To the south of Gaema Gowon, successive
   high mountains are located along the eastern coast of the peninsula.
   This series of mountains is named Baekdudaegan. 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). 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 NW, NWW.

   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 Mt. Halla (1950 m) is the highest in South Korea.
   Ulleung-do is a volcanic island in the Sea of Japan, who's composition
   is more feslic than Jeju-do. The volcanic islands tend to be younger as
   one moves westward.

   Because the mountainous region is mostly on the eastern part of the
   peninsula, the main rivers tend to flow westwards. Two exceptions are
   the southward-flowing Nakdong River and the Seomjin River. Important
   rivers running westward include the Yalu, the Cheongcheon River, the
   Daedong River, the Han River, the Geum River, and the Yeongsan River.
   These rivers have vast flood plains and they provide an ideal
   environment for wet-rice cultivation.

   The southern and southwestern coastlines of Korea form a well-developed
   Lias coastline, known as Dadohae in Korean. Its complicated 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. It can get as high as 9 m). Vast tidal flats have been
   developing on the south and west coastlines.

Demographics

   Korea is populated by a highly homogeneous ethnic group, the Koreans,
   who speak a distinct language called Korean.

   A minority of ethnic Chinese (about 20,000) live in South Korea and
   small communities of ethnic Chinese and Japanese live in North Korea.

   The combined population of the Koreas is about 72 million.

Age reckoning

   One peculiarity of Korean culture is that 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. Accordingly, a
   Korean person's stated age will be one or two years more than their age
   expressed in the Western tradition.

Language

   Korean is the official language of both North and South Korea, and is
   widely spoken in Korean communities abroad. The language is also one of
   the two official languages (the other is Standard Mandarin) in
   neighbouring Yanbian, China. Worldwide, there are around 80 million
   Korean speakers, including large groups in the former Soviet Union,
   China, Australia, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Japan, and more
   recently, the Philippines.

   The genealogical 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 Chinese or created vocabulary on Chinese models.

   Modern Korean is written almost exclusively in the Hangul script, which
   was invented in the 15th century. While Hangul may look like
   logographic Chinese writing to some, it is actually a phonemic alphabet
   organized into syllabic blocks. 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. Hanja (Chinese characters) and Roman
   characters are sometimes included within hangul texts, particularly in
   South Korea.

Culture and Arts

   Korean Buddhist architecture
   Enlarge
   Korean Buddhist architecture

   In ancient Chinese texts, Korea is referred to as "Rivers and Mountains
   Embroidered in Silk" (錦繡江山) and "Eastern Nation of Decorum" (東方禮儀之國).
   During the 7th and 8th centuries, land and sea trading networks
   connected Korea to Arabia. As early as 845, Arab traders mentioned
   Korea saying, ""Beyond China is a land where gold abounds and which is
   named Silla. The Muslims who have gone there have been charmed by the
   country and tend to settle there and abandon all idea of leaving."

   Korean festivities often showcase vibrant colors, which have been
   attributed to Mongolian influences: bright red, yellow, and green often
   mark traditional Korean motifs. These bright colors are sometimes seen
   in the traditional dress known as hanbok.

Literature

   Korean literature is traditionally divided into two categories. The
   literature written until the end of the Joseon Dynasty is called
   "Classical".

   Classical Korean literature has its roots in traditional folk beliefs
   and folk tales of the Korean peninsula. Other influences include
   Confucianism, Buddhism and to some extent Taoism. Traditional Korean
   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 Chinese style as early as
   the 4th century. Some historians exclude these forms of literature from
   Korean literature, arguing that they were merely forms of Chinese
   literature. Others argue, however, that the fact that Chinese
   characters were used is not reason enough to exclude the literature
   from the classical Korean canon, particularly since it reflects Korean
   thought and experience.

   Modern literature is often linked with the development of hangul, which
   helped spread literacy from the dominant classes to the common people,
   including 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. 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 and education

   Amitabha and Eight Great Bodhisattvas, Goryeo scroll from the 1300s
   Enlarge
   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 religion has been suppressed in North
   Korea.

   According to 2003 statistics compiled by the South Korean government,
   about 46% of citizens profess to follow no particular religion.
   Christians account for 27.3% of the population and Buddhists 25.3%.

   Koreans valued scholarship and rewarded education and study of Chinese
   classic texts; Yangban boys were highly educated in Hanja. In Silla,
   the bone rank system defined a person's social status, and a similar
   system persisted through the end of the Joseon Dynasty. In addition,
   the gwageo civil service examination provided paths of upward mobility.

Cuisine

   Korean cuisine is probably best known for kimchi, which uses a
   distinctive fermentation process of preserving vegetables. Chili
   peppers are also commonly used, earning the cuisine a reputation for
   being spicy. Fish, generally grilled or stewed, is the primary source
   of protein. Bulgogi (roasted marinated beef, chicken, or pork), galbi
   (ribs), and samgyeopsal (pork fatback) are popular meat entrees. Korean
   meals are usually accompanied by a soup or stew, often made with
   dwenjang bean paste. Popular dishes are bibimbap (mixed rice),
   naengmyeon (cold noodles), galbitang (stewed ribs), and dwenjang jjigae
   (fermentated bean paste stew).

Science and technology

   Cheomseongdae, oldest surviving astronomical observatory in East Asia
   Enlarge
   Cheomseongdae, oldest surviving astronomical observatory in East Asia

   One of the best known artifacts of Korea's history of science and
   technology is Cheomseongdae, a 9-meter high observatory built in 633.
   It is considered to be the world's oldest surviving astronomical
   observatory.

   The world's earliest known block printed document is thought to be a
   Buddhist scripture (a copy of the Jikji) believed printed in Korea in
   750-751 CE which, if correct, would make it older than the Diamond
   Sutra. The world's first metal movable type was developed in Korea in
   1232 by Chae Yun-ui during the Goryeo Dynasty, modeled after widespread
   Chinese clay ( Bi Sheng in 1041) and wooden movable type invented by
   Koreans from Unified Silla , before Johann Gutenberg developed his
   metal letterset type (Cumings 1997: 65). Though the block printing was
   used much earlier, metal movable type marked a significant development
   in printing allowing the same tools to be used for more diverse
   printings.

   Some Chinese thought Korean porcelains were of the finest quality
   before and during the Goryeo Dynasty. During the Goryeo period, Korea
   advanced traditional arts and crafts, such as white celadon glazes,
   fine silk, paper and Sword making.

   The apex of astronomical and calendarial advances made under King
   Sejong was the Ch'ilchongsan, developed in 1442. This work made it
   possible for scientists to calculate and accurately predict all the
   major heavenly phenomena, such as solar eclipses and other stellar
   movements. Hangul, perhaps the most scientifically designed script in
   widespread use, is attributed to King Sejong the Great in 1443. An
   automated water clock, the Jagyeokru which worked by activating motions
   of wooden figures to indicate time visually was invented in 1434 by
   Jang Yeong-sil, who later developed a more complicated water-clock with
   additional astronomical devices, as well as the worlds first Iron
   Printing Press, water gauge, and the rain gauge also during the Joseon
   Dynasty Heo Jun, a court physician wrote a number of medical texts, but
   his most significant achievement is Dongeui Bogam, which is often noted
   as the defining text of Traditional Korean medicine. The work spread to
   China and Japan, where it is still regarded as one of the classics of
   Oriental medicine today.

   Satellite image of the Korean peninsula.
   Enlarge
   Satellite image of the Korean peninsula.

   During the Joseon period, Korean silk was highly regarded by China and
   Korean pottery made with blue-green celadon were of the highest quality
   in the world. Also, during this time, the early ironclad warships, the
   Geobukseon ( Turtle Ship) were invented, as well as other weapons such
   as the Bikeokjinchonlae and the hwacha.
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