Our Reason for Existence: Looking Back on Half a Millennium of National History
Korean history, organized in one volume and ready to use

The Korean Peninsula's long history of half a millennium is the evolutionary history of our people, accumulated through the DNA of the Korean people.
This book clearly describes our history, which continues from Gojoseon, the Three Kingdoms of Silla, Goguryeo, and Baekje, through Unified Silla and Balhae, Goryeo and Joseon, and the Japanese colonial period to the Republic of Korea, in nine chapters, making it a 'Korean history that can be organized and used immediately in one volume.'
Let's take a diachronic look at the light and dark sides of our history with this one book and strive to realize a better present and future.

It is generally believed that the origins of our people also originated in the Neolithic Age.
This was a time when agriculture began and a clan society was formed based on blood ties.
Then, as we entered the Bronze Age, powerful and wealthy chieftains emerged, and they governed their surroundings and led tribal society.

Here, a ruling class and power were formed, and as society changed into a competitive society, clans gathered and formed tribes, leading to communal living.
At this time, dominant military leaders and military leaders with strong leadership merged other tribal states to form the initial state.

Our country's first nation, Dangun Joseon, was founded by Dangun Wanggeom in 2333 BC.
Hwanung, the son of God, came down to Shinsi at the foot of Mount Baekdu and gave birth to Dangun, who founded a nation.
This country gradually grew and developed, ruling over the entire Manchuria region.

---From "Gojoseon"

The three kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla expanded their power as they established themselves in the Korean Peninsula and Manchuria.
Goguryeo was a country founded by Jumong in 37 BC at Jolbon in the Dongga River basin, a tributary of the Amnok River. Baekje was founded in 18 BC by Jumong's son Onjo, who moved south and established his capital at Wiryeseong near the Han River.
Silla was founded in 57 BC by Park Hyeokgeose in Saroguk in the Gyeongju region, before Goguryeo and Baekje, and was relatively late to establish a national system among the three kingdoms.
During this period, Gaya was growing in the Nakdong River basin next to Silla.

---From "Three Kingdoms"

Silla was established in the southeastern part of the Korean Peninsula and grew late among the three kingdoms.
In the early 6th century, it was established as a centralized state, and during the reign of the 22nd king, Jijeung, the national title was changed from Saroguk to Silla, and the title of the king was also changed from Maripgan to Wang.
During the reign of the 23rd King Beopheung, the bone rank system was established for the first time, laying the foundation for the country.
From then on, the country's power grew and it took the final lead in the competition between the three kingdoms.
Silla formed an alliance with the Tang Dynasty, destroyed Baekje, then overthrew Goguryeo and drove the Tang Dynasty out of the Korean Peninsula, completing the unification of the three kingdoms and establishing a unified nation that ruled the Korean Peninsula.

---From "Unified Silla"

Wang Geon unified the Later Three Kingdoms and laid the foundation for the nation.
Goryeo established Buddhism as its state religion, laying the foundation for innovation, and adopted Confucianism as its political guiding ideology, laying the foundation for a transition from a simple dynasty to a medieval society.
Through these efforts, the chaos that followed the Later Three Kingdoms period was resolved, national governance and social stability were established, and order was restored.

By introducing the past system, they recruited talented people and established a centralized state system to foster a new ruling power.
This gave rise to a new, emerging class of scholars, who solidified their position as the leading figures of Goryeo.

---From "Goryeo"

Joseon was a country founded by Yi Seong-gye, who seized power by turning back the troops who had advanced north to conquer Liaodong at Wihwado Island.
King Taejo Lee Seong-gye established the name of the country as Joseon, made Hanyang the capital, and implemented reformist policies that changed the national system from that of Goryeo.
He rejected Buddhism, embraced Confucianism, and established a ruling system based on Confucian political ideology.

Thus, Joseon established a system of government as a centralized state centered on royal authority.
In the capital city of Hanyang, he established Sungkyunkwan University and the Four Schools, secondary educational institutions, and in the provinces, he established Hyanggyo, middle schools, to educate students.
A civil service examination was conducted on people who were educated in this way to select talented people and appoint them to government positions.
---From "Joseon"

The Korean Empire was a country that existed from October 12, 1897, the 34th year of the reign of King Gojong, the 26th king of the late Joseon Dynasty, to August 29, 1910.
The Korean Empire, which began as a modern nation that heralded the beginning of the Republic of Korea, already strongly declared its autonomy and independence in its national name.


On February 11, 1896, after Japan assassinated Empress Myeongseong, Gojong fled from Gyeongbokgung Palace to the Russian embassy, ​​the so-called "Agwanpacheon."
The following year, in 1897, Gojong returned to Deoksugung Palace and established and proclaimed the Korean Empire.
From that day on, the name Joseon was not officially used.
Therefore, with the establishment of the Korean Empire, Joseon disappeared into history.

---From "The Korean Empire"

The Korean Empire, established as an independent modern nation, was forcibly annexed by Japan in 1910, losing its status and our country was reduced to a Japanese colony without sovereignty.
Japan ruled our country as a colony and oppressed its people by exercising military power and carrying out arbitrary politics.
As a result, our country lost all governing power and suffered as a colony.

---From "The Japanese Colonial Period"

South of the 38th parallel, a general election was held on May 10, 1948, a Constituent Assembly was opened, the Constitution of the Republic of Korea was established, and on July 1, the name of the country was decided as the Republic of Korea. On July 20, Syngman Rhee was elected as the first President of the Republic of Korea, and Lee Si-young was elected as Vice President. The presidential inauguration ceremony was held on the 24th.

And on August 15th, Liberation Day, the founding of the Republic of Korea, a free democratic nation, was proclaimed to the world and the government was established.
North of the 38th parallel, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, a communist regime centered around Kim Il-sung, was established in September 1948, and the Korean Peninsula became divided into South and North Korea, with the 38th parallel as the dividing line.

---From "The Birth of the Republic of Korea"