2. Two Koreas
Today
South Korea
Land Area
100,210 km²
Population 48,846,823
Capital City “ Seoul”
North Korea
Land Area
120,540 km²
Population 23,113,019
Capital City “Pyong Yang”
4. Land and People
Korea is romantically known as “ Land of the
Morning Calm” (Chosun)
The country is almost completely covered by
mountain ranges.
The climate is temperate, with cold winters and
hot summers.
5. Early History
According to myth, a centralized
Gojoseon kingdom was founded by a
hero named Dangun in 2333 BC.
It was him who gave name Chosun.
His capital was in present-day
Pyongyang.
Then China occupied the northwest area
of Korea until 313 AD.
8. Shilla(668 to 935 AD)
During their supremacy, new arts and
sciences flourished.
From China Buddhism influenced their
cultures.
9. Koryo(935 to 1392)
Koryo destroyed Shilla rule.
It gave the country modern name “Koryo”.
Koryo fought against Mongol invasion and
kept independence of the country.
10. Kokuryo
Destroyed the last Chinese command and
became the dominant power.
Kokuryo expanded their territories into
Manchuria, Inner Mongolia, and south Korea.
It was constantly at war with China’s Thang
dynasty.
11. Hermit Kingdom(1644-1876)
At the end of the 16th century, the Japanese
shogun Hideyoshi invaded Korea but failed.
Korea enjoyed nearly 200 years of peace
and seclusion as “the Hermit Kingdom”.
12. Japanese Rule
Japan gained control of Korea as a result of
war with China and Russia.
The Japanese annexation of Korea lasted for
fifty years until 1945.
Koreans suffered greatly in the hands of the
Japanese.
During the First and Second World Wars, Rhee
and his compatriots fought against Japanese
and Korea was set to be free again.
13. South Korean History
October, 1945
Syngman Rhee
returned to South
Korea from the US
Welcomed as a
nationalist
resistance leader
by US leadership.
14. North Korean History
October, 1945
Kim Il Sung
returns to North
Korea from
Manchuria
Welcomed by
Soviets as a
nationalist
resistance leader
15. WW II in Korean History
August 6, 1945, Atom bomb on Hiroshima
August 8, 1945, Russians enter the war
against Japan, fulfilling their Yalta Conference
agreement
August 9, 1945, Atom bomb on Nagasaki
August 10/11, 1945 (about midnight), young
colonels, Dean Rusk and Charles Bonesteel,
under orders from Gen. McArthur, draw a
division line at the 38th parallel, keeping the
capital city, Seoul, in the American area.
August 15, 1945, Japan Surrenders.
16. Divided Korea
After WW2, Korea was divided by two Allied
armies that liberated it- the Russian and other
Allied forces.
The cold war worsened relations between the
two superpowers, and the two parts of Korea
got involved and became permanently divided.
In 1948 The Republic of Korea was born.
Meanwhile in North Korea, a separate
government was installed- Communism.
17. Both allied and Russian armies withdrew from
Korea.
However, the Russians left behind a powerful
and well-equipped North Korean army and
advisor.
18. Korean War
On June 25, 1950, the north Korean army
launched a surprise attack in south Korea.
UN security Council declared the invasion as
a “ruthless act of aggression”.
Korean bonds with Filipinos are strong, due
to Christianity, and dating to the time of the
Korean War.
19. Korean War Ends
Cease Fire July 27, 1953
Neither Korea Signed Armistice
State of war continues
Both Koreas considered themeslves
the only legitimate authority
Both Koreas had aurhoritarian
dictatorships at least through 1987
20. Christianity in Korea
Revolves around two of its largest branches, Protestantism and
Catholicism, accounting for 8.6 million and 5.3 million
members respectively.
Roman Catholicism was first introduced during the late Joseon
Dynasty period.
In 1603, Yi Gwang-jeong, Korean diplomat, returned from
Beijing carrying several theological books written by Matteo
Ricci, a Jesuit missionary to China.
He began disseminating the information in the books and the
first seeds of Christianity were sown. In 1758 King Yeongjo of
Joseon officially outlawed Catholicism as an evil practice.
Roman Catholicism was again introduced in 1785 by Yi Seung-
hun. Korean Christians were subject to persecution.
21. Two Koreas
Republic of Korea
(South)
Syngman Rhee’s
Government 1948-
1960
Pro-American
Capitalist
Anti-communist
Pro Christian
Authoritarian
Corrupt
Inept
Democratic
People’s Republic
of Korea (North)
Kim Il Sung’s
Government 1948-
1994
Pro-Soviet / Pro-
Chinese
Anti-American
Communist
Becomes anti-religion
Authoritarian
Isolationist
22. South Korean History
Park Chung Hee
leads South Korea
Military Dictator
Harsh discipline
Anti-communist
Economic
development for
national security
Fantastic economic
growth
Terrible human
rights
23. North Korean History
Kim Il Sung in North
Korea
Juche Ideology
National
independence
Aligned with USSR and
China
Plays them off against
each other until 1991
Standard pattern of
brinksmanship to get
what he wants
24. Relevant History
Kim Il Sung dies in 1994
Kim Jong Il succeeds his
father and continues his
father’s government
patterns
US and most experts
expected North Korea to
collapse under economic
strains and leadership
transition.
25. Quiz
What is difference between North and South
Korea?
What is Chosun mean?