Korea in Brief Go to Contents Go to Navigation All Menu SEARCH History English 한국어 中文 日本語 عربي Español Français Tiếng Việt Facebook Twitter RSS Feed News All News National Politics Diplomacy Defense National North Korea Economy Economy Finance Health BIZ Latest News On the Record M&As Corporate Newsroom Earnings Startups Focus/Feature Stocks Culture Entertainment Movies K-pop Arts/Culture Sports Images K-wave General North Korea Videos Korea Now Top News Most Viewed Korean Newspaper Headlines Today in Korean History Yonhap News Summary Editorials from Korean Dailies Special Interviews Features Yonhap Korea Stories Information Korea in Brief Useful Links Weather Advertise with Yonhap News Agency Korea Annual Tools RSS Mobile Service Sitemap About Yonhap About Us About Yonhap News Mission CEO’s Message History Subsidiaries Domestic Network Global Network Products/Services Headquarters Subscription Copyright SEARCH Text Delete SEARCH Yonhap News Agency Today's date Today's weather Seoul Full Forecast 구름조금 Partly Sunny 17.3℃ 16° / 28° Precip 0mm Wind W 3.5m/s Humidity 45% CAI Moderate 80 PM10 Good DSS Very Bad PM2.5 Bad O₃ Moderate close CAI Comprehensive Air-quality Index PM10 Particulate Matter Less than 10㎛ PM2.5 Particulate Matter Less than 2.5㎛ O₃ Ozone Latest News Pause more Close All News National Politics Diplomacy Defense National North Korea Economy/Finance Economy Finance Health BIZ Latest News On the Record M&As Corporate Newsroom Earnings Startups Focus/Feature Stocks Culture/K-pop Entertainment Movies K-pop Arts/Culture Sports Images K-wave General North Korea Videos Press Releases Korea in Brief Korea in Brief PAST & PRESENT GEOGRAPHY CUSTOMS BEGINNING OF HISTORY BEGINNING OF HISTORY THREE KINGDOMS UNIFIED SILLA KORYO DYNASTY CHOSUN (YI) DYNASTY JAPANESE RULE CONTEMPORARY KOREA THE FIRST REPUBLIC THE SECOND REPUBLIC THE THIRD REPUBLIC THE FOURTH REPUBLIC THE FIFTH REPUBLIC THE SIXTH REPUBLIC KIM YOUNG-SAM GOV'T KIM DAE-JUNG GOV'T ROH MOO-HYUN GOV'T LEE MYUNG-BAK GOV'T Korea is an ancient country with a history of more than five thousand years. It is therefore hard to pinpoint the origin of the Korean people. The early inhabitants on the Korean Peninsula, according to a theory, were a Tungusic branch of the Ural Altaic family who migrated from the northwestern regions of Asia to southern Manchuria and the Korean Peninsula some five thousand years ago. Legend has it that Tangun, the first great ruler of Chosun, organized various primitive tribes in the northern region of the country into a kingdom about 24 centuries before the birth of Christ. The Tangun era lasted about 1,200 years, followed by the Kija dynasty which lasted about 99 years. The Kija dynasty, established by a Chinese scholar by that name, was essentially a city-state. Meanwhile, in the southern region of the Korean Peninsula, three tribal states of Mahan, Chinhan and Pyonhan were established at about the same. They unleashed what historians call the Three Hans period. The rule of the Kija dynasty came to an end in 194 B.C., when power was seized by Weiman, who also came to Pyongyang from China. In 109 B.C. the Chinese Han dynasty extended its power over northern Korea and remained there for the next four hundred years, establishing four colonies of Lolang (Nakrang), Chenfan (Chinbon), Hsuantu (Hyondo) and Lintun (Imdun). The Lolang tombs, dating from 108 B.C. to 200 A.D., have revealed some examples of exquisite lacquer work, bronze mirrors and jewelry. It was the first century B.C. that centralized monarchy began to develop on the Korean Peninsula. But the country was then divided into three parts. There was Koguryo which ruled in the northern part of the country as well as greater part of present day Manchuria. Meanwhile, the southern region of the peninsula was divided into Kingdoms of Silla and Paekje. Thus began what has been known as the Three Kingdoms Period in Korea. The Kingdom of Koguryo was the strongest of the three and ruled from Pyongyang until 668 A.D. when it fell before the onslaught of Silla which was allied with the Tang Empire of China. It was Koguryo kingdom that introduced Buddhism and Confucianism from China, which were later passed on to Japan. Silla earlier had succeeded in subjugating the neighboring Paekje were established at about the same time. After Silla unified the Korean Peninsula, she succeeded in driving out the armies of the Tang Empire, achieving political union of the entire Korean Peninsula. Silla had extensive contact with distant countries through its maritime commerce with the outside world. Traders of that ancient kingdom are known to have established hundreds of settlements along the eastern coast of mainland China-Buddhism flourished as the state religion, Buddhism becoming a dominant force both in spiritual and cultural life of the kingdom. This is evidenced by many highly refined Buddhist sculptures, paintings and architecture which are found in the temples built during the Silla dynasty. These are among the most valued artistic treasures of Korea today. However, the kingdom of Silla fell victim to growing power struggles and corruption in its latter years, to be finally overthrown by Wang Gon in 918 A.D. Wang Gon founded Koryo Dynasty which ruled the Korean Peninsula for 475 years. The present English appellation of Korea is derived from Koryo. Buddhism became its state religion and played a do-minant role in the shaping of the kingdom. Buddhist monks held high positions as advisors to the King. Koryo came under constant harassment by the Mongols and had at one time to accept the over lordship of the Mongol Khan. The invasions of Mongolian armies, however, served to awaken the country to the advanced cultures of the outside world. There were frequent exchanges of people and goods between the Mongols and Koreans. Koryo was brought into contact with medicines, astronomy, mathematics, arts and other scientific advances of the west as well. Koryo inaugurated the civil service examination for the first time in Korea's history. Bronze coins were invented and used, and highly refined porcelains were produced during this period. But the same Buddhism which had played an important role in the development of Koryo had a decisive role in sealing the fate of the kingdom. It was a scheming Buddhist monk who instigated the King to send General Yi Song-gye at the head of an expeditionary force to attack Manchuria. Aware of the impossible task thrust upon him, General Yi instead turned his army back to dethrone the King and usurp power for himself. Birth of Chosun Dynasty After Lee (Yi) Song-gye overthrew the Koryo King-dom, he enthroned himself as King Taejo and renamed his kingdom as Chosun in 1392 A.D. Upon seizure of power, Lee swiftly moved to effect sweeping reforms. The reforms were mainly aimed at ridding the country of Buddhist influence which had permeated all walks of life in the preceding dynasty, by driving monks and temples out of cities into the mountains. Thus, he effectively barred religious leaders from interfering with state affairs. He then adopted the Confucian doctrine making it the moral foundation of society for the ensuing 500 years. Of all the kings of the 500-year Yi Dynasty, the greatest and the most enlightened was King Sejong. His personal interest and initiative led to many scientific inventions and discoveries. He was also responsible for many of the cultural and educational innovations effected during his rule. Most of all, he was instrumental in inventing Hangul, the Korean alphabet consisting of 11 vowels and 28 (later reduced to 24) consonants. The Korean alphabet, noted for its phonetic adaptability and scientific accuracy, can be learned by any Korean in a few days. Treaty of Annexation The Korean people knew nothing about the signing of the protectorate treaty until the Hwangsong News broke the news. The people were shocked. They joined the nationwide resistance movement, set fire on the new Prime Minister's home, and closed all stores in Seoul in protest. Some court officials committed suicide. To compound the situation, the Japanese Resident. General ordered the Korean armed forces dissolved in August 1907. Korean troops stationed in Seoul immediately took up arms against the Japan-ese army. Other military units throughout the country followed suit. However, confronted with superior Japanese armed forces, they fled to the countryside and carried on a stubborn resistance for several years. In 1907, the Japanese government saw the need to install a figurehead more amenable as King in place of Kojong who still stood in its way. Then, it was revealed that Kojong had sent secret emissaries to the international peace conference at the Hague in a move to arouse international attention to the outrageous situation in Korea. The Japanese Resident-General, blaming Kojong for the violation of treaty, forced him to abdicate and put his second son on the throne. This was Sunjong, the second Emperor of the Taehan Empire and 27th and last monarch of the 500-year Chosun Dynasty. On Aug. 22, 1910, packing the streets of Seoul with Japanese soldiers, the Japanese forced the Korean government to accept yet another humiliating treaty. It was a treaty accepting total outright annexation with Japan. Korean archtraitor Lee Wan-yong, then Prime Minister, and Japanese Resident-Governor Terauchi signed the agreement which sealed the fate of Korea. Conclusion of the treaty was officially announced on Aug. 29, 1910. The annexation immediately deprived Koreans not only of their political freedom, but currency, and seized the country's transportation and communications systems. The Japanese semi-governmental Oriental Development Company took over a huge part of Korean farmlands in the course of the so-called land survey programs. Farmlands were systematically expropriated until up to 80 percent of the nation's total rice fields fell under Japanese ownership. Faced with destitution, millions of Koreans migrated to Siberia and Manchuria. Independence Movement In the face of increasing Japanese suppression, latent spirit of the Koreans found its expression in numerous resistance movements that sprang up throughout the country. In foreign countries including China and the United States, the Koreans living in exile staged active anti-Japanese campaigns. The most dramatic and tragic event representative of Korean resistance to the Japanese imperialism was the nationwide uprising known as the March First Independence Movement. The spontaneous and peaceful resistance movement, which broke out on March 1, 1919. called on Japan for voluntary with-drawal from her imperialistic course in Korea. The movement was inspired by the principle of-self-determination of nations enunciated by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson at the Paris peace conference that followed the end of World War II. When the news of Wilson's 14-point declaration reached the Korean students studying in Tokyo, they published a statement demanding Korea's independence from Japan in February 1919. This served as a spark for the movement in Korea. Secret plans were drafted and detailed instructions sent out to all the towns and villages via the underground grapevine urging the people to rise up seizing the inspired moment. The movement was timed to be launched on March 1, two days before the date set for the funeral of Emperor Kojong who had just passed away to dramatize the tragic fate of the nation. At the core of the movement was a group of 33 patriots. On March 1, the 33 men gathered before a large crowd at the Pagoda Park in downtown Seoul and read Korea's declaration of Independence. And then they led the crowd into the streets to stage a peaceful demonstration calling for national independence. Even remote villages joined in the spontaneous nationwide movement. The exiled patriots in Manchuria, Siberia, Shanghai and the United States also acted in conce…