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Living & Surviving in Korea | |
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The History of Korea
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Korea is an independent country with a history going back millennia. Because of the country's strategic location on the Asian continent, it has been invaded over and over by powerful neighbouring countries. Nevertheless, the Koreans have somehow always managed to maintain or regain their independence. Korea was under the Japanese colonial rule for 36 years. Korea was finally liberated from Japanese rule at the end of World War II - but only to become entangled in the fierce ideological conflict that led to the formation of two separate states in the north and the south, divided along the 38th parallel. In 1950, North Korea launched an all-out attack on the Republic of Korea, triggering the Korean War, which raged until 1953. The devastating conflict was ended by an armistice agreement that established the De-militarized Zone (DMZ) that now divides the Peninsula. It was almost a decade after the end of the war before the Republic of Korea had recovered sufficiently to establish stability and start the momentum for its now remarkable recovery and development. During the sixties and seventies Korea succeeded in developing the economy and during the eighties the people's wish for democracy was achieved. The three decades since then have been a time of spectacular progress which has seen the creation of a modern, industrialized nation. Today the Republic of Korea has reached an advanced stage of democracy with freely elected local councils and separation of the legislative and executive branches of government. Korea's main political goal for the future is to be peacefully reunited.
Sejong the Great, the fourth King of the Chosun Dynasty (1392-1910), realized the need for a writing system specifically suited to the Korean language and in 1443 set up a special committee of scholars to create such a system. The new way of writing, which in modern times has come to be called Han-gul (meaning 'the one script' or 'the great script'), was promulgated in 1446 in a book entitled 'The Correct Sounds for the Instruction of the People'. Originally Han-gul had 28 letters, but four of them eventually fell into disuse because of changes in the language. Otherwise the system has been maintained with little modification right down to our day.
The man's basic outfit consists of a chogori (jacket), paji (trousers) and turumagi (overcoat). The jacket has long sleeves, and the trousers are roomy and tied with straps around the ankles. The women's hanbok includes a chogori (short jacket) with two long ribbons, which are tied to form the otkorum, and has long full sleeves and a full length, high waisted wrap around skirt called the chima. White cotton socks and boat-shaped shoes, made of silk, straw or rubber, are worn with these costumes. The beauty of Korean dresses can be founded in the simple design and harmony of lines and colors of upper and lower pieces.
Freedom of religion if fully guaranteed in Korea, and the country has never faced internal conflict due to religion, so many abound. About 54% of the population has religious affiliations. Christianity has developed a large following since its introduction and is considered the most dynamic (24% and rising.) Most major cities, particularly Seoul and Pusan, have some English speaking Christian churches which foreigners attend. Most of the population follows certain practices and customs that clearly have their basis in Confucianism (although are not considered 'religious').
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Local landscape
Sculpture, Seoul contempory Art Gallery
City park |