Former kingdom, a peninsula (Korean peninsula) on the eastern coast of Asia. In 1948 it was partitioned into two republics, North Korea and South Korea. According to tradition, the ancient kingdom of Chos&obreve;n was established in the northern part of the peninsula probably by peoples from northern China in the 3rd millennium &BC;. Conquered by China in 108 &BC;, it later developed into the Three Kingdoms of Silla, Kogury&obreve;, and Paekche. Silla conquered the other two in the 7th century &AD; and ruled until 936, when the Paekche dynasty became prominent.
Invaded by the Mongols in 1231, the kingdom of Chos&obreve;n, with its capital at Seoul, was ruled by the Chos&obreve;n (Yi) dynasty (&see; Yi S&obreve;ng-gye) from 1392 to 1910. From &circa; 1636 it shut out foreign contacts but was forced after 1873 to open ports to Japan. Rivalry over Korea brought on the Russo-Japanese War (1904–05), after which Korea became a Japanese protectorate. Formally annexed to Japan in 1910, it was freed from Japanese control in 1945 at the end of World War II. After the war it was divided into two zones of occupation, Soviet in the north and U.S. in the south; the two republics were established in 1948. For Korea's later history, &see; North Korea and South Korea; &seealso; Korean War.
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