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5000 years history of koreaEven though much of Korean's early history is a mix of myth and legend, majority of Koreans are proud of their 5000 years of history and heritage. (Korea4expats, n.d., para 1)
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Ancient
Gojoseon (B.C. 2333 ~ 108)
Gojoseon was the first country to be formed in Korea. Its patriarch was Dangun Wanggom, who established the kingdom in 2333 B.C. Gojoseon first developed with the Liaoning district as its center and gradually rose as a center of the East.
Three kingdoms
silla kingdom (b.c. 57 ~ A.D. 935)
Silla was located in the south eastern part of the Korea peninsula. In its early days. Silla was the weakest of three kingdoms in existence, but later became powerful enough to unify them under its rule in 676. After unification, Silla traded vigorously with foreign countries. General Jangbogo established Cheonghaejin on Wando Island and swept the pirates from the seas and led the overseas trade of East Asia Sea.
goguryeo kingdom (b.c. 37 ~ A.D. 668)
Goguryeo covered large parts of present-day Manchuria. The country was no only the most powerful and most aggressive kingdom of three kingdoms in existence (Baekje and Silla being the other two) but also the most powerful in North east Asia in the 5th century. King Gwangaeto the Great (375-413), in particular, conquered the largest territory in the entire history of Korea.
Baekje kingdom (b.c. 18 ~ A.D. 660)
Baekje was located in the south western part of the Korean peninsula and was one of the most advanced nations at that time. Baekje had the closest communication with neighboring Japan and exerted great influence on various fields of Japanese culture, sending many craftsmen, artisans, tailors, tile makers, and scholars to that country.
unified silla period
Balhae kingdom (698 ~ 926)
After the fall of Goguryeo, a man from Goguryeo, Dae Joyeong, formed an army of the Goguryeo and Malgal ( a Tungusic tribe) people, and settled eventually near Jilin in Manchuria, and there founded Balhae. Balhae declared itself the successor to Goguryeo and soon regained control of most of the former Goguryeo territory. The ruling class of Balhae consisted mostly of Goguryeo pople.
Unitary Dynastic period
Goryeo Dynasty (918 ~ 1392)
It was Wang Geon who unified the Korean peninsula for the second time and founded the Goryeo Dynasty, named after Goguryeo. Jikji, the oldest metal printed book in the world, and the Goryeo celadon, the greatest cultural achievement of Goryeo, were produced during the Goryeo Dynasty.
Joseon Dynasty (1392 ~ 1910)
Joseon derives its name from the first kingdom of Korea. Joseon adopted Confucianism as its guiding principle, and this philosophy exerted much influence during the Joseon Dynasty. King Sejong the Great (1394 ~ 1450), the country's finest king, is most respected person in Korean history. He invented Hangul, the Korean alphabet, in 1446. He also invented a rain gauge, striking water clocks, and a sundial.
Colonial period
The japanese occupation period (1910 ~ 1945)
In the early 20th century, Korea was occupied by Japan. The country was exploited for the benefit of the Japanese Empire. The occupiers attempted to eradicate Korean culture and even forbade Koreans from speaking their own language. But the Koreans resisted continuously, both at home and abroad, until the surrender of Japan, which ended World War II.
DIVISION OF kOREA
THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA (1945 ~ PRESENT)
After the painful Japanese Occupation Period, the Korean War (1950-53) broke out and the Korean Peninsula was divided into South and North Korea. Korean underwent vast social, economic, and political changes. But now, with its reputation as one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Korea is preparing to become the hub of Asia.
reference
Korea4expats, (n.d.), History of korea. Retrieved from http://www.korea4expats.com/article-history-of-korea.html
Copyright ⓒ 2018 Dongjun Yu