• Emancipation and formation of a nation.
    • Country populated starting from the north of China and Mandchourie with, to north, a legendary state Choson (“Still Morning”).

    • From the IVth  century AC to the Vth c. BC, important Korean emigration towards Japan.

    • From the IVth c. to the VIth c., establishment of Buddhism.

    • In the Vth c., according to the “Japanese chronicles” (partly legendary), Japanese invasion which lasted one century.

    • In the VIIIth c., unification under the aegis of the one of the kingdom of the south (Silla).

    • In the Xth c., after new divisions, the supremacy of north leads to the formation of Koryo which also draws aside the Manchu threat.

    • In the XIIIth c. Mongolian invasion which will dominate the country during one century.

  • XIV-XXth c. Choson dynasty, greatness and vissicitudes
    • XIVth c. foundation of the dynasty by the general Yi Songgye.
      The social and political organization is marked by an important Chinese influence, through the Neo-Confucianism.

    • XVth c., invention of an original system of alphabetical and syllabic writing used simultaneously with the Chinese ideograms (half of the lexicon is of Chinese origin whereas the syntax of Korean presents similarities with that of Japanese).

    • XVIth c. failure of the three attempts at invasion carried out by the Japanese (shogun Hideyoshi).

    • XVIIth c. invasion by the Chinese and establishment of a statute of vassalage (the crown prince is hostage in Beijing).

    • Medium of the XIXth c. nationalist reactions opposite the claims of the Western powers made profitable by Japan which constrained country with a bringing together.

    • 1910: annexation by Japan (previously victorious also in the Sino-Japanese war of 1894-95 and the war Russo-Japanese of 1904-05). This annexation will open the step with other Japanese attacks on the continent (1931 in Mandchourie, 1937 in China…) will last until 1945.

  • From 1945 with today, a divided country.
    • 1948, consequence of the agreements of Yalta, the rendering of the Japanese is organized on both sides parallel 38° between Russians and Americans. The introduction of the "Cold War" between the two powers perennializes the situation by the installation of two governments.

    • 1950-53, the North-Korean state invades the south (until Pusan). An international conflict results from this implying 19 other countries of which the USSR and China behind the North Korea while UNO assists in its south (with the assistance essential of the Americans).
      The counter-attack brings about in its turn by the invasion of north but this one is pushed back by the Chinese troops in January 1951. A war of position is established then on a stabilized front while negotiations are led during two years until the armistice of July 1953.

    • During the passed half-century, the conflict was not solved by a peace treaty and even less by the reunification.




SOME WORDS ABOUT THE KOREAN PENINSULA
  • 99 000 km˛ and 49 millions of inhabitants in SOUTH KOREA (219 000 km˛ and 72 millions of inhabitants for the whole Korea).

  • GDP per capita (PPP): :$20400 (France: $24000; Japon: $31000; USA: :$36000).

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