This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2011)

History of Korea
This article is part of a series
Prehistory
Jeulmun period
Mumun period
Gojoseon ?–108 BC
Wiman Joseon 194 BC–108 BC
Proto–Three Kingdoms 300–57 BC
Buyeo, Goguryeo, Okjeo, Dongye
Jin state, Samhan (Ma, Byeon, Jin)
Four Commanderies of Han
Three Kingdoms 57 BC–668
Goguryeo 37 BC–668
Baekje 18 BC–660
Silla 57 BC–935
Gaya 42–562
North and South States 698–926
Unified Silla 668–935
Balhae 698–926
Later Three Kingdoms 892–936
Taebong, Hubaekje, Silla
Goryeo 918–1392
Joseon 1392–1897
Korean Empire 1897–1910
Colonial Korea 1910–1945
Provisional Gov't 1919–1948
Division of Korea 1945–present
North Korea 1948–present
South Korea 1948–present
By topic
Timeline
List of monarchs
Linguistic history
Science and technology history
Art history
Military history
Naval history
Korea Portal v t e

The Korean Peninsula was inhabited from the Lower Paleolithic about 400,000-700,000 years ago.^[1][2][3] The earliest known Korean pottery dates to around 8000 BCE,^[4] and the Neolithic period began before 6000 BCE, followed by the Bronze Age by 800 BCE,^[5][6][7] and the Iron Age began around 400 BCE.

According to the mythic origin story recounted in the Samguk Yusa, the Gojoseon (Old Joseon) was founded in northern Korea and Manchuria in 2333 BCE.^[8][9][10] The Gija Joseon was founded in 12th century BC, and its existence and role have been controversial in the modern era.^[11] The Jin state was formed in southern Korea in the 3rd century BC. In the 2nd century BC, Gija Joseon was replaced by Wiman Joseon which fell to the Han dynasty of China near the end of the century. This resulted in the fall of Gojoseon and led to succeeding warring states, the Proto–Three Kingdoms period that spanned the later Iron Age. Since the 1st century, Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla grew to control the peninsula and Manchuria as the Three Kingdoms (57 BC – 668 AD) until unification by Silla in 676. In 698, Dae Jo-yeong established the Kingdom of Balhae in old territories of Goguryeo,^[12][13] which led to the North South States Period (698–926).

In the late 9th century, Silla was divided into the Later Three Kingdoms (892–936), which ended with the unification by Wang Geon's Goryeo Dynasty. Meanwhile Balhae fell after an invasion by the Khitan Liao Dynasty and the refugees including the last Crown Prince emigrated to Goryeo.^[14] During the Goryeo period, laws were codified, a civil service system was introduced, and culture inlfuenced by Buddhism flourished.

In 1392, Yi Seong-gye established the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910) after a coup in 1388. King Sejong the Great (1418–1450) implemented numerous administrative, social, and economical reforms, established royal authority in the early years of the dynasty, and promulgated Hangul, the Korean alphabet.

From the late 16th century, the Joseon dynasty faced foreign invasions, internal power struggle and rebellions, and it declined rapidly in the late 19th century. In 1897, the Korean Empire (1897–1910) succeeded the Joseon Dynasty. However, Imperial Japan forced it to sign the Eulsa Treaty and in 1910 annexed the Korean Empire, though all treaties involved were later confirmed to be null and void.^[15]

Korean resistance was manifested in the widespread nonviolent March 1st Movement of 1919. Thereafter the resistance movements, coordinated by the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in exile, were largely active in neighboring Manchuria, China and Siberia.

After the liberation in 1945, the partition of Korea created the modern two states of North and South Korea. In 1948, new governments were established, the Democratic South Korea ("Republic of Korea") and Communist North Korea ("Democratic People's Republic of Korea") divided at the 38th parallel. The unresolved tensions of the division surfaced in the Korean War of 1950, when North Korea invaded South Korea.

Prehistory and Gojoseon[link]

Korean earthenware jar with comb pattern. 4000 BC, Amsa-dong, Seoul. British Museum.

No definite Homo erectus has been found in the Korean Peninsula,^[16] though a possible Homo erectus has been reported.^[2] Tool-making artifacts from the Palaeolithic period have been found in present-day North Hamgyong, South P'yongan, Gyeonggi, and north and south Chungcheong Provinces of Korea.,^[17] which dates the Paleolithic Age to half a million years ago,^[6] though it may have begun as late as 400,000 years ago^[1] or as early as 600,000-700,000 years ago.^[2][3] The predominant view is that the Korean people of today are not the ethnic descendants of these Paleolithic inhabitants.^[1][6]