The Beginning - It all began with the Gojoseon Dynasty in 2333 B.C. by Dangun. The Gojoseon Dynasty dissolved due to the conflicts with the Chinese Han Dynasty. This led to the Three Kingdoms of Korea period. Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla occupied and controlled the peninsula. The three kingdoms were unified by Silla in 676, which led into the North South Period. The Korean Penisula was controlled by Silla. Under Silla, relationships between Korea and China were peaceful. Because of internal fighting within the Korean Penisula, Silla was overthrown by Emperor Taejo of Goryeo of the Goryeo Dynasty in 935. After a long period of rule, the Mongol invaded and weakened the Goryeo Dynasty in the 13th century. After the Mongol Empire fell, the Goryeo Dynasty fell and was replaced in 1388 by the Joseon Dynasty, whose rule over the peninsula would last until 1897. The Joseon Dynasty became dependent on China. It tried to protect itself from Western Imperialism but was eventually forced to open trade. From the late 19th century to the early 20th century, the penisula was governed by the Korean Empire. The Korean Empire was nicknamed "Hermit Kingdom" because of it's isolationist policies. After a couple Japanese Wars, Korea was annexed with the Empire of Japan in 1910 and was ruled by military rule for 35 years.
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Division of Korea - Japan surrendered at the end of World Word II. When that happened, the United Nations split Korea in 1945 at the 38th parallel and made two nations: North Korea and South Korea. North Korea was occupied and ran by the Soviet Union. South Korea was occupied and ran by the United States of America.
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The Korean War - Most of the United States troops pulled out of South Korea in June of 1949. North Korea saw this as an opportunity to advance on the weakened South Korea. The Soviet Union gave their approval. So, the Korean War began June 25, 1950 with the North Koreans invading South Korea. During the war, South Korea partnered with the United States and it's allies, while North Korea partnered with chinese forces. The figthing ended on July 27, 1953 with an armistice, which restored the original boundaries between North and South Korea along the 38 parallel. More than one million people (civilians and soldiers) were in killed in the war. The Korean war was the first armed confrontion during the cold war. Some say, the Korean war created the idea of a proxy war, where two superpowers could fight in another country without the use of nuclear weapons and the loss of their own civilian lives. This war extended the cold war to other parts of the world, which had mostly been confined to Europe. To this day the 38th parllel still divides the peninsula and is heaviily fortified.
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Now - In the last few years, there has been squirmishes and assassination attempts from North Korea on South Korea but none has led to war. North Korea is advancing their nucleur weapons research with an underground test being conducted this month, Februrary, 2013. The United States has sent diplomats to North Korea to try to establish good relations but to no avail. Foreign Relations between the United States and North Korea still remain strained.
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