The Koreas (Asia in Focus)

✍ Scribed by Mary E. Connor

• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 522
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Asia in Focus: The Koreas presents an authoritative and unprecedented look at the contrasts and similarities between the history, geography, politics, economy, culture, and society of North Korea and South Korea. It offers a wealth of new insights into North Korean life, as well as extensive explorations of Korean music, arts, language, cuisine, and popular culture, including the "Korean wave," which began with the export of Korean television dramas to other parts of Asia and has spread South Korean culture around the world. Also included are sections on women's history and roles, class and ethnicity, and a wide range of contemporary issues.For a deeper understanding of one of the most closely watched regions of the globe, this volume is a must.

✦ Table of Contents

Contents......Page 8
Preface......Page 16
Maps......Page 20
The Korean Peninsula......Page 24
Physical Geography: North Korea......Page 27
Physical Geography: South Korea......Page 28
Human Geography......Page 30
Early Korea......Page 36
The Koryo Dynasty (918–1392)......Page 42
The Choson Dynasty (1392–1910)......Page 44
The Colonial Period (1910–1945)......Page 57
Liberation Division and the Beginnings of the Cold War (1945–1950)......Page 63
The Korean War (1950–1953)......Page 67
A Divided Korea: The South Korean Experience (1953–2008)......Page 71
A Divided Korea: The North Korean Experience (1953–2008)......Page 75
3 GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS......Page 82
The Impact of Tradition on Political Development......Page 83
The Impact of the Japanese Colonial Period on Contemporary Life......Page 84
The Impact of U.S. and Soviet Occupation and the Korean War on Political Development......Page 85
A Divided People: The South Korean Experience (1948–2008)......Page 86
A Divided People: The North Korean Experience (1945–2008)......Page 114
Economic Development......Page 124
Industry......Page 140
Labor......Page 160
Trade......Page 167
Introduction......Page 178
South Korea......Page 179
North Korea......Page 197
Early Korean History......Page 200
The Three Kingdoms Period (57 BCE to 668 CE)......Page 201
Unified Silla (668–935 CE)......Page 202
Social Classes during the Koryo Dynasty (918–1392)......Page 203
Koryo Society during the Yuan Dynasty......Page 204
Choson Dynasty (1392–1910)......Page 205
Later Choson Dynasty: 1637–1910......Page 206
Japanese Colonial Rule (1910–1945)......Page 207
Division and the Korean War (1945–1953)......Page 208
South Korea (1953–Present)......Page 209
North Korea (1953–Present)......Page 212
Conclusion......Page 215
The Three Kingdoms (57 BCE–668 CE)......Page 217
Koryo (918–1392)......Page 219
Choson Dynasty (1392–1910)......Page 220
The Opening of Korea and Japanese Occupation (Late 19th Century–1945)......Page 222
South Korea (1945–Present)......Page 224
North Korea (1945–Present)......Page 228
Education......Page 231
Koryo......Page 232
Choson......Page 233
Japanese Colonial Period......Page 236
South Korea......Page 238
North Korea......Page 244
History of the Korean Language......Page 248
Some Major Differences between Korean and Western Languages......Page 259
Romanization of Korean......Page 260
Conclusion......Page 261
Confucian Concepts and Values......Page 264
How to Succeed in Korea......Page 266
Introduction......Page 273
The Three Kingdoms......Page 274
Koryo......Page 275
Early Choson......Page 277
Later Choson......Page 279
Modern Literature......Page 281
Recent Developments......Page 284
Introduction......Page 287
The Prehistoric Period......Page 288
The Three Kingdoms Period......Page 289
The Unified Silla Period (668–935)......Page 293
The Koryo Period (918–1392)......Page 295
The Choson Period (1392–1910)......Page 298
The Modern Period (1910– )......Page 306
Introduction......Page 309
National Music Organizations......Page 311
History of Traditional Korean Music: Ancient Times to 1945......Page 312
Characteristics of Traditional Music......Page 314
Contemporary Music (1945–2008)......Page 319
Introduction......Page 325
Historical Background......Page 326
Dietary Customs......Page 329
Common Korean Dishes......Page 330
Common Beverages......Page 334
Ceremonial Food: Life's Milestones......Page 335
Holiday Festivals and Food......Page 336
Holidays and Population Migrations......Page 338
Traditional Leisure......Page 339
Board and Card Games......Page 340
Children's Games......Page 341
Contemporary Leisure......Page 343
Martial Arts and Martial Sports......Page 345
Contemporary Sports......Page 349
Participation in the Olympics......Page 350
Sports in North Korea......Page 351
South Korea: The Younger Generation......Page 356
North Korea: The Younger Generation......Page 361
The Koreas in the Information Era......Page 362
The Korean Wave......Page 365
The United States and South Korea: Are They Drifting Apart?......Page 369
Contemporary Issues with Ancient Roots......Page 375
B......Page 382
C......Page 383
G......Page 384
K......Page 385
M......Page 387
P......Page 388
S......Page 389
U......Page 390
Y......Page 391
Facts and Figures......Page 392
Holidays......Page 430
Organizations......Page 436
Annotated Bibliography of Recommended Works on Korea......Page 456
Art......Page 476
Contemporary issues......Page 477
Economy......Page 479
Education......Page 482
Food......Page 483
Geography......Page 484
Government and politics......Page 485
History......Page 488
Language......Page 493
Literature......Page 495
Music......Page 496
Religion and thought......Page 498
Social classes and ethnicity......Page 499
Women......Page 501
A......Page 504
C......Page 505
D......Page 507
F......Page 508
H......Page 509
I......Page 510
K......Page 511
L......Page 513
M......Page 514
N......Page 515
P......Page 516
R......Page 517
S......Page 518
T......Page 520
W......Page 521
Z......Page 522