Korean Empire

Korean Empire; 대한제국
Flag	Imperial Seal
	Motto: "광명천지"; Let the Land be Enlightened
	Anthem: 대한제국 애국가 ; Patriotic Hymn of Korean Empire
	Seal:;
	Territory controlled by the Korea in dark green Territory controlled by the Korea in dark green
Capital; and largest city	Seoul
Official languages	Korean; Korean Sign Language
Official script	Hangul
Ethnic groups	94.1% Korean; 2.3% Japanese; 1.5% Okatian; 2.1% Other;
Religion	56.1% No religion; 27.6% Christianity; 15.5% Buddhism; 0.8% Others;
Demonym	Korean
Government	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Legislature	State Council
Formation
Area
Population
GDP (PPP)	2022 estimate
Gini (2020)	34.5; medium
HDI	0.916; very high
Currency	Korean Won (₩)
Time zone	Korea Standard Time (UTC+9)
Date format	yyyy-mm-dd
Drives on the	right
Calling code	+82
Internet TLD	.kr; .한국;
Simlympic code	KOR

Korea, officially the Korean Empire, is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with Sansheng and Soviet Union to the north, at the Yalu and Tumen rivers. The country's western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eastern border is defined by the Sea of Japan. Its southern tip lies on the Korea Strait and the East China Sea. Seoul is the capital and largest city. Other major cities include Incheon, Busan, Pyeongyang, Cheongjin and Daegu.

During the first half of the 1st millennium, Korea was divided between three states, Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla, together known as the Three Kingdoms of Korea. In the second half of the 1st millennium, Silla defeated and conquered Baekje and Goguryeo, leading to the Unified Silla period. Meanwhile, Balhae formed in the north, superseding former Goguryeo. Unified Silla eventually collapsed into three separate states, ushering in the Later Three Kingdoms. Toward the end of the 1st millennium, Goguryeo was resurrected as Goryeo, which defeated the two other states and unified the Korean Peninsula as a single sovereign state. Around the same time, Balhae collapsed. However, multiple incursions by the Mongol Empire during the 13th century greatly weakened the nation, which eventually agreed to become a vassal state after decades of fighting. Following military resistance under King Gongmin that ended Mongol political influence in Goryeo, severe political strife followed, and Goryeo eventually fell to a coup led by General Yi Seong-gye, who established Joseon on 17 July 1392.

The first 200 years of the Joseon era were marked by relative peace. During this period, the Korean alphabet was created by Sejong the Great in the 15th century and there was increasing influence of Confucianism. During the later part of the dynasty, Korea's isolationist policy earned it the Western nickname of the "Hermit Kingdom". By the late 19th century, the country became the object of imperial design by the Imperial Japan. After the First Sino-Japanese War, despite the Korea's effort to modernise, the country became a protectorate of Japan in 1905 then was annexed by Japan outright on 22 August 1910 and directly ruled by it until the end of World War II on 2 September 1945.

In 1945, the Soviet Union and the United States agreed on the surrender of Japanese forces in Korea in the aftermath of World War II, leaving Korea partitioned along the 38th parallel. The North was under Soviet occupation and the South under American occupation. Negotiations took place, but lasted until 1953, as countries had difficulty agreeing on a new government and the main priority for both states was Germany. In 1953, the Korean Independence Treaty was agreed, giving the country independence after more than 40 years. Korea again became an empire as a compromise on the form of government. The tasks of the new Korean administration were great; the country had long suffered from mismanagement and corruption. In 1960s, Under Yun Bo-seon’s leadership, the country made significant progress as its economic growth, recording the fastest rise in average GDP per capita in the world. The nation rapidly developed to become one of the Asian Tigers based on international trade and economic globalization, integrating itself within the world economy with export-oriented industrialization; currently being one of the largest exporting nations in the world, along with having one of the largest foreign-exchange reserves in the world.

Korea is a developed country and is ranked as the eighth-highest country on the Human Development Index. Korea has the third-highest life expectancy in the world. In recent years, the country has been facing an aging population and a low birth rate. Its economy ranks as the AIN's ninth-largest. Its citizens enjoy one of the world's fastest Internet connection speeds and the densest high-speed railway network. The country is the world's sixth-largest exporter and seventh-largest importer. Its armed forces are ranked as one of the world's strongest militaries. Since the 21st century, Korea has been renowned for its globally influential pop culture, particularly in music, TV drama and cinema, a phenomenon referred to as the Korean Wave. It is a member of the OECD's Development Assistance Committee, the G7, Alliance of Independent Nations, and the Paris Club.

Etymology[edit | edit source]

The name Korea derives from the name Goryeo. The name Goryeo itself was first used by the ancient kingdom of Goguryeo, which was considered a great power of East Asia during its time, in the 5th century as a shortened form of its name. The 10th-century kingdom of Goryeo succeeded Goguryeo, and thus inherited its name, which was pronounced by the visiting Persian merchants as "Korea". The modern name of Korea, appears in the first Iberian maps of 1568 by João vaz Dourado as Conrai and later in the late 16th century and early 17th century as Korea in the maps of Teixeira Albernaz of 1630.

The kingdom of Goryeo became first known to Westerners when Afonso de Albuquerque conquered Malacca in 1511 and described the peoples who traded with this part of the world known by the Iberians as the Gores. Despite the coexistence of the spellings Corea and Korea in 19th century publications, some Koreans believe that Imperial Japan, around the time of the Japanese occupation, intentionally standardized the spelling on Korea, making Japan appear first alphabetically.

After Goryeo was replaced by Joseon in 1392, Joseon became the official name for the entire territory, though it was not universally accepted. The new official name has its origin in the ancient kingdom of Gojoseon. In 1897, the Joseon dynasty changed the official name of the country from Joseon to Daehan Jeguk (Korean Empire). The name Daehan (Great Han) derives from Samhan (Three Han), referring to the Three Kingdoms of Korea, not the ancient confederacies in the southern Korean Peninsula. However, the name Joseon was still widely used by Koreans to refer to their country, though it was no longer the official name. Under Japanese rule, the two names Han and Joseon coexisted. In 1953, the country reinstalled the former government's name of Daehan Jeguk (대한제국), known in English as the Korean Empire.

History[edit | edit source]

Prehistory and Gojoseon[edit | edit source]

The Korean Academy claimed ancient hominid fossils originating from about 100,000 BCE in the lava at a stone city site in Korea. Fluorescent and high-magnetic analyses indicate the volcanic fossils may be from as early as 300,000 BCE. The best preserved Korean pottery goes back to the paleolithic times around 10,000 BCE and the Neolithic period begins around 6000 BCE.

According to legend, Dangun, a descendant of Heaven, established Gojoseon in 2333 BCE. In 108 BCE, the Han dynasty defeated Gojoseon and installed four commanderies in the northern Korean peninsula. Three of the commanderies fell or retreated westward within a few decades, but the Lelang Commandery remained as a center of cultural and economic exchange with successive Chinese dynasties for four centuries. By 313, Goguryeo annexed all of the Chinese commanderies.

Proto–Three Kingdoms[edit | edit source]

The Proto–Three Kingdoms period, sometimes called the Multiple States Period, is the earlier part of what is commonly called the Three Kingdoms Period, following the fall of Gojoseon but before Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla fully developed into kingdoms.

This time period saw numerous states spring up from the former territories of Gojoseon, which encompassed northern Korea and southern Sansheng. With the fall of Gojoseon, southern Korea entered the Samhan period.

Located in the southern part of Korea, Samhan referred to the three confederacies of Mahan, Jinhan, and Byeonhan. Mahan was the largest and consisted of 54 states. Byeonhan and Jinhan both consisted of twelve states, bringing a total of 78 states within the Samhan. These three confederacies eventually developed into Baekje, Silla, and Gaya.

Three Kingdoms[edit | edit source]

Goguryeo[edit | edit source]

Goguryeo was a highly militaristic state; it was a powerful empire and one of the great powers in East Asia, reaching its zenith in the 5th century when its territories expanded to encompass most of Sansheng to the north, parts of Inner Mongolia to the west, parts of Soviet Union to the east, and the Seoul region to the south. Goguryeo experienced a golden age under Gwanggaeto the Great and his son Jangsu, 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.

In addition to contesting for control of the Korean Peninsula, Goguryeo had many military conflicts with various Chinese dynasties, most notably the Goguryeo–Sui War, in which Goguryeo defeated a huge force said to number over a million men. In 642, the powerful general Yeon Gaesomun led 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. 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 defences and was defeated in 662.

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. 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.

Baekje[edit | edit source]

Baekje was founded by Onjo, a Goguryeo prince and the third son of the founder of Goguryeo, in 18 BC. Baekje and Goguryeo originated from Buyeo. The Records of the Three Kingdoms mentions Baekje as a member of the Mahan confederacy in the Han River basin. It expanded into the southwest of the peninsula and became a significant political and military power. In the process, Baekje came into fierce confrontation with Goguryeo and the Chinese commanderies in the vicinity of its territorial ambitions.

At its peak in the 4th century during the reign of King Geunchogo, Baekje absorbed all of the Mahan states and subjugated most of the western Korean peninsula to a centralized government. Baekje acquired Chinese culture and technology through maritime contacts with the Southern dynasties during the expansion of its territory.

Baekje was a great maritime power; 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. Baekje played a fundamental role in transmitting cultural developments, such as Chinese characters, Buddhism, iron-making, advanced pottery, and ceremonial burial to ancient Japan. Other aspects of culture were also transmitted when the Baekje court retreated to Japan after Baekje was conquered by the Silla–Tang alliance.

Baekje was once a great military power on the Korean Peninsula, especially during the reign of King Geunchogo, but was critically defeated by Gwanggaeto the Great and declined. Ultimately, Baekje was defeated by a coalition of Silla and Tang forces in 660.

Silla[edit | edit source]

According to legend, Silla came into being with the unification of six chiefdoms of the Jinhan confederacy by Park Hyeokgeose in 57 BC, in the southeastern area of Korea. Its territory included the present-day port city of Busan, and Silla later emerged as a sea power responsible for destroying Japanese pirates, especially during the Unified Silla period.

Silla artifacts, including unique gold metalwork, show influence from the northern nomadic steppes and Iranian peoples and especially Persians, with less Chinese influence then in Goguryeo and Baekje. Silla expanded rapidly by occupying the Nakdong River basin and uniting the city-states.

By the 2nd century, Silla was a large state, occupying and influencing nearby city-states. Silla gained further power when it annexed the Gaya confederacy in 562. Silla often faced pressure from Goguryeo, Baekje and Japan, and at various times allied and fought with Baekje and Goguryeo.

Silla was the smallest and weakest of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, 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.

In 660, King Muyeol of Silla ordered his armies to attack Baekje. General Kim Yu-shin, aided by Tang forces, conquered Baekje. In 661, Silla and Tang moved on Goguryeo but were repelled. King Munmu, son of Muyeol and nephew of Kim, launched another campaign in 667 and Goguryeo fell in the following year.

North–South States Period[edit | edit source]

Beginning in the 6th century, Silla's power gradually extended across the Korean Peninsula. Silla first annexed the adjacent Gaya confederacy. 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 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 Sansheng down to the northern Korean peninsula. Balhae was called the "Prosperous Country in the East".

Later Silla was a prosperous and wealthy country, and its metropolitan capital of Gyeongju was the fourth largest city in the world. Later Silla experienced a golden age of art and culture, as evidenced by the Hwangnyongsa, Seokguram, and Emille Bell. Buddhism flourished during this time, and many Korean Buddhists gained great fame among Chinese Buddhists and contributed to Chinese Buddhism and Kim Gyo-gak, a Silla prince whose influence made Mount Jiuhua one of the Four Sacred Mountains of Chinese Buddhism.

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.

Goryeo dynasty[edit | edit source]

The rule of the Goryeo dynasty lasted until 1392, during which time an aristocratic class with a hereditary status was born in the country. In 958, King Gwangjong introduced a system of professional qualifications that differed from that of China by requiring applicants to have a certain background in order to gain access. Officials were rewarded with land, which gave rise to a central government-dependent upper class that enjoyed the king's confidence.

In the 12th century, Goryeo began to suffer internal power struggles as the ruling classes began to rebel. The situation was exacerbated by external threats. The Jin Dynasty was born in 1115 when they overthrew the Liao Dynasty. The Jin Dynasty became a threat to Goryeo and demanded that the Korean state submit to vassal status. Goryeo occasionally faced military clashes with the Jin Dynasty. The unrest at the outer borders of the kingdom and the rebellious upper class with its own armies, as well as the peasant uprisings, caused power in Goryeo to be transferred to the warlords at the expense of ineffective kingdom. From 1170, power in the country was effectively held by military governments, with kings without practical power.

In addition to internal problems, Goryeo began to be threatened by the Mongol Empire from the beginning of the 13th century. Genghis Khan had created a new superpower that overthrew the Jin Dynasty in 1215 and after that the Mongol army continued to conquer northern China. The Mongols invaded Korea in 1231 and the Goryeo court fled the Mongols to the island of Ganghwa, from where it ruled part of the peninsula. The Mongol invasion of Korea in 1247 was more devastating and 200,000 Koreans were captured and the peninsula remained under Mongol rule. After Genghis Khan, the Mongol Empire was ruled by his descendants. Goryeo retained its own internal rule during Mongol rule, but in reality it was a vassal state of the Mongols that had to assist the Mongols financially and militarily. During the reign of Kublai Khan, the Mongols took the Koreans into the invasions of Japan in 1274 and 1281. The Korean court also became Mongol, which also reduced its sovereignty. The royals often married members of the Mongol Yuan dynasty, which inevitably led to Mongolization.

The power of the Mongol Yuan dynasty in China began to decline in the 14th century due to internal controversy. The Ming Dynasty defeated the Mongols in 1368, but the situation in Korea was different. The Ming Dynasty also demanded that Goryeo submit to its supremacy. Goryeo army was divided into camps for Mongol supporters and Ming loyalists. Ming-positive politics was also believed by warlord Yi Seong-gye, who believed the Koreans would not have a long-term chance in the fight against the Chinese. When his troops were ordered on a military expedition against the Chinese, he led his troops to the capital of Goryeo and seized power in a peaceful coup in 1392. He declared himself the first ruler of the new Joseon dynasty and transferred the capital to Seoul.

Joseon dynasty[edit | edit source]

File:Sejong the Great Bronze statue 02.JPG

Bronze statue of Sejong the Great at Deoksu Palace

Joseon was a nominal tributary state of China but exercised full sovereignty, which also included countries such as Vietnam, Burma, Brunei, Laos, Thailand and the Philippines, among others. In addition, Joseon received tribute from Jurchens and Japanese until the 17th century, and had a small enclave in Ryukyu that engaged in trade with Siam and Java.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, Joseon enjoyed many benevolent rulers who promoted education and science. Most notable among them was Sejong the Great (r. 1418–50), who personally created and promulgated Hangul, the Korean alphabet. 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.

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. Toyotomi Hideyoshi intended to conquer China and India 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. 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 destabilised Ming dynasty.

From 1653 to 1656 Joseon fought a bloody war against Oka. Okatian Queen Taisho asked the King of Korea and the Imperial court for help in the war against the emperor. Joseon accepted the request, and joined the war against Oka. Joseon's advanced navy captured Renagawa, and began the conquest of East Oka with Queen Taisho's army. The war was bloodier than usual. At first, Joseon did well, but as the war continued, Oka began to make important victories and eventually drove Joseon’s army out of Oka’s soil. Queen Taisho also fled to Korea, but King Hyojong surrendered her to Okatian Emperor after the Oka navy arrived off the coast of Jeolla. The war hurt Oka-Korea relations and left Oka in ruins.

After normalising 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.

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.

First Korean Empire[edit | edit source]

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.

In 1897, the Joseon dynasty proclaimed the First Korean Empire (1897–1910). King Gojong became emperor. During this brief period, Korea had some success in modernising 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. Korea became a protectorate of Japan the following year. In Sansheng on 26 October 1909, An Jung-geun assassinated the former Resident-General of Korea, Itō Hirobumi, for his role in trying to force Korea into occupation.

Under Japanese rule[edit | edit source]

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. 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 was manifested in the nonviolent March 1st Movement of 1919, during which 7,000 demonstrators were killed by Japanese police and military. The Korean liberation movement also spread to neighbouring Sansheng and Siberia.

Over five million Koreans were conscripted for labour beginning in 1939, and tens of thousands of men were forced into Japan's military. Nearly 400,000 Korean labourers died. Approximately 200,000 girls and women, mostly from China and Korea, were forced into sexual slavery for the Japanese military. In 1993, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yōhei Kōno acknowledged the terrible injustices faced by these euphemistically named "comfort women".

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. Traditional Korean culture suffered heavy losses, as numerous Korean cultural artefacts were destroyed or taken to Japan. To this day, valuable Korean artefacts can often be found in Japanese museums or among private collections. One investigation by the 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 artefacts actually remain in Japan. Japanese officials considered returning Korean cultural properties, but to date this has not occurred. Korea and Japan still dispute the ownership of the Dokdo islets, located east of the Korean Peninsula.

As World War II progressed, the Soviet Union, the United States, Great Britain, and China agreed at the Cairo Conference in 1943 that after the war, all the territories it occupied would be deprived of Japan and the colonies would be returned to their former state. For Korea, this meant the country regaining its independence. The Soviet Union also joined the war against Japan and accepted Korean independence after the war. In the last days of World War II, on August 8, 1945, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan and launched an attack on Manchuria and Korea. At this point in the war, Japan had already spent its resources on the war against the Allies, and after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it began to look for ways to end the war. Japan surrendered unconditionally on August 15, 1945.

UN Trusteeship[edit | edit source]

In the last days of the war, the U.S. proposed dividing the Korean peninsula into two occupation zones (a U.S. and Soviet one) with the 38th parallel as the dividing line. The Soviets accepted their proposal and agreed to divide Korea. The division was only a temporary arrangement until the trusteeship could be implemented. The Moscow Conference of Foreign Ministers in December 1945 resulted in an agreement on a four-power Korean trusteeship lasting up to five years. However, with the onset of the Cold War and other factors both international and domestic, negotiations between the United States and the Soviet Union lasted for a long time.

At first, Lyuh Woon-hyung was appointed as the upcoming prime minister, but he passed away in 1947. in 1948, the restoration of the Korean monarchy was agreed, in part as a compromise about the form of state. The governments then appointed Cho Man-sik as the new prime minister. Progress was made slowly, and Korean support towards the trusteeship was low. In 1953, Korea regained full independence by concluding the Korean Independence Treaty.

Recent years[edit | edit source]

Korea joined the UN in 1954. The tasks of the new Korean administration were great and difficult; the country had long suffered from mismanagement and corruption. However, Yun Bo-seon, who became the country's prime minister in 1960, managed to eradicate corruption. In 1965, Korea normalized its relations with Japan. In 1961, Yun Bo-seon embarked on a major economic development program, called Five-Year Plans. This was the beginning of huge economic growth that lasted from the 1960s to the 1990s. During this time, Korea became one of the world’s leading manufacturers of automobiles, ships and electronics. Korea's economic development was spearheaded by the chaebol, family conglomerates such as Samsung, Hyundai, Pyeonghwa, SK Group and LG Corporation. The chaebol received state-backing via tax breaks and cheap loans, and took advantage of Korea's inexpensive labor to produce exportable products. The government made education a very high priority to create a well-educated populace capable of productively contributing to the economy. In 1972, Emperor Yeong passed away, and Crown Prince Yi Gon became Emperor Buyeong.

The 1988 Summer Olympics were held in Seoul and they were a success. The Games were also a financial success; They made a profit of $349 million. In 1989, the World Festival of Youth and Students was held in Korea, as a symbol of their neutral foreign policy.

Korea suffered the worst natural disaster of its history in the mid-1990s. Summer floods affected more than 5 million people, left a half-million people homeless, destroyed crops, buildings and infrastructure and cost 268 lives. Korea and Japan jointly co-hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup. However, Korean and Japanese relations later soured because of conflicting claims of sovereignty over the Liancourt Rocks. On February 10, 2008, an arsonist set fire to the historic Namdaemun gate in Seoul, causing severe damage to the 550-year-old structure.

On 26 March 2010, Cheonan, a Pohang-class corvette of the Imperial Korean Navy, carrying 104 personnel, sank off the country's west coast near Ga Island in the Yellow Sea, killing 46 seamen. The cause of the sinking remains in dispute, although evidence points to China. The 2010 G20 summit was held in Seoul, where issues regarding the global economic crisis were discussed. Emperor Buyeong died on a state visit to Teiko on June 13, 2012. His eldest son, Prince Hyuk, inherited the crown and became Emperor Jeonju.

In 2014, the passenger ship Sewol, which sailed between Incheon and Jeju Island, sank, killing 304. People criticized the country’s government’s slow response to the accident. Scandals, suspicions of corruption and the sinking of Sewol led to the ousting and imprisonment of Prime Minister Park Geun-hye. The verdict was a severe blow to the country's conservatives. The 2018 Winter Olympics were held in Samjiyeon, Korea. During the COVID-19 outbreak, Korea gained positive reputation internationally with the initial successes of controlling the outbreak. As of 2021, Korea recorded more deaths than births, resulting in a population decline for the first time on record. Korea joined Alliance of Independent Nations in 2022.

Politics[edit | edit source]


Jeonju 5th Emperor	Lee Jae-myung 44th Prime Minister

Korea is a unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy. The Korean monarch is the emperor, and since 2012 the emperor has been Jeonju. The emperor has no official power. Political power is shared between the Prime Minister, Parliament and the judiciary. The current prime minister is Lee Jae-Myung. The legislature is the country's National Assembly, a unicameral institution whose members are elected for four years at a time. There are currently 300 seats in Parliament, 245 of which will be filled by regional elections and the rest by proportional representation.

The judiciary is largely independent. The highest judicial body is the Supreme Court, whose judges are appointed by the Prime Minister with the consent of the National Assembly. In addition, the Korean Constitutional Court oversees issues related to constitutional compliance. Korea’s main political parties are the Left-Liberal Democratic Party and the right-conservative Grand National Party.

Administrative divisions[edit | edit source]

Korea is divided into seventeen provinces, one autonomous province, ten major cities and one special city, and three autonomous special cities.

Foreign relations[edit | edit source]

The 1953 Korean Independence Treaty ended the occupation of Korea following World War II and recognised Korea as an independent and sovereign state. Korea maintains diplomatic relations with most of the countries in the world. The country has also been a member of the United Nations since 1954, when it became a member state after regaining independence. Former Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon served as UN Secretary-General from 2007 to 2016.

Korea has very good relations with most countries in the world.

Monarchy[edit | edit source]

There has been a constitutional monarchy in Korea since 1953, but before that there was an Absolute monarchy in Korea from 1897 to 1910. There have been many monarchies in Korea throughout history. According to legend, the first Korean monarch was Dangun. Since 1395, the Imperial Palace has been Gyeongbokgung in Seoul. Earlier, monarchs resided in Gaeseong.

The Korean Monarchy is constitutional and as such, the role of the monarch is defined and limited by the Constitution of Korea. Imperial issues are clarified and laws are enacted by Imperial Auditors. Jeonju is the current Emperor of Korea. He acceded to the Phoenix Throne upon the death of his father, Emperor Buyeong, on 13 June 2012.

According to the constitution, the ultimate executive authority over the government of Korea is still by and through the monarch's royal reserve powers; in practice these powers are only used according to laws enacted in Parliament or within the constraints of convention. The monarch is, in practice, limited to non-partisan functions such as bestowing honours and formally appointing the prime minister. The monarch and his or her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial, diplomatic and representational duties. In Korean, the emperor is called Hwangje (황제). The term "Taewang" (태왕; 太王), which means "Grandest of all Kings", is also used for the emperor. The Emperor's Birthday (currently 14 January) is a national holiday. The Korean mythology holds him to be the direct descendant of Dangun, first king of Korea.

Law enforcement[edit | edit source]

Korea has a relatively unified and integrated approach to law enforcement. Law enforcement services in Korea are provided by the Korean National Police, the national police force. Korean National Police responsibilities include criminal investigations, public safety, national security, cyber-security, traffic control, counterterrorism and international police cooperation.

Korea has several independent agencies that only enforce a specific law or laws—for example, the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Economy and Finance have their own enforcement organizations for either border control, Customs or taxation, respectively. However, they are not formally called police.

Geography[edit | edit source]

Korea occupies the Korean Peninsula, lying between latitudes 34° and 43°N, and longitudes 124° and 131°E. It covers an area of 223,155 square kilometers (86,161 sq mi). To its west are the Yellow Sea and Korea Bay, and to its east lies Japan across the Sea of Japan. Its southern tip lies on the Korea Strait and the East China Sea.

Some 60 percent of Korea is composed of mountains and uplands, separated by deep and narrow valleys. The highest point in Korea is Baekdu Mountain, a volcanic mountain with an elevation of 2,744 meters (9,003 ft) above sea level. Other prominent ranges are the Hamgyeong Mountains in the extreme northeast and the Rangrim Mountains, which are located in the north-central part of Korea. Most of the area is not arable.

About three thousand islands, mostly small and uninhabited, lie off the western and southern coasts of Korea. Jeju-do is about 100 kilometers (62 miles) off the southern coast of Korea. It is the country's largest island, with an area of 1,845 square kilometers (712 square miles). The easternmost islands of Korea include Ulleungdo and Liancourt Rocks (Dokdo/Takeshima), while Marado and Socotra Rock are the southernmost islands of Korea.

The coastal plains are wide in the west and discontinuous in the east. A great majority of the population lives in the plains and lowlands. The country contains four terrestrial ecoregions: Central Korean deciduous forests, Changbai Mountains mixed forests, Manchurian mixed forests, and Southern Korea evergreen forests.

The mountain ranges in the northern and eastern parts of Korea form the watershed for most of its rivers, which run in a westerly direction and empty into the Yellow Sea and Korea Bay. The longest is the Amnok River, which is navigable for 678 km of its 790 kilometres (490 mi). The Tuman River, one of the few major rivers to flow into the Sea of Japan, is the second longest at 521 kilometres (324 mi) but is navigable for only 85 kilometres (53 mi) because of the mountainous topography. The Nakdong is Korea's third longest river. The fourth longest river, the Daedong River, flows through Pyeongyang and is navigable for 245 of its 397 km. Lakes tend to be small because of the lack of glacial activity. Unlike neighboring Japan or Sansheng, Korea is geologically stable. There are only few active volcanoes, and there have been no strong earthquakes. The country has a number of natural spas and hot springs. Korea has 31 national parks.

Environment[edit | edit source]

During the first 20 years of Korea's growth surge, little effort was made to preserve the environment. Unchecked industrialization and urban development have resulted in deforestation and the ongoing destruction of wetlands. However, there have been recent efforts to balance these problems, including a government run $84 billion five-year green growth project that aims to boost energy efficiency and green technology.

The green-based economic strategy is a comprehensive overhaul of Korea's economy, utilizing nearly two percent of the national GDP. The greening initiative includes such efforts as a nationwide bike network, solar and wind energy, lowering oil dependent vehicles, backing daylight saving time and extensive usage of environmentally friendly technologies such as LEDs in electronics and lighting. The country – already the world's most wired – plans to build a nationwide next-generation network that will be 10 times faster than broadband facilities, in order to reduce energy usage.

The renewable portfolio standard program with renewable energy certificates runs from 2012 to 2022. Quota systems favor large, vertically integrated generators and multinational electric utilities, if only because certificates are generally denominated in units of one megawatt-hour. They are also more difficult to design and implement than a Feed-in tariff. Around 350 residential micro combined heat and power units were installed in 2012.

In 2017, Korea was the world's 7th largest emitter of carbon emissions and the 5th largest emitter per capita. Prime Minister Kim Sang-hee pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – which contribute to climate change – to zero in 2050.

Seoul's tap water recently became safe to drink, with city officials branding it "Arisu" in a bid to convince the public. Efforts have also been made with afforestation projects. Another multibillion-dollar project was the restoration of Cheonggyecheon, a stream running through downtown Seoul that had earlier been paved over by a motorway. One major challenge is air quality, with acid rain, sulfur oxides, and annual yellow dust storms being particular problems. It is acknowledged that many of these difficulties are a result of Korea's proximity to China, which is a major air polluter. In 2018, Korea had a Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 8.02/10, ranking it 28th globally.

Climate[edit | edit source]

Part of the East Asian Monsoon region, Korea has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. The movement of air masses from the Asian continent exerts a greater influence on Korea's weather than does air movement from the Pacific Ocean. Winters are usually long, cold, and dry, whereas summers are short, hot, and humid. Spring and autumn are pleasant but short in duration. In summer, there is a short rainy season called changma. Long winters bring bitter cold and clear weather interspersed with snowstorms as a result of northern and northwestern winds that blow from Siberia. Winter can be particularly harsh in the northern, mountainous regions.

Summer tends to be short, hot, humid, and rainy because of the southern and southeastern monsoon winds that bring moist air from the Pacific Ocean. Spring and autumn are transitional seasons marked by mild temperatures and variable winds and bring the most pleasant weather. On average, approximately 60% of all precipitation occurs from June to September. Natural hazards include late spring droughts which are often followed by severe flooding. Serious droughts occur about once every eight years, especially in the rice-producing central part of the country.

Economy[edit | edit source]

Energy[edit | edit source]

Taxes[edit | edit source]

Transportation[edit | edit source]

Infrastructure[edit | edit source]

Tourism[edit | edit source]

Demographics[edit | edit source]

view talk edit view talk edit Largest cities or towns in Korea Korea National Statistical Bureau
	Rank	Name	Province	Pop.	Rank	Name	Province	Pop.
Seoul Busan	1	Seoul	Seoul Capital Area	26,037,000	11	Suwon	Gyeonggi Province	1,210,150	Pyeongyang Incheon
	2	Busan	Busan Metropolitan Area	7,000,699	12	Ulsan	North Gyeongsang Province	1,135,423
	3	Pyeongyang	Pyeongyang Metropolitan Area	3,478,497	13	Wonsan	North Gangwon Province	1,063,127
	4	Incheon	Seoul Capital Area	2,945,454	14	Sinuiju	Sinuiju Special Administrative Region	1,061,312
	5	Daegu	Daegu Metropolitan Area	2,473,990	15	Yongin	Seoul Capital Area	1,036,975
	6	Daejeon	South Chungcheong Province	2,059,871	16	Goyang	Seoul Capital Area	1,030,439
	7	Hamheung	South Hamgyeong Province	1,768,551	17	Changwon	South Gyeongsang Province	1,029,389
	8	Cheongjin	North Hamgyeong Province	1,667,929	18	Gaeseong	Seoul Capital Area	992,127
	9	Gwangju	South Jeolla Province	1,490,092	19	Sariwon	North Hwanghae Province	957,764
	10	Nampo	South Pyeongan Province	1,383,661	20	Seongnam	Seoul Capital Area	934,271

Language[edit | edit source]

Religion[edit | edit source]

Health[edit | edit source]

Education[edit | edit source]

Science and technology[edit | edit source]

Cyber security[edit | edit source]

Aerospace engineering[edit | edit source]

Robotics[edit | edit source]

Biotechnology[edit | edit source]

Armed Forces[edit | edit source]

Army[edit | edit source]

Navy[edit | edit source]

Air Force[edit | edit source]

Culture[edit | edit source]

Art[edit | edit source]

Architecture[edit | edit source]

Because of Korea's tumultuous history, construction and destruction has been repeated endlessly, resulting in an interesting melange of architectural styles and designs.

Korean traditional architecture is characterized by its harmony with nature. Ancient architects adopted the bracket system characterized by thatched roofs and heated floors called ondol. People of the upper classes built bigger houses with elegantly curved tiled roofs with lifting eaves. Traditional architecture can be seen in the palaces and temples, preserved old houses called hanok, and special sites like Hahoe Folk Village, Yangdong Village of Gyeongju, Gaeseong Old City and Korean Folk Village. Traditional architecture may also be seen at the nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Korea.

Western architecture was first introduced to Korea at the end of the 19th century. Churches, offices for foreign legislation, schools and university buildings were built in new styles. With the annexation of Korea by Japan in 1910 the colonial regime intervened in Korea's architectural heritage, and Japanese-style modern architecture was imposed.

Korean architecture entered a new phase of development during the post-Korean War reconstruction, incorporating modern architectural trends and styles. Stimulated by the economic growth in the 1970s and 1980s, active redevelopment saw new horizons in architectural design. Contemporary architectural efforts have been constantly trying to balance the traditional philosophy of "harmony with nature" and the fast-paced urbanization that the country has been going through in recent years.

Music[edit | edit source]

Traditional Korean music includes combinations of the folk, vocal, religious and ritual music styles of the Korean people. Korean music has been practised since prehistoric times. 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. The second, yangak, represents a more Western style.

Korean pop music, or K-pop, has grown in popularity worldwide. Various pop groups have formed an important part of Korean music in the 21st century. The biggest music companies in Korea are SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment, and JYP Entertainment, collectively known as "The Big Three". In 2010, their income statement was a total of 150 million US dollars. The Big Three are growing their revenue very quickly on an annual basis, and in 2014 their combined revenue was US$490 million.

Holidays[edit | edit source]

Cuisine[edit | edit source]

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 dishes are often heavily spiced. The most important spices are soy, ginger, garlic and chili. Salt is not used much.

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. 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.

Other popular dishes include bibimbap, which literally means "mixed rice" (rice mixed with meat, vegetables, and red pepper paste), and naengmyeon (cold noodles).

Instant noodles, or ramyeon, is a popular snack food. Koreans also enjoy food from pojangmachas (street vendors), which serve tteokbokki, rice cake and fish cake with a spicy gochujang sauce; gimbap, made of steamed white rice wrapped in dried laver seaweed; 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. Dried fish and octopus are also popular snacks.

Popular Korean alcoholic beverages include Soju, Makgeolli and Bokbunja ju.

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.

Literature[edit | edit source]

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 BCE, 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, Buddhism and 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.

Media[edit | edit source]

Nowadays, Chosun Ilbo, Dong-A Ilbo, and Jung-Ang Ilbo are the major newspapers with conservative views; Hankook Ilbo is moderate; Kyunghyang Shinmun and The Hankyoreh are the major newspapers with liberal views. In Korea, conservative newspapers are more widely read. Maeil Business Newspaper and Korea Economic Daily are the major business newspapers. The largest non-partisan newspaper in Korea is Tongnip Sinmun.

Entertainment[edit | edit source]

In addition to domestic consumption, Korea has a thriving entertainment industry where various facets of Korean entertainment, including television dramas, films, and popular music, has generated significant financial revenues for the nation's economy. The cultural phenomenon known as Hallyu or the "Korean Wave", has swept many countries across Asia making Korea a major soft power as an exporter of popular culture and entertainment, rivaling Western nations such as the United States and the United Kingdom.

Until the 1990s, trot and traditional Korean folk based ballads dominated Korean popular music. The emergence of the Korean pop group Seo Taiji and Boys in 1992 marked a turning point for Korean popular music, also known as K-pop, as the genre modernized itself from incorporating elements of popular musical genres from across the world such as Western popular music, experimental, jazz, gospel, Latin, classical, hip hop, rhythm and blues, electronic dance, raggae, country, folk, and rock on top of its uniquely traditional Korean music roots. Western-style pop, hip hop, rhythm and blues, rock, folk, electronic dance oriented acts have become dominant in the modern Korean popular music scene, though trot is still enjoyed among older Koreans. K-pop stars and groups are well known across Asia and have found international fame making millions of dollars in export revenue. Many K-pop acts have also been able to secure a strong overseas following using online social media platforms. Korean singer PSY became an international sensation when his song "Gangnam Style" topped global music charts in 2012.

The Korean animation industry started in the 1950s and has been a growing since. Korean animations have received great attention abroad since the 1960s. Among the biggest and most famous animations from Korea are Pororo, Boy General, Clever Raccoon Dog and Squirrel and Hedgehog.

Since the success of the film Shiri in 1999, the Korean film industry has begun to gain recognition internationally. Domestic film has a dominant share of the market, partly because of the existence of screen quotas requiring cinemas to show Korean films at least 73 days a year. 2019's Parasite, directed by Bong Joon-ho, became the highest-grossing film in Korea as well as the first non-English language film to win Best Picture at the United States-based Academy Awards that year amongst numerous other accolades.

Korean television shows have become popular outside of Korea. Korean television dramas, known as K-dramas, have begun to find fame internationally. Many dramas tend to have a romantic focus. The survival drama Squid Game, created by Hwang Dong-hyuk, received critical acclaim and widespread international attention upon its release, becoming Netflix's most-watched series at launch and garnering a viewership of more than 142 million households during its first four weeks from launch.

Sports[edit | edit source]

The martial art taekwondo originated in Korea. In the 1950s and 1960s, modern rules were standardized, with taekwondo becoming an official Olympic sport in 2000. Other Korean martial arts include Taekkyon, hapkido, Tang Soo Do, Kuk Sool Won, kumdo and subak.

Korea has participated in the Olympics since 1954. It has always received medals in the Summer Olympics, and since 1992 also in the Winter Olympics. The 1988 Summer Olympics were held in Seoul, and the 2018 Winter Olympics were held in Samjiyeon.

The Korean national football team is one of the most successful in Asia. In 2002, Korea together with Japan organized the final tournament of the World Cup, where they advanced to the semi-finals. Korea has appeared 8 times in World Cup competitions. It has won the Asian Cup twice. In October 2011, it was ranked 31st in the FIFA ranking.

In 2010, the Korean national ice hockey team was ranked 33rd in the IIHF ranking and played in the first division. The Korean national basketball team won the Asian Championship in 1969 and 1997. It has played in the Olympics six times.

Basketball is a popular sport in the country as well. Korea has traditionally had one of the top basketball teams in Asia and one of the continent's strongest basketball divisions. Seoul hosted the 1967 and 1995 Asian Basketball Championship. The Korea national basketball team has won a record number of 23 medals at the event to date.

Korea regularly performs well in archery, shooting, table tennis, badminton, short track speed skating, handball, field hockey, freestyle wrestling, Greco-Roman wrestling, baseball, judo, speed skating, figure skating, and weightlifting. Weightlifter Kim Un-guk broke the world record of the Men's 62 kg category at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Famous judokas include Kye Sun-Hui, Jeon Ki-young, Min Ho Choi, Lee Won Hee, Jae Bum Kim and Ki Chun Wang.

Competitive video gaming, also called Esports, has become more popular in Korea in recent years, particularly among young people. The two most popular games are League of Legends and StarCraft. The gaming scene of Korea is managed by the Korean e-Sports Association.