Korea has been a sovereign state since ancient times, and its people have a long and proud history. The Korean peninsula is located in Northeast Asia and is bordered by the Sea of Japan to the east, China to the west, and North Korea to the north. The total land area of Korea is about 220,000 square kilometers, making it slightly larger than the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population of South Korea is about 51 million people, while that of North Korea is about 25 million.
The first recorded history of Korea began with the kingdoms of Gojoseon and Joseon (also spelled Chosŏn), which were founded in 2333 BCE and 37 BCE respectively. These kingdoms dominated much of Korean peninsula for centuries until they were annexed by Imperial Japan in 1910. After World War II ended in 1945, the peninsula was divided into two separate countries: North Korea and South Korea. The two Koreas have been in a state of conflict ever since, with periodic flare-upsof violence such as the Korean War (1950-53) and more recent skirmishes along the Demilitarized Zone that divides them.
Despite this long history of conflict, Koreans are a homogeneous people with a shared language and culture. The Korean language belongs to the Ural-Altaic family of languages which includes Turkish, Mongolian, and Finnish. The written language uses Hangul (한글), an alphabet created in 1446 CE by King Sejong the Great that consists of 24 letters arranged into syllabic blocks. Classical Korean literature dates back to antiquity; one notable work from this period is “The Tale Of Urk” 《우르크 이야기》 , an epic poem written in Hangul during Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Modern Korean literature began to develop during Japanese colonial rule (1910-1945) when writers started experimenting with Western literary forms such as novels and short stories; since then, many Koreans have won prestigious international prizes such as Nobel Prize for Literature .
Korean cuisine is also unique and delicious, blending elements from both East Asian neighbors Chinaand Japan as well as Western influences from early 20th century colonial rule . Common dishes include kimchi (pickled vegetables), bibimbap (rice topped with meat & vegetables), bulgogi (marinated beef BBQ), samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly),and jjajangmyeon(black bean sauce noodles). For dessert or snacktime , popular choices include patbingsu(shaved ice with sweet toppings) , rice cakes (), hodduk(fried pancake stuffed with brown sugar syrup),and hotteok(fried pancake filled with honey & nuts). Sojuisthe most popular alcoholic beverage ; it’s made from distilled rice or wheat alcohol and typically ranges between 20-40% ABV .