After the war's end in 1953, the country's economy began to soar, recording the fastest rise in average GDP per capita in the world between 19. intervention in support of the South, while China intervened to support the North with Soviet assistance. In 1950, a North Korean invasion began the Korean War, which saw extensive United States-led U.N. After negotiations on reunification failed, the latter became the Republic of Korea in August 1948 while the former became North Korea. Japanese rule in Korea ended following the former's surrender in World War II, after which Korea was divided into two zones a northern zone occupied by the Soviet Union and a southern zone occupied by the United States.

The succeeding Korean Empire was annexed in 1910 into the Empire of Japan. Following the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea into Silla and Balhae in the late 7th century, Korea was ruled by the Goryeo dynasty (918вЂ“1392) and the Joseon dynasty (1392вЂ“1897). Its first kingdom was noted in Chinese records in the early 7th century BCE.

The Korean Peninsula was inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic period. About 25 million people, around half of the country's population of 51 million, live in the Seoul Capital Area. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eastern border is defined by the Sea of Japan. South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea ( ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. 'Republic of Korea' in Hangul (top) and Hanja (bottom) scripts.

Korea history