Category: South Korea

Korea’s history begins before the Christian Era, when there were three kingdoms on the Korean Peninsula: Goguryeo, Silla and Baekje. In 668, these kingdoms were unified under Silla’s control. The first known texts, printed with metallic movable types, are from Korea. In the early 20th century, Korea was occupied by Japan. After World War II, Korea was divided into two: South Korea (democratic) and North Korea (communist). South Korea prospered and entered the 21st century as one of the world’s great economic powers. The population is 51 million (2016) and the capital is Seoul. In February 2018, the Winter Olympics were held in Pyongyang.