Understanding Korean History

1. Primitive Society. Building of State
1) Origin of the Korean People and Prehistoric Times
2) Bronze Culture and Building of State
A. Bronze Culture
B. Emergence and Culture of Gojoseon
C. Spread of Iron Culture and Building of Kingdom

2. Establishment and Development of the Three Kingdoms
1) Formation and Development of the Three Kingdoms
A. Emergence of the Three Kingdoms
B. Development and Battles of the Three Kingdoms
C. Gaya, the Iron State
2) Ruling System of the Three Kingdoms
A. Governing Structure and Society of the Three Kingdoms
B. Characteristics of the Three Kingdoms
3) Culture and Tumuli of the Three Kingdoms
A. Buddhism and Culture of the Three Kingdoms
B. Tumuli of the Three Kingdoms

3. Unified Silla and Balhae
1) Birth of Unified Silla
A. Unification Wars of Silla and their Significance
B. Birth of Unified Silla
2) Ruling System of Unified Silla
A. Establishment and the Ruling System of Unified Silla
B. Culture of Unified Silla
3) Late Unified Silla Period and Birth of the Later Three Kingdoms
A. Bone-Rank System and Instability of the Late Period
B. Power Struggles within the Later Three Kingdoms
4) Balhae and Culture
A. Founding and the Development of Balhae
B. Culture and Foreign Relations of Balhae

4. Goryeo
1) Ruling Structure and Society of the Earlier Goryeo Period
A. Reunification Process and the Restructuring of the Ruling System
B. Establishment of Aristocratic Society
C. External Relations and Trade
2) Social Unrest in the Late Goryeo Period
A. Military Regime and People's Uprisings
B. Battles against the Mongols and Interventions of Yuan
3) Culture of Goryeo
A. Coexistence of Buddhism and Confucianism in Early Goryeo
B. New Trend of Buddhism in the Late Goryeo
C. Acceptance of Neo-Confucianism
D. Advanced Technology of Goryeo
4) Reform in Late Goryeo and Change of Dynasties
A. Changes in the International Order and Withdrawal from Wihwa Island
B. Yi Seonggye and the New Dynasty

5. Founding of Joseon and Neo-Confucianism
1) Founding of Joseon and Managing of the State
2) Political System of Joseon
A. Securing of the Political System
B. Implementation of Economic Policies for Public Welfare
C. Stabilization of Social Status
D. Managing of Foreign Policies
3) Formation of Joseon Culture
A. Establishing the Cultural Framework of Neo-Confucianism
B. Hangeul, the Cultural Treasure and Asset of Korea
C. Development of Science and Technology
4) Emergence and Growth of Sarim
A. Emergence of Sarim
B. Political Growth of Sarim
C. Development of Private Academies and the Village Code

6. Changes in the Late Joseon Period
1) Foreign Invasions and Influences
A. The Japanese-Korean War of 1592
B. Manchu Invasions
2) Factional Politics and Implementation of Tangpyeongchaek
A. Factional Politics
B. Tangpyeongchaek of King Youngjo and Jeongjo
3) Shifts in Society and Search for a New Order
A. Changes in Rural and Urban Areas
B. Changes in Social Structure
C. Emergence of New Academic Tradition
D. New Trends in Literature and Arts
E. Advances in Science and Technology
4) Sedo Jeongchi and People's Resistance
A. Structure of Sedo Jeongchi and Its Downsides
B. Social Reforms

7. Opening of Ports and Modernization Process
1) Opening of Ports
A. International Landscape in the First Half of the Nineteenth Century
B. Heungseon Daewongun's Reform and Closed-Door Policy
C. Opening of Ports and Signing of Unfair Treaties
2) Progressives and Conservatives
A. For and Against Enlightenment Policy
B. Coup of the Gapsin Year
C. Uprising of Donghak Peasant Army
3) Road to a Modern State
A. Gabo Reform
B. Independence Club and the People's Mass Assembly
C. Founding of the Great Han Empire and Its Reforms
4) Japanese Colonization and Resistance of Koreans
A. Colonization of Korea
B. Resistance of Koreans against Japan
5) Introduction and Establishment of Modern Culture

8. Korea during Japanese Colonial Period
1) Japanese Colonial Rule
A. Japanese Military Rule and Land Survey of the 1910s
B. Control of Culture in the 1920s
C. Late Colonial Period and Attempts to Crush National Identity
2) Anti-Japanese National Movements
A. March First Movement and Provisional Government of Korea
B. Armed Protests for Independence
C. National Movements in Socio-Economic Context
3) Socio-Economic Changes under Japanese Rule
A. Social Changes under Japanese Rule
B. Economic Changes under Japanese Rule

9. Dawn of Modern Korea
1) Liberation and Formation of a Divided Nation
A. Liberation and Division at the Thirty-Eighth Parallel and Military Government
B. Conflicts between North and South, US and Soviet Union, and Right and Left
C. Founding of the Republic of Korea
D. Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
2) Korean War
A. Outbreak of the Korean War and Its Nature
B. Progression of the War
C. Armistice Agreement and Aftermath of War
3) Korean Politics in the 1950s
A. Constitutional Amendments and Dictatorship
B. Citizens' Uprising of April 19, 1960
C. Chang Myun Government
4) Korean Economy in the 1950s
A. From Colonized Economy to Divided Economy
B. Post-war Economic Reconstruction

10. Legend of Democracy and Economic Growth
1) Toward Democracy: Political Map after 1961
A. 1960s-1970s: Park Chunghee, Yushin System and the Assassination
B. 1980s: Chun Doohwan, Gwangju Uprising and the June 10 Demonstration
C. Institutional Democratization
2) Miracle on the Han River
A. Strategies for Economic Development
B. Development of Heavy and Chemical Industries
C. Challenges of the Korean Development Model and the Modern Economy
3) Modern Society and Culture
A. Industrialization and Urbanization
B. Culture of Modern Korea

11. North Korea, Yet Hidden Story
1) Kim Ilsung's North Korea
A. From Captain of the Soviet Army to the Leader of the Republic
B. Juche Ideology
2) Kim Jongil's North Korea
A. Successor Kim Jongil
B. Future of Kim Jongil Regime
3) Future of Inter-Korean Relations and the Korean Peninsula

Index