CHAPTER 30: NORTH AND SOUTH
KOREA
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
PENINSULA
• Korean peninsula is ½ the size of
California
• Split along the 38 th parallel btwn North
and South---separation is called the
Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)---6 miles
wide
• The world’s most dangerous border
MOUNTAINS
• Peninsula is very mountainous
Wheeee!!!!
• T’aebaek Mountains: begin in N.
Korea and follows coast of Sea of
Japan south
• Mount Paektu is highest peak (NK)
WATER
• Most rivers are in South Korea
• Han River: flows through Seoul
• Naktong River: SK’s longest river
• Yalu River: NK’s longest (500 miles)
HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
EARLY KOREA
• 3 great kingdoms
• Baekje, Silla, Goruyeo
• A.D. 668: Silla drive Chinese out and
unite Korea
• Goruyeo rise to power with support of
Chinese
GORUYEO TO JOSEON
• Goruyeo in decline by late 14 th
century (internal struggles and
occupation of Mongol Empire)
• General Yi Seong-gye sent to invade
Manchuria
• Instead, he attacks the capital and
deposes King U
• Yi gives throne to son of King U
• Doesn’t like how the 8 year old ran
things, so he executed him and took
the throne
• Yi Seong-gye becomes King Taejo
JOSEON DYNASTY
• To consolidate power, Taejo declares
himself the founder of the “Kingdom of
Great Joseon”---kills nobles that
oppose him
• Moves capital to Hanyang (presentday Seoul)
• Taejo rules until 1408
JOSEON CONTINUED
• Taejo’s sons fight for the throne (Strife
of Princes)
• Taejo’s great grandson, King Sejong
the Great takes the Joseon to their
pinnacle
• Sejong creates Korean script (hangul)
• Revolutionized agriculture and
sponsored the invention of the rain
gauge and sundial
JAPANESE INVADE JOSEON
• 1592 and 1597: Toyotomi Hideyoshi of
Japan attacks Korea to conquer Ming
China
• Japanese cut of ears and noses of
more than 38,000 Koreans
• Admiral Yi Sun-sin of Joseon wins a
victory at the Battle of Hansan-do,
using “turtle ships” (ironclads)
• Hideyoshi retreats
JOSEON DECLINE
• Japan and China vied for control of
the area
• 1882: Korean soldiers rebel and kill a
Japanese military advisor (Imo
Rebellion)
• Japan and China increase presence
• 1894: Donghak peasant rebellion
increases Chinese and Japanese
troop presence
• 1894-1895: First Sino-Japanese
War—fought mostly in Korea—Japan
takes control through WW2
COLLAPSE OF JOSEON
• 1910
• Japan is most powerful Asian empire
and occupies Korea
• Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty of
1910 cedes power to Japanese
emperor
• Korean emperor Yung-hui refuses to
sign, Japan forces Prime Minister Lee
Wan-Yong
• Korea becomes independent after
WW2
KOREA DIVIDED
• After WW2: Korea occupied by
Soviet Union and U.S.
• Soviets were north of 38 th parallel
(Democratic People’s Republic of
Korea)
• U.S. to the south: Republic of Korea
• June 1950: North Korea invades
South Korea---this is the Korean War
• U.N. came to aid the south (mostly
U.S. forces)
• Soviets and China helped the north
KOREA DIVIDED CONTINUED
•
Fighting continues until 1953
•
Armistice (cease fire) signed
•
Creates the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)
and separates the 2 countries along the
38th parallel
•
Kim Il Sung becomes 1 st premier of
North Korea (1948)
•
His son, Kim Jong Il, succeeds him
•
Today, Kim Jong Un is the premier
•
Syngman Rhee elected 1st president of
South Korea (1948)
•
2012: S. Korea elects 1 st female
president, Park Geun-hye
KOREAN GOVERNMENT
• Korean Worker’s Party controls
elections for N. Korea
• Govt decisions made by a 15 man
council called the Presidium of the
Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA)
• South Korea govt mimics the U.S.
(executive, legislative, judicial)
• Tensions are still high btwn the 2
countries
• NK is currently working on nuclear
weapons and delivery systems
SOCIETY AND CULTURE TODAY
RELIGION
• South Korea: mix of Buddhism,
Confucianism, shamanism,
Christianity
• North Korea: religion is not permitted
POLITICS
• Has created CULTURAL
DIVERGENCE: separation of people
or societies, with regard to beliefs,
values, and customs, due to a division
under different political systems
• It is communism vs. capitalism
• So, despite being ethnically similar,
the politics makes them culturally
different