Paleolithic Korea Jeulmun Neolithic Jeongok-ri hand axes Amsa-dong village Bangudae petroglyphs Gojoseon Mumun Bronze Age Dangun myth Gija Joseon Dolmens Mandolin bronze dagger Wiman Joseon Han conquest Buyeo Goguryeo Baekje Silla Silla unifies Korea Han commanderies Gaya Buddhism arrives Gwanggaeto the Great Gwanggaeto Stele King Jangsu Salsu (Eulji Mundeok) Goguryeo tomb murals Baekje–Japan ties Fall of Baekje Hwangsanbeol Fall of Goguryeo Hwarang Bone-rank system Kim Yu-sin Queen Seondeok Cheomseongdae King Muyeol King Munmu Silla–Tang alliance Unified Silla Balhae Silla–Tang War Dae Jo-yeong Bulguksa Seokguram Jang Bogo Later Three Kingdoms Gyeon Hwon Gung Ye Goryeo Goryeo–Khitan Wars Mongol invasions Wang Geon Seo Hui Battle of Gwiju Gang Gam-chan Tripitaka Koreana Goryeo celadon Samguk yusa Military regime Sambyeolcho Rebellion Yuan overlordship Metal movable type Wihwado Retreat Jeong Mong-ju Joseon Hangul King Sejong Yi Seong-gye Gyeongbokgung Neo-Confucianism King Taejong Hall of Worthies Jang Yeong-sil Gyeongguk daejeon Yangban class order Literati purges Yi Hwang (Toegye) Yi I (Yulgok) Factional politics Imjin War Manchu invasions Heungseon Daewongun Silhak Yi Sun-sin Turtle ship Hansan Island Myeongnyang Noryang Righteous armies Gwanghaegun Namhansanseong King Yeongjo King Jeongjo Hwaseong Fortress Jeong Yak-yong Catholic persecutions Donghak French expedition 1866 US expedition 1871 Gojong Ganghwa Treaty Donghak Revolution Korean Empire Gapsin Coup Myeongseong assassinated Sino-Japanese War Jeon Bong-jun Gabo Reform Independence Club Russo-Japanese War Hague envoys An Jung-geun Japanese rule March 1st Movement Land survey Provisional Government Yu Gwan-sun Cheongsanri Kim Gu Forced mobilization Name-change policy Sohn Kee-chung Liberation 1945 Division of Korea Korean War US military government Soviet administration Jeju 4.3 Republic of Korea DPRK (North Korea) Syngman Rhee Kim Il-sung Busan Perimeter Incheon Landing Chinese entry Chosin Reservoir Separated families Miracle on the Han Democratization Hallyu Juche DMZ Saemaul Undong Chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai) Yushin Constitution Chun Doo-hwan June Struggle 1987 Seoul Olympics IMF crisis 1997 Kim Dae-jung 2000 summit Kim Jong-il Arduous March famine Nuclear tests Kim Jong-un 2018–19 summits K-pop BTS Parasite Sewol ferry Candlelight protests Samhan King Jinheung Samguk sagi Gwageo exams 1965 Korea–Japan treaty Anti-Japanese uibyeong Prehistory before 2333 BC Gojoseon 2333 BC (legend) – 108 BC Three Kingdoms 108 BC – AD 668 Unified Silla & Balhae 668 – 936
Rulers & states
Wars & invasions
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before 2333 BC
Stone tools, comb-pattern pottery, rice and dolmens.
Paleolithic Koreaearliest sites perhaps 300,000+ years old (dating debated) – c. 10,000 BC Jeongok-ri hand axesfound 1978; age estimates range c. 300,000–40,000 years ago Jeulmun Neolithicc. 8000–1500 BC Bangudae petroglyphsNeolithic or early Bronze Age (dating debated); UNESCO 2025 Amsa-dong villagec. 5000–3000 BC
2333 BC (legend) – 108 BC
Korea's first kingdom, from legend to the Han conquest.
Dangun myth2333 BC (traditional); first written down c. 1281 Mumun Bronze Agec. 1500–300 BC Gija Joseonc. 1100 BC (traditional; rejected by most historians) Dolmensc. 1000–300 BC (some earlier) Mandolin bronze daggerc. 10th–4th centuries BC Gojoseonattested c. 7th century BC – 108 BC Buyeoby 2nd century BC – AD 494 Wiman Joseon194–108 BC Han conquest109–108 BC
108 BC – AD 668
Goguryeo, Baekje, Silla and Gaya compete for the peninsula.
Han commanderies108 BC – AD 313 (Lelang) Samhanc. 1st century BC – 3rd century AD Silla57 BC (traditional) – 668, then Unified Silla Goguryeo37 BC (traditional) – AD 668 Baekje18 BC (traditional) – AD 660 GayaAD 42 (traditional) – 562 King Geunchogor. 346–375 Goguryeo tomb murals4th–7th centuries (Anak Tomb No. 3, 357) Baekje–Japan ties4th–7th centuries (details debated) Buddhism arrivesarrived 372 (Goguryeo) and 384 (Baekje); Silla adopted it in 527 Gwanggaeto the Greatr. 391–413 King Jangsur. 413–491; capital to Pyongyang 427 Gwanggaeto Steleerected 414; some passages' readings debated Bone-rank systemcodified c. 520; lasted to 935 King Jinheungr. 540–576 Hwarangc. 6th–7th centuries (origins debated) Kim Yu-sin595–673 Salsu (Eulji Mundeok)612 (Sui troop numbers debated) Queen Seondeokr. 632–647 Cheomseongdaec. 632–647 (exact use debated) Ansi Fortress645 Silla–Tang alliance648 King Muyeolr. 654–661 Silla unifies Korea660–676 Fall of BaekjeJuly 660; revival war to 663 Hwangsanbeol660 King Munmur. 661–681 Fall of Goguryeo668
668 – 936
Silla unifies the south; Balhae rules the north.
Unified Silla668–935 Silla–Tang War670–676 Balhae698–926 Dae Jo-yeongr. 698–719 Bulguksarebuilt 751–774 Seokguram751–774 Jang BogoCheonghaejin base 828; killed 846 (or 841) Later Three Kingdoms892–936 Gyeon Hwonfounded Later Baekje 892; d. 936 Gung Yefounded 901; overthrown 918
918 – 1392
The kingdom that gave Korea its name: celadon, Tripitaka, Mongol wars.
Goryeo918–1392 Wang Geonr. 918–943; reunified Korea 936 Gwageo exams958 (under King Gwangjong) – 1894 Goryeo–Khitan Wars993–1019 Seo Hui942–998; negotiated 993 Gang Gam-chan948–1031 Battle of GwijuMarch 1019 Goryeo celadon10th–14th centuries; peak 12th century Samguk sagi1145 (compiled by Kim Bu-sik) Military regime1170–1270 Mongol invasions1231–1259; court returns 1270 Metal movable typerecorded by 1234 Tripitaka Koreanacarved 1236–1251; 81,258 blocks Sambyeolcho Rebellion1270–1273 Yuan overlordshipc. 1270–1356 Samguk yusac. 1281 (monk Iryeon) Jeong Mong-ju1337–1392 Jikjiprinted 1377 Wihwado Retreat1388
1392 – 1592
Confucian Joseon, King Sejong and Hangul.
Joseon1392–1897 Yi Seong-gye1335–1408; r. 1392–1398 Neo-Confucianismarrived c. 1290; state creed 1392–1897 Yangban class order1392–1894 Gyeongbokgungbuilt 1395 in the new capital Hanyang (Seoul); burned 1592; rebuilt 1867 King Taejongr. 1400–1418 King Sejongr. 1418–1450 Hall of Worthies1420–1456 Jang Yeong-silfl. 1420s–1442; rain gauge 1441 Hangulcreated 1443; promulgated 1446 Gyeongguk daejeoncompleted 1485 Literati purges1498, 1504, 1519, 1545 Yi Hwang (Toegye)1501–1570 Yi I (Yulgok)1536–1584 Factional politicsfrom 1575
1592 – 1876
Imjin and Manchu wars, then recovery, Silhak and isolation.
Imjin War1592–1598 Yi Sun-sin1545–1598 Righteous armies1592–1598 Toyotomi Hideyoshi1537–1598 Turtle shipused 1592–1598 (exact design debated) Hansan IslandAugust 14, 1592 MyeongnyangOctober 26, 1597 NoryangDecember 16, 1598 Gwanghaegunr. 1608–1623 (deposed) Manchu invasions1627 and 1636–1637 NamhansanseongJan 9 – Feb 24, 1637 (lunar 12th month 1636 – 1st month 1637) Silhakc. 17th–19th centuries King Yeongjor. 1724–1776 Jeong Yak-yong1762–1836 King Jeongjor. 1776–1800 Hwaseong Fortress1794–1796 Catholic persecutions1801, 1839, 1846, 1866 Donghakfounded 1860 by Choe Je-u Heungseon Daewongunregent 1863–1873 Gojongr. 1864–1907; emperor from 1897 French expedition 1866October–November 1866 US expedition 1871June 1871
1876 – 1910
Forced opening, reforms, rebellions and the Korean Empire.
Ganghwa TreatyFebruary 27, 1876 Imo IncidentJuly 1882 Gapsin CoupDecember 4–6, 1884 Donghak Revolution1894–1895 Sino-Japanese War1894–1895 Gabo Reform1894–1896 Jeon Bong-jun1855–1895 Myeongseong assassinatedOctober 8, 1895 Anti-Japanese uibyeong1895 – c. 1915; peak 1907–1909 Independence Club1896–1898 Korean EmpireOctober 1897 – August 1910 Russo-Japanese War1904–1905 Eulsa TreatyNovember 17, 1905 (validity disputed) Hague envoysJune–July 1907 An Jung-geun1879–1910; Harbin, October 26, 1909
1910 – 1945
Japanese colonial rule and the independence movement.
Japanese ruleannexed August 29, 1910 – August 15, 1945 Land survey1910–1918 (effects debated) March 1st MovementMarch 1, 1919 onward Provisional GovernmentApril 1919 (Shanghai) – 1948; formed the Korean Liberation Army 1940 Yu Gwan-sun1902–1920 Kim Gu1876–1949 CheongsanriOctober 21–26, 1920 (casualty claims debated) 'Comfort women' systemc. 1932–1945 (scale debated) Sohn Kee-chung1912–2002; Olympic marathon gold, Berlin, August 9, 1936 Forced mobilization1938–1945 (numbers debated) Name-change policy1940
1945 – 1953
Liberation, division and the Korean War.
Liberation 1945August 15, 1945 Division of KoreaAugust–September 1945 US military government1945–1948 Soviet administration1945–1948 Jeju 4.3April 3, 1948 – 1954 (death toll debated) Republic of Koreafounded August 15, 1948 DPRK (North Korea)founded September 9, 1948 Syngman Rhee1875–1965; president 1948–1960 Kim Il-sung1912–1994; leader 1948–1994 Korean WarJune 25, 1950 (North Korean invasion) – July 27, 1953 (armistice) Incheon LandingSeptember 15, 1950 Chinese entryOctober 1950 Busan PerimeterAugust–September 1950 Chosin ReservoirNovember 27 – December 13, 1950 Separated families1950 – today Armistice 1953July 27, 1953
1953 – today
Two states: the South's rise and democracy; the North's dynasty.
DMZ1953 – today Juchefirst stated 1955; state creed Democratization1960–1987 and after April Revolution 1960April 19, 1960 Park Chung-heeseized power May 16, 1961; ruled to 1979 Chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai)Samsung 1938, Hyundai 1947; rise from 1960s Miracle on the Han1962–1990s 1965 Korea–Japan treatyJune 22, 1965 (scope of claims settlement disputed) Saemaul Undongfrom 1970 Yushin Constitution1972–1980 Chun Doo-hwanseized power Dec 1979; president 1980–1988 Gwangju UprisingMay 18–27, 1980 (death toll debated) June Struggle 1987June 10–29, 1987 Seoul OlympicsSeptember 17 – October 2, 1988 K-popfrom 1992; global from 2010s Kim Jong-il1941/42–2011; leader 1994–2011 Arduous March famine1994–1998 (death toll debated) IMF crisis 19971997–2001 Kim Dae-jung1924–2009; president 1998–2003 Sunshine Policy1998–2008 (results debated) Hallyulate 1990s – today 2000 summitJune 13–15, 2000 Nuclear testsOctober 9, 2006 – 2017 (six tests) Kim Jong-unleader since December 2011 BTSdebut June 13, 2013 Sewol ferryApril 16, 2014 Candlelight protestsOct 2016 – Mar 10, 2017 (removal) 2018–19 summitsApril 2018 – June 2019 Parasite2019; Best Picture Oscar 2020 Martial law 2024Dec 3–4, 2024; Yoon impeached Dec 14, removed Apr 4, 2025; Lee Jae-myung elected June 3, 2025