All About The Beautiful Korea: HISTORY

The Flow of the Korea

History From Pre-history

to Joseon Dynasty

As from the diagram we know that the history of Korea started from the pre-history which is about 700,000 years ago. We can separate pre-history into two period that are Jeulmun Pottery Period and Mumun Pottery Period. In the Jeulmun Pottery Period, the earliest known Korean pottery was at about 8000 B.C.E. or before. At Mumun Pottery Period (150-300 B.C.E), the earliest agricultural societies and the earliest form of social political society complexity.

According to the legend, the first Korean kingdom is at Gojoseon Period which is called Dangun (2333 B.C.E), that is located in the southern part of Manchuria and the northern part of Korea peninsula. Furthermore, the bronze culture and iron culture will also found in Gojoseon period.

At 57 B.C.E to 668 AD, the three kingdom Baekje, Silla and Goguryeo presented in the three kingdom periods. After the fall of the Gojoseon numerous state sprang up, this include Bukbuyeo, Dongbuyeo, Okjeo, Dongye, Nangnang Joseon and Samhan. This state from in the Proto-Three Kingdoms which is the period before the rise of the Three Kingdoms Period.

After the Three Kingdom Period, started the North-South States Period which contain of two kingdoms which is Silla (668-935) and Balhae (698-926). After this period, existed the Later Three Kingdom Period (892-936) which consist of Silla, Hubaekje (later called Baekje), and Taebong (Hugoguryeo, later called Goguyeo).

Goryeo Pargoda

Goryeo founded in 913 until year 139. At this period the courts codified laws and civil service system is introduced by the government. Buddhism spread through the peninsula of Korea. The celadon industry which celadon is a type of ceramic was flourished, the world’s first metal printing technology and the publication of Tripitaka Koreana were achieve in this period. In 1231, the Mongola started its campaigns against Korea and after 25 years of resistant the royal family surrended. Goryeo dynasty had under the influenced of Mongola for 80 years. In 1340s, the Mongola decline and King Gongmin found the freedom to reform Goryeo government but it faced various problems. Moreover, “Japanese” pirates organized raid deep into the country and is repelling by the engagement formed with General Lee Songgye.

White Porcelain Jar with Plum, Bamboo,
Bird Design (Joseon; 15th Century).
This vase made in the early Joseon Period.

In year 1392, Joseon dynastry was established. In this period Neo-Confucianism was the country’ s official religion and advanced in science and culture which created the Hangul written alphabet. The economy was stable during peaceful period but suffered after Janpanese invasion. The social hierarchy system in this period is shown in the diagram below.

Social Hierarchy system in Joseon Dynasty

Korea had suffered from a pair of invasion from 1592 to 1598. Subsequently Korea was invaded twice in 1627 and 1636 by Manchus which conquer China and establish the Qing dynasty after Korea recognized controlled. During 19^th century, Korea closed their borders to all nation except China to control the foreign invasion. The Joseon court noted with concern the foreign invasions and treaties involving Qing China, as well as the Opium Wars and followed by a slow exchange of policy with the west. “General Sherman” incident in 1866 causes Korea and United States into a confrontational relationship. In 1871, United States conducted a limited punitive expedition which is Sinmiyangyo. Japan forced Korea to open its port in 1876 and successfully challenges Qing in Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895). In 1895, Empress Myeongseong was murdered which was involved Japanese who had Russian help and Russian was forced to leave from Korea.

The Korea History Flow from Korean Empire to the Division of Korea

Portrait of King Gojong

In 1897, Joseon was renamed to Korean Empire and King Gojong became Emperor Gojong. In this period the government implied domestic reform, strengthening military forces, developing commerce and industry and surveying land ownership. Organizations like Independent Club to assert the rights of the Joseon people. Russian influence was strong in the Empire until it was defeated by Japan in Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905). Korea was becoming a protectorate of Japan in 17 November 1905 but the 1905 Protectorate Treaty was promulgated without the seal or commission by the Emperor Gojong. Following that many intellectuals and scholars set up various organization and association for the movement of independent. In 1909, independent activist An Jung-Geun assassinated Ito Hirobumwhich is a former Resident-General of Korea. This incident lead to the banning of all political organization and started the plan of enlarging its colonization.

Gyeongbokgong Palace

In 1910, Japan effectively annexed Korea by the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty. This treaty is not accepted in Korea because it was not signed by the Emperor of Korea as required while Japan claim that the treaty is legal. Korea was controlled by Japan under the Governor-General of Korea until Japan was unconditional surrender to the Allied Forces on 15 August 1945 with de jure sovereignty passing from Joseon Dynasty to the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea. Korea constructed European-styled transport and communication network across the nation that is facilitated by Japan to extract the resources and labor. The Japanese removed Joseon hierarchy, destroyed Gyeongbokgung palace and established a punitive series of measures which include the murdering of those who refused to pay taxes in the provinces.

1^{st March Movement}

Emperor Gojong died in January 1919 with a rumor of poisoning lead to an independence rallies against Japanese invaders took place nationwide on March 1, this movement is suppressed by the Japan by killing 7000 peaceful demonstrator. Japan also burnt alive many Korean Christians. Korean independent fighters establish the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in Shanghai, China.This Provisional Government constituted the de jure government of the Korean people in year 1919-1948. After the Sino-Japanese War in 1937 and World War II, Japan attempted to eliminate Korea as a nation by eliminating Korean culture. Japan prohibited the use of Korean language and the Korean is forced to change their name into Japanese name. Some Korean left the peninsula of Korea to Manchuria and Primorsky Krai. Korean in Manchuria formed resistance group named Dongnipgun (Independence Army). During World War II, Japan forced Korean to support their war effort and conscripted girls and women as “comfort women” or sex slave.

Officials of the Provisional Government of the
Republic of Korea pose for a photo in Shanghai, China

At the Cairo Conference on 22 November 1943, Russia, Britain and the United State of Kingdom (USA) agree that Korean shall become free and independent. In February 1945, at Yalta the allies agreed to establish a four-power trusteeship over Korea. In 9 August 1945, Soviet entered northern Korea from Siberia and take over the area north of the 38^th parallel while in 8 September 1945 US administering the southern Korea.This had leaded to the division of Korea.

The 38th Parellel divided North and
South Korea till the Korean War

A conference convened in Moscow to discuss the future of Korea on December 1945. In September 1947, United Nations General Assembly mandated called for democratic national election but Soviet Union ignored it and USA went ahead with the elections in the South. This result in a communist dictatorship in North Korea and in the South is the democratic Republic of Korea. In 12 December 1948, the United Nations recognized Republic of Korea as the sole of legal government of Korea by its resolution 195 in the Third General Assembly. Korean War broke out on June 1950 when North Korea invaded massively at the South over the 38^th parallel which lead to the ending of hope of peaceful reunification at that time. After the war, the 1945 Geneva conference failed to adopt a solution to unified Korea.