TLDR;
This video provides a concise historical overview of Korea, starting from its ancient origins to its modern division. It covers the establishment of Gojoseon, the era of the Three Kingdoms, the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties, the period of Japanese occupation, the Korean War, and the subsequent division into North and South Korea. The video also touches on the economic growth of South Korea and the political developments in North Korea, including its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
- The Korean peninsula's history is marked by periods of unification and division.
- Foreign influence, particularly from China and Japan, has significantly shaped Korea's trajectory.
- The division of Korea after World War II continues to be a defining issue in the region.
Introduction [0:00]
Korea is a peninsula in East Asia, bordered by China to the northwest and separated from Japan to the east. Since 1945, Korea has been divided into two countries: North Korea and South Korea, split at the 38th parallel.
Early History [0:26]
In 2333 BCE, Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom, was established by Dangun, who was believed to be the grandson of heaven. By the 3rd century BCE, the southern part of Korea was occupied by the Jin state. Gojoseon underwent three periods: Dangun Joseon, Gija Joseon, and Wiman Joseon. In 108 BCE, the Han dynasty invaded, installing four commanderies in northern Korea. Within a few decades, three of the commanderies fell, except for the Lelang commandery. The northern part of the peninsula and Manchuria were then occupied by Buyeo, Goguryeo, Okjeo, Dongye, and other minor statelets, while in the south, the Jin state gave rise to the loose confederacies of Jinhan, Byeonhan, and Mahan.
Three Kingdoms of Korea [1:25]
The Three Kingdoms of Korea consisted of Goguryeo, Silla, and Baekje. From the 1st century AD, Goguryeo gradually conquered its neighbors and occupied the northern part of Korea, while Baekje and Silla grew to control the southern regions. By the early 6th century, Silla's power extended across the Korean peninsula. In the 640s, Silla formed an alliance with the Tang dynasty of China to conquer Baekje and later Goguryeo, unifying the central and southern parts of the Korean peninsula into Unified Silla. Meanwhile, the northern part was under the control of Balhae, founded by King Go. In the late 9th century, Silla was divided into the brief Later Three Kingdoms of Silla, Later Baekje, and Taebong, before falling to Goryeo in 935.
Goryeo and Joseon Dynasty [2:24]
Goryeo was founded by Wang Geon in 918 as the successor of Goguryeo, with Kaesong as the capital, gradually unifying most of the Korean peninsula. Following the Mongol invasions of Korea from 1230 to 1270, Goryeo existed as a vassal state and compulsory ally of the Mongol-ruled Yuan dynasty in China. After a coup, General Yi Seong-gye overthrew the Goryeo dynasty and, in 1392, established the Joseon dynasty. The capital was moved from Kaesong to Hanseong. Under King Sejong the Great, Joseon enjoyed numerous beneficial administrative, social, scientific, and economic reforms; he also created Hangul, the Korean alphabet. From 1592 to 1598, Joseon suffered from the great destruction of the Japanese invasions. Following two invasions by the Later Jin and Qing dynasties, Joseon became a subordinate of the Qing Empire. In the 19th century, Joseon adopted a harsh isolationist policy, for which it became known as the Hermit Kingdom. However, Joseon was soon forced to open its borders, leading to an era of Japanese imperial rule.
Korean Empire and Japanese Occupation [3:47]
Following the Sino-Japanese War and the Treaty of Shimonoseki, Korea was recognized with full and complete independence and autonomy by the Qing dynasty. In 1897, the Joseon dynasty proclaimed the Korean Empire with Emperor King Gojong. Russia posed a strong influence in the Korean Empire until the Russo-Japanese War, which pushed the Russians out of the fight for Korea. The following year, Korea became a protectorate of Japan. In 1910, Japan formally annexed the Korean Empire with the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty; thereafter, Korea was officially named Chosen. From 1939, over five million Koreans were conscripted for labor, 10,000 men were forced into Japan's military, and about 200,000 girls and women were forced into sexual slavery for the Japanese military.
Division and Korea War [4:45]
After the end of World War II, with the unconditional surrender of Japan in 1945, Korea was partitioned along the 38th parallel, with the north under Soviet occupation and the south under U.S. occupation. The politics of the Cold War resulted in the 1948 establishment of two sovereign states: North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea. In 1950, the Korean War broke out when Soviet-backed North Korea invaded South Korea and ended without a formalized peace treaty. The Korean peninsula remained divided by the Korean Demilitarized Zone up to the present day.
Modern Korea [5:29]
After the war, South Korea witnessed enormous economic growth in a period called the Miracle on the Han River, giving rise to numerous family conglomerates such as Samsung, Hyundai, SK Group, and LG Corporation. In 1987, South Korea transitioned into a constitutional democracy. Today, South Korea is a leading economy and is famous for bringing the Hallyu wave to the entertainment industry all over the world. Meanwhile, under Soviet influence, North Korea adopted a communist government. The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 led to a full-scale collapse of the North Korean economy. By the 21st century, Kim Jong-il and later his son Kim Jong-un decided to pursue nuclear weapons, creating a series of crises ongoing to the present day. In 2018, the Panmunjom Declaration was signed between the supreme leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, and the president of South Korea, Moon Jae-in, announcing that they would work to officially end the long-lasting Korean conflict.