South Korea (Republic of Korea)

Facts and history of South Korea since the end of World War II.

Biography of Gwanggaeto the Great, king of Koguryeo, the northernmost of ancient Korea's Three Kingdoms.

Queen Seondeok of Korea's Silla Kingdom was the first reigning queen of Korea, 606 - 647 CE.

The Silla Kingdom of Korea had an elaborate system for determining caste, called the bone-rank system. Learn how it worked here.

Photos of Korea from the imperial era and Japanese occupation, c. 1895-1920. Pictures of Korean families, street scenes and everyday life.

At the close of World War II, the victorious Allied Powers did not know what to do with the Korean Peninsula. Korea had been a Japanese colony since the late nineteenth century, so westerners thought the country incapable of self-rule. The Korean people, however, were eager to re-establish an independent nation of Korea.

The Joseon dynasty ruled the Korea Peninsula from 1392 until the Japanese occupation of Korea in 1910. Joseon rulers were able to fend off a late 16th century Japanese invasion, as well as 17th century incursions by the Manchus and internal peasant rebellions. The Joseon era also solidified the importance of Confucianism in Korean culture.

Biography of King Sejong the Great of Korea. Sejong invented the Korean script

When the Warring States Period ended in Japan, the country unified under the samurai lord Hideyoshi. He decided to cement his place in history by conquering Ming China. To that end, he invaded Korea in 1592. The Japanese Army pushed as far north as Pyongyang. However, the army depended on the navy for supplies.

In the sixteenth century, Japan invaded Korea twice. Although Japan did not conquer Korea in the Imjin War, also called the Ceramic Wars, it did kidnap tens of thousands of Korean artisans, including potters.

Carved wooden masks with exaggerated features and bright paint are one of the characteristic elements of Korean culture. Korean masks were originally used in shamanist rituals; today, they appear most often in cultural festivals. Learn about the origin and meaning of the masks, and see some of the dozens of mask designs here, as well as pictures...

Translation of the inscription on Gwanggaeto the Great's stele, which records the life works of the Goguryeo ruler.

Review of the documentary Chosin, about the U.S. Marine Corps experience at the Battle of Chosin River during the Korean War. Film by Brian Iglesias.

When Japan won the Sino-Japanese War (1894-95), it overturned the tributary relationship between Qing China and Joseon Korea. In order to more easily control Korea, Japan encouraged King Gojong to declare himself the Emperor of Korea. Thus began the short, thirteen-year reign of the Korean Empire. See photos of the imperial family and their...