Korea

Physical geography

Mountains

The landscape is composed to 70% of zones Montagne use partially covered with forests in the east and separated by deep and narrow valleys. In the west and the south, one finds coastal populated and cultivated plains. The principal chain is consisted the mounts You aebaek, which occupy the Eastern slope of the peninsula. Moreover, there exists also about fifty mountains exceeding the 2000 m of altitude which are, for the majority located, in the Hamgyong in the north, whose culminating point remains the Mont Paektu (2744 m).

Rivers

The Amnokgang and the Dumangang are both more important Fleuve S (790 and 520 km respectively), they mark the Frontière with the Popular republic of China and the Russia. While the Han (514 km), which crosses Seoul, and the Nakdong (525 km) as well ensure the requirements out of water for the cities as those for agriculture.

Coasts and islands

Its coasts are very cut out, and one counts there more than 3.000 islands whose principal one is Jeju-C (제주도), located at 85 km in the south of the peninsula.

The small islands of Liancourt, famous Rocks of Liancourt (Dokdo/Takeshima) in 1954, managed by South Korea, have been the subject of a dispute on behalf of the Japanese government for a few years.

Climate

The local climate is relatively moderate, although the south is touched by the mode of monsoons called locally the jangma , allowing the culture of rice in particular. North has a climate more influenced by the Siberia, at the snow-covered and hard winters more .

The peninsula remains exposed with the climatic risks: thus, the Inondations in North Korea caused, in August 2007, more than 600 died and disappeared and touched more than one million people, involving a request for international assistance of the government North-Korean and calls to gifts of ONG.

Culture and arts

See also: Culture of Korea, Culture of South Korea, Culture of the North Korea

See also: Korean Art, Korean Pottery, Korean Martial arts, and Korean Dance Korean Buddhist Architecture.

In the ancient Chinese texts, Korea is indicated under the name of the “rivers and of the mountains embroidered in silk” (錦繡江山) and “the Eastern nation of the decorum” (東方禮儀之國). During 7th and 8th centuries, the Silk route connected Korea to Arabia. As of 845, the Arab tradesmen wrote, “beyond China is a ground where the gold abounds and which is called Silla. The Moslems who went there were charmed by the country and tend to settle and give up any idea there to leave. ”

Policy

The peninsula is divided today, on the level of the 38 {{E}} parallel (38 선, 삼팔선, 三八線) in two independent States: in the south, the Republic of Korea , which is currently a parliamentary Démocratie with representation monocamérale (l'" Parliament nationale") ; and in north, the democratic Popular republic of Korea which, according to the Constitution of December 27th, 1972, is a socialist State (or Communist), founded on the ideas of the Juche which asserts political independence, economic and soldier of the North Korea.

Strong tensions existed a long time between the parts, the zone along the border between the two states known as “demilitarized zone” (DMZ) being the buffer zone concentrating the greatest number of troops in the world. The village of Panmunjeom, place of signature of the cease-fire of 1953, is the place where the negotiations between the two States proceed traditionally.

The North-South joint statement of June 15th, 2000 is the angular stone of the new relations which the two States maintain, for a Réunification of Korea.

History

In 2333 av. J. - C.: mythical foundation of Korea by a man named Tangun, wire of Hwanung and a ourse transformed into woman. Later, Giya brings the elements of a civilization of China (culture of the Riz, weaving and breeding of the worms with Soie); Korea is then called KB-Chosŏn .

Chinese Presence of 108 before J. - C. with 313 after J. - C.

three kingdoms: Silla (신라), Paekche (백제) and Koguryŏ (고구려) of 57 before J. - C.

to 618. Confederation of Gaya (가야).

Unification of the peninsula from 618 to 668.

Period Silla (신라): Korea is unified in only one kingdom, of 668 with 918.

Kingdom of Koryŏ (고려) (935-1393).

Mongolian Invasion of 1231

Period Joseon (조선) (the dynasty rested by the general Yi Seong-gye) (1392 - 1910).

Attempts at invasion Japan eases in 1592 and 1597 - 98, pushed back by the Admiral Yi Sun-sin (이순신), national hero.

Demolished and vassalisation of Korea to the Manchu Chinese in 1637, dysnastie of Qing, Korea is called the kingdom hermit and the foreigners who enter are prohibited to leave there. It is this time which was selected for the series Damo (télésuite).

Annexation by the Japan in 1910.

1945 : Release and division of the country in two States separated by the parallel 38e.

War of Korea of 1950 at 1953: north, under influence of the Soviet Union seeks to annex the South under American influence.

Since 1953, two states divide Korea.

Like bridge and not of passage between China and Japan, since its origins, the decolonization of Korea was a failure where North, approaching the Popular republic to China adopted a communist policy based on the worship of the person (Juche) and the South under that, in fact, of the the United States by the irruption of the War of Korea which made these two parts dependant on their sponsorship. The South is in economic competitive co-operation with Japan to continue. North still continues with respect to the Chinese godfather while being done more communist. The Soviet Union and the the United States clashed by interposed countries, avoiding a direct conflict which, at the time could have carried out towards an atomic climbing (the dismissal of MacArthur of it was a proof). Very quickly worried by the situation in Europe, the Soviet Union disengaged conflict, leaving the place to the Popular republic of China. A historical peace agreement was signed on October 4th, 2007 between two presidents, Roh Moo-hyun South Korean and Kim Jong-Il North-Korean. It puts officially fine at the war of Korea, begun in 1950. A simple armistice had been signed in 1953.

Continuous literature

Gi-Wook Shin/Michael Robinson (ED.). Colonial modernity in Korea, Cambridge, Farmhouse. : Harvard University, Asia Center; Distributed by Harvard Univ. Close 1999, ISBN 0-674-14255-1

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