HELLO from KOREA

History
19 _ History
Legend has it that in 2333 B.C., a semi-divine being named Dangun
founded a kingdom called Joseon on the Korean Peninsula. Koreans
regard that year as the founding date of the Korean nation. In the more
than 4,000 years since then, the Korean people have been consistent in
preserving traditional concepts and values and yet have quickly, and skillfully
adapted to changing circumstances. While this brief chapter cannot
hope to do justice to the richness of Korean history, it is hoped that the
reader will be able to learn about some of the events which helped form
this nation.
The Beginning
Scholars generally believe that the earliest kingdoms or states on the
Korean Peninsula first began to form during the Bronze Age (1000 B.C.-300
B.C.). Of these, the kingdom supposedly founded by Dangun, generally
known as Gojoseon or Old Joseon, soon emerged as the strongest, and had
consolidated its power by the beginning in the fourth century B.C.
As Old Joseon's strength grew, China became more and more concerned.
Therefore, the Chinese Emperor Han Wuti launched an invasion in 109 B.C.
and destroyed the kingdom the following year.
Within a century, though, a new kingdom called Goguryeo (37 B.C.-
A.D. 668) emerged in the northern half of the peninsula. Goguryeo was a
nation of warriors led by aggressive and valiant kings such as King
Gwanggaeto (r. 391-410). It conquered neighboring tribes one after
another, and expanded in virtually every direction.
At its height, its territory thrust deep into Manchuria and stretched well