"Go with me to a land whose life for ages has been a mystery", wrote a 19th-century visitor to Korea, "a land which from time unknown has kept aloof, whose people might have been the denizens of another planet". He may not have known that in the 4th century AD they had controlled much of north-east Asia and in the 8th their ships had dominated the trade of the Yellow Sea, nor did he guess the astonishing transformation that lay ahead of Korea in the 20th century - all of which are chronicled here. This is the first full-length general history of the country to be published in Britain, and incorporates in its early chapters Chinese and Korean material not previously published in any Western language. Beginning with the prehistoric era, the book provides a uniquely detailed treatment of the earlier periods in Korea's evolution. The work progresses through the era of the Three Kingdoms, Silla, Koguryo and Paekche; the Koryo period (918-1392 AD) which saw the war with the Khitan, the coming of the Mongols and the invasion of Japan; and the rule of the Yi dynasty from 1392 to 1910, which saw the flowering of Korean Confucianism, the invasion of Hideyoshi, the Manchu invasion, long periods of isolation and then the opening of the country to the West. Following this came the decades (1910-1945) when Korea was under Japanese rule; the period of the Sino-Japanese war, the Russo-Japanese war and Asian co-prosperity. Moving towards the present day, the work concludes with the story of the two Koreas and the drawing of the line between them, South Korea's economic successes and the adoption of a new constitution in 1987. Full and accurate records of all the significant persons and dates are provided, including events in China and Japan in so far as they involved Korea. Richly descriptive, with an emphasis on skilfull accounts of the major occurrences, battles and court scandals of the times, this lucidly written history makes absorbing reading, and should be welcomed by the general reader.

History Of Korea

The History of Korea presents a chronological account of Korea from ancient days, over 2000 B. C, to modern 20th century Korea. Hulbert said that Korea and Japan have the same two racial types, but Japan is mostly Malay and Korea is mostly Manchu-Korean. He claimed that Korea is physically mostly of the northern type, but also said that the nation, being physically mostly of the northern type, did not disprove Hulbert's claim that the Malay element developed Korea's first civilization, although not necessarily originating Korea's first civilization, and the Malay element imposed its language in its main features in the entire peninsula.

The History of Korea (Vol.1&2)

The first English-language history of Korea to appear in more than a decade, this translation offers Western readers a distillation of the latest and best scholarship on Korean history and culture from the earliest times to the student revolution of 1960. The most widely read and respected general history, A New History of Korea (Han’guksa sillon) was first published in 1961 and has undergone two major revisions and updatings. Translated twice into Japanese and currently being translated into Chinese as well, Ki-baik Lee’s work presents a new periodization of his country’s history, based on a fresh analysis of the changing composition of the leadership elite. The book is noteworthy, too, for its full and integrated discussion of major currents in Korea’s cultural history. The translation, three years in preparation, has been done by specialists in the field.

A New History of Korea

An introduction to the history of Korea that covers its past from prehistoric times, to the medieval period, to the country's status as a Japanese colony prior to World War II, to its present day division into North and South Korea.

A Brief History of Korea

The Koreas are two of the few countries in the East Asian world to successfully maintain political and cultural independence from China. Originated by the Han-Ye-Maek people who had migrated from North China to Manchuria and the Korean peninsula since 2000 BCE, three Korean dynasties—Great Silla, Koryo, and Choson—kept peace and prosperity in the country since the 7th century, nurturing a civilization based on Buddhism, Confucianism and the East Asian world-system. Korea, despite experiencing Japanese dominion and the nation's division, now looks forward to enjoying its prosperity as a member of the global community and to seeing a unified Korea. This volume provides a comprehensive review of Korea's history, from its roots in Neolithic civilization, and the tradition and evolution of nation-building in the traditional East Asian world system, through Korea's global setting in modern times. Also included are a biographical section highlighting famous figures in Korean history, a timeline of important historical events, a glossary of Korean terms, and a bibliographical essay with suggestions for further reading. The historical origin of Korean identity in the East Asian world, Korea's failure to adapt to a changing East Asian world-system, as well as the political division Korea suffered in the second half of the 20th century are discussed. Readers will benefit from the inclusion of direct translations from original classical Chinese and Korean sources by the author. Excellent as a reference tool for students and general readers interested in the history of this unique nation.

The History of Korea

Now in a fully revised and updated edition, this comprehensive book surveys Korean history from Neolithic times to the present. Michael J. Seth explores the origins and development of Korean society, politics, and still little-known cultural heritage from their inception to the two Korean states of today. Telling the remarkable story of the origins and evolution of a society that borrowed and adopted from abroad, Seth describes how various tribal peoples in the peninsula came together to form one of the world’s most distinctive communities. He shows how this ancient, culturally and ethnically homogeneous society was wrenched into the world of late-nineteenth-century imperialism, fell victim to Japanese expansionism, and then became arbitrarily divided into two opposed halves, North and South, after World War II. Tracing the seven decades since 1945, the book explains how the two Koreas, with their deeply different political and social systems and geopolitical orientations, evolved into sharply contrasting societies. South Korea, after an unpromising start, became one of the few postcolonial developing states to enter the ranks of the first world, with a globally competitive economy, a democratic political system, and a cosmopolitan and dynamic culture. North Korea, by contrast, became one of the world’s most totalitarian and isolated societies, a nuclear power with an impoverished and famine-stricken population. Seth describes and analyzes the radically different and historically unprecedented trajectories of the two Koreas, formerly one tight-knit society. Throughout, he adds a rare dimension by placing Korean history into broader global perspective. All readers looking for a balanced, knowledgeable history will be richly rewarded with this clear and concise book.

A Concise History of Korea

Dynamic and meticulously researched, A History of Korea continues to be one of the leading introductory textbooks on Korean history. Assuming no prior knowledge, Hwang guides readers from early state formation and the dynastic eras to the modern experience in both North and South Korea. Structured around episodic accounts, each chapter begins by discussing a defining moment in Korean history in context, with an extensive examination of how the events and themes under consideration have been viewed up to the present day. By engaging with recurring themes such as collective identity, external influence, social hierarchy, family and gender, the author introduces the major historical events, patterns and debates that have shaped both North and South Korea over the past 1500 years. This textbook is essential reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students of Korean or Asian history. The first half of the book covers pre-20th century history, and the second half the modern era, making it ideal for survey courses.

A History of Korea

This detailed, scholarly history of Korea is a comprehensive political and socioeconomic history from 57 B.C. to modern times, including North and South Korea. Specializing in Korean industrial structure, economic planning, and administration, the author presents a concise yet readable historical approach to a greater understanding of Korea's position in East Asia. The author, a political scholar and experienced linguist, bases his text on primary Korean and Japanese sources, thus providing much information previously unavailable to English–speaking people. Ancient Korea is covered in the first chapter, "The Three Kingdoms," and also in the six subsequent chapters dealing with feudalism, land reform, and early Korean social structure. The thirteen succeeding chapters bring the history to modern times. They include a valuable account of Japanese colonial policy and the struggle for independence of the Korean people; the Korean War, its development, offensives, and counteroffensives; factionalism; the politics of Syngman Rhee and his twelve years of one–man rule; the background of the student revolutions; foreign relations; nationalism and neutrality; and the important comparative studies concerning Communism and the governments of North and South Korea. The concluding chapter deals with the future of Korea and its role in rapidly changing East Asia.

Korea A History

"Passionate, cantankerous, and fascinating. Rather like Korea itself."--Nicholas D. Kristof, New York Times Book Review Korea has endured a "fractured, shattered twentieth century," and this updated edition brings Bruce Cumings's leading history of the modern era into the present. The small country, overshadowed in the imperial era, crammed against great powers during the Cold War, and divided and decimated by the Korean War, has recently seen the first real hints of reunification. But positive movements forward are tempered by frustrating steps backward. In the late 1990s South Korea survived its most severe economic crisis since the Korean War, forcing a successful restructuring of its political economy. Suffering through floods, droughts, and a famine that cost the lives of millions of people, North Korea has been labeled part of an "axis of evil" by the George W. Bush administration and has renewed its nuclear threats. On both sides Korea seems poised to continue its fractured existence on into the new century, with potential ramifications for the rest of the world.

Korea's Place in the Sun: A Modern History (Updated Edition)

Exploring Korean history from its ancient roots to the present day, A Brief History of Korea is the story of a people with a rich and united culture that has become two Koreas in modern times--one isolated and secretive and the other among the world's most successful economies. Korean culture developed on a 600-mile-long peninsula, bordered on the north by mountains and three sides by the sea, set apart from the Asian mainland. Korea was one of the last countries in Asia to be visited by Westerners and its borders have remained largely unchanged since it was unified in the seventh century. Though it is one of the world's oldest and most ethnically homogeneous states, Korea was not born in a vacuum. Geographically isolated, the country was heavily influenced by powerful China and was often used as a bridge to the mainland by Japan. Calling themselves as "a shrimp among whales," Koreans borrowed elements of government, culture and religion all the while fiercely fighting to maintain independence from powerful neighbors. This fascinating book tells the story of Korean domestic dynasties, empires and states, as well as foreign conquest, occupation and division. Today, the two Koreas are starkly different--North Korea a nation closed to the world and South Korea an economic powerhouse and center of Asian democracy. Chronicling significant events right up through 2018's Singapore Summit, author Michael J. Seth presents a relevant, interesting and important history of Korea within a larger global context. Korea's history is a turbulent one, but ultimately the story of a resistant and resourceful people in search of lasting peace.

This book is a comprehensive account of Korean history from early times to December 2020.

Korea

Introduction to Korean History and Culture

Excerpt from The Story of Korea The welcome so heartily accorded both by critics and the public to the "Story of Old Japan" has tempted the writer to endeavour to tell, in the same easy and popular way, the Story of Korea, a story scarcely less replete than that of Japan with picturesque and romantic incidents of war, politics, and social life. During the last thirty years Korea has been the pivot of all the politics of the Far East. It has been the subject of two great wars, as the result of which it has ceased to exist as an independent kingdom. Few people in England know it otherwise than as a geographical expression. Fewer still realise the great addition which its incorporation in the dominions of the Emperor of Japan will make to the military and commercial resources of his Empire. Its magnificent harbours will provide new bases, and its coast population, which produced brave and skilful sailors in the Middle Ages, will afford abundant recruits for his fleet. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

The Story of Korea (Classic Reprint)

Now in a fully revised and updated edition including new primary sources and illustrations, this comprehensive book surveys Korean history from Neolithic times to the present. Michael J. Seth explores the origins and development of Korean society, politics, and still little-known cultural heritage from their inception to the two Korean states of today. Telling the remarkable story of the origins and evolution of a society that borrowed and adopted from abroad, Seth describes how various tribal peoples in the peninsula came together to form one of the world’s most distinctive communities. He shows how this ancient, culturally and ethnically homogeneous society was wrenched into the world of late-nineteenth-century imperialism, fell victim to Japanese expansionism, and then became arbitrarily divided into two opposed halves, North and South, after World War II. Tracing the post-war years since 1945, the book explains how the two Koreas, with their deeply different political and social systems and geopolitical orientations, evolved into sharply contrasting societies. South Korea, after an unpromising start, became one of the few postcolonial developing states to enter the ranks of the first world, with a globally competitive economy, a democratic political system, and a cosmopolitan and dynamic culture. North Korea, by contrast, became one of the world’s most totalitarian and isolated societies, a nuclear power with an impoverished and famine-stricken population. Seth describes and analyzes the radically different and historically unprecedented trajectories of the two Koreas, formerly one tight-knit society. Throughout, he adds a rare dimension by placing Korean history into broader global perspective. All readers looking for a balanced, knowledgeable history will be richly rewarded with this clear and concise book.

The globalization of space -- Separate worlds -- Early Joseon maps -- Europe looks East -- Cartographic encounters -- Joseon and its neighbors -- Cartographies of the late Joseon -- Representing Korea in the modern era -- The colonial grid -- Representing the new country -- Cartroversies -- Guide to further reading

Offers a stellar introduction to the Korean people and their religion, arts and literature, daily life, and customs.

Culture and Customs of Korea

From the author of The Almost Nearly Perfect People, a lively tour through Japan, Korea, and China, exploring the intertwined cultures and often fraught history of these neighboring countries. There is an ancient Chinese proverb that states, “Two tigers cannot share the same mountain.” However, in East Asia, there are three tigers on that mountain: China, Japan, and Korea, and they have a long history of turmoil and tension with each other. In his latest entertaining and thought provoking narrative travelogue, Michael Booth sets out to discover how deep, really, is the enmity between these three “tiger” nations, and what prevents them from making peace. Currently China’s economic power continues to grow, Japan is becoming more militaristic, and Korea struggles to reconcile its westernized south with the dictatorial Communist north. Booth, long fascinated with the region, travels by car, ferry, train, and foot, experiencing the people and culture of these nations up close. No matter where he goes, the burden of history, and the memory of past atrocities, continues to overshadow present relationships. Ultimately, Booth seeks a way forward for these closely intertwined, neighboring nations. An enlightening, entertaining and sometimes sobering journey through China, Japan, and Korea, Three Tigers, One Mountain is an intimate and in-depth look at some of the world’s most powerful and important countries.

Three Tigers, One Mountain

This book is a historical text that covers Korean history from its foundation to the modern era. It especially deals with pre-modern societies of Korea in detail. Despite its long history, life in its society and its culture are rarely spoken of outsides the peninsula. Rather than arranging the historical events chronologically, this book focuses more on the details of the historical events by questioning how the diverse experiences that Koreans had affected their life and culture and what influences that culture had on constructing Korean history. This is the reason why we publish this book, although there are already numerous books that introduced Korean history. Readers could realize what Koreans have endured and how it lead to their position in the world today. It also mentions their moral values and what they believe is right or wrong.

A Korean History for International Readers

The history of Korea is a rich and complex tapestry that spans thousands of years, beginning with the ancient Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla, known collectively as the Three Kingdoms period. This era, marked by distinctive cultural and technological advancements, set the foundation for the subsequent unification under the Goryeo Dynasty, which is renowned for its artistic achievements and the introduction of Buddhism as a major influence. The Joseon Dynasty followed, leaving a profound legacy in Korean culture, including the invention of the Hangul alphabet and significant contributions to Confucian philosophy. The 20th century witnessed a tumultuous period with Japanese colonization, the Korean War, and the eventual division into North and South Korea, each taking distinct paths in political and economic development. Today, Korea's history continues to shape its cultural identity and geopolitical significance on the world stage.