Korea

Korea 조선
Largest city	Seoul
Official languages	Korean
Area
• Total	223,155 km²
Population
• 2017 estimate	77,000,000

Korea is an area of East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula and nearby islands, including the island of Jeju. In the present day, Korea consists of two separate nations, one located in the north and the other in the south: The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly called North Korea, is located in the northern portion of the peninsula. Meanwhile, the US-occupied Republic of Korea, commonly called South Korea, is located in the southern half of the peninsula.

History

Although in the past Korea had been a single nation for at least 1,000 years with a continuous society, language and political system, it came under annexation by the Japanese empire in 1910. From 1910 to 1945, Korea was occupied by the Empire of Japan.

After the defeat of the Japanese empire at the end of the Second World War, Korea was divided as a temporary measure by the outside powers of the United States and Soviet Union to assist in the transition away from Japanese colonial rule and the re-establishment of Korea's independence.

However, the United States failed to withdraw its troops from the South and instead promoted the installation of a pro-US, right wing authoritarian regime rather than promoting the reunification of Korea. This resulted in opposition among the Southern masses, the outbreak of the Korean War, and the continued division of the Korean nation and continued occupation of the South by US forces which persists to the present day.

After the US-occupied Southern regime under extreme rightist Syngman Rhee was declared in August 1948, the socialist DPRK, led by Kim Il-sung, was declared in the North in September, 1948.