History And Culture:

According to Korean folklore the nation’s was born around 2,333 BC. But Korea was first inhabited around 30,000 BC, with it being occupied by tribes from central and northern Asia. In the early 13th century the Mongols reached Korea. When the Mongol Empire collapsed, the local Choson dynasty took over.
In 1592 Japan invaded, followed by China. In the early 17th century, the Chinese Manchu dynasty took over. In the early 20th century, Japan annexed the peninsula. The Japanese, who hung on until the end of WWII, were harsh masters, and anti-Japanese sentiment was strong. After the war, the USA occupied the south of the peninsula, while the USSR took over the north. A war between the two sides lasted until 1953 and claimed two million lives. The country was officially divided into two parts. After a few years of semi-democracy in the South, martial law was declared in 1972. The next 15 years was a roller coaster between democracy and repressive martial law. By the late 1980s the country was at flashpoint with students and workers demanding democratic elections, freedom of the press and the release of political prisoners. The government wasn’t budging and civil war looked imminent until, to everyone’s jaw-dropping surprise, the president suddenly decided that everything the protesters were asking for was alright by him.
In 1988 – the year Seoul hosted the Olympic Games – elections were held and Roh Tae-woo, another military figure, was elected president. He significantly freed up the political system. Relations were re-established with China and the Soviet Union. In 1992, Roh was replaced by Kim Young-sam and his Democratic Liberal Party. The year 1997 was a disaster for South Korea’s economy, with the won taking a tumble and tourism dropping dramatically.
In February 1998, former dissident Kim Dae-jung became president, the first time a non-conservative had headed the country in its 50 years of independence. Kim promised to introduce economic and democratic reforms and improve relations with North Korea. Kim made an historic visit to shake the hand of reclusive North Korean leader, Kim Jong Il, in June 2000. As a sign of good faith he allowed the North Korean government to arrange for his security. In October 2000 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Korean society is based on the tenets of Confucianism, a system of ethics developed in China around 500 BC. Confucianism is big on devotion and respect – for parents, family, friends and those in positions of authority. Confucius also emphasized justice, peace, education, reform and humanitarianism. Many Koreans attribute their country’s remarkable success in recent decades to this attitude. In modern Korean society, Confucianism is most noticeable in relations between people. The Five Relationships prescribe behavior between ruler and subject, father and son, husband and wife, old and young, and between friends. If you fall outside any of these relationships, you do not, effectively, exist. Many travelers to Korea find the locals rude: they’re probably not; chances are they just haven’t noticed you. Once you’re introduced to someone, you’ll fall within the rules for friends and things will start looking up.
The South Koreans have turned their hand to just about any art form you can name. Traditional music is similar to that of Japan and China, with an emphasis on strings. The two main forms are the stately chongak and the folksier minsogak. Among the folk dances are drum dances (mugo – a hectic, lively court dance where the participants wear drums around their necks), mask dances (talchum), monk dances (seungmu) and spirit-cleansing dances (salpuri).