Korea-Enclave of Christianity in East Asia

Presented by Young, Jin, Month, Benz, Shunko

Two Koreas Today

South Korea Land Area 100,210 km² Population 48,846,823 Capital City “ Seoul”

North Korea Land Area 120,540 km² Population 23,113,019 Capital City “Pyong Yang”

Geography

Land and People Korea is romantically known as “ Land of the

Morning Calm” (Chosun)

The country is almost completely covered by mountain ranges.

The climate is temperate, with cold winters and hot summers.

Early History According to myth, a centralized

Gojoseon kingdom was founded by a hero named Dangun in 2333 BC.

It was him who gave name Chosun. His capital was in present-day

Pyongyang. Then China occupied the northwest area

of Korea until 313 AD.

Meanwhile…

Three independent kingdoms ruled Korea…

Shilla(668 to 935 AD) During their supremacy, new arts and

sciences flourished. From China Buddhism influenced their

cultures.

Koryo(935 to 1392) Koryo destroyed Shilla rule. It gave the country modern name “Koryo”. Koryo fought against Mongol invasion and

kept independence of the country.

Kokuryo Destroyed the last Chinese command and

became the dominant power. Kokuryo expanded their territories into

Manchuria, Inner Mongolia, and south Korea. It was constantly at war with China’s Thang

dynasty.

Hermit Kingdom(1644-1876) At the end of the 16th century, the Japanese

shogun Hideyoshi invaded Korea but failed. Korea enjoyed nearly 200 years of peace

and seclusion as “the Hermit Kingdom”.

Japanese Rule Japan gained control of Korea as a result of war

with China and Russia. The Japanese annexation of Korea lasted for

fifty years until 1945. Koreans suffered greatly in the hands of the

Japanese. During the First and Second World Wars, Rhee

and his compatriots fought against Japanese and Korea was set to be free again.

South Korean History October, 1945

Syngman Rhee returned to South Korea from the US

Welcomed as a nationalist resistance leader by US leadership.

North Korean History October, 1945

Kim Il Sung returns to North Korea from Manchuria

Welcomed by Soviets as a nationalist resistance leader

WW II in Korean History August 6, 1945, Atom bomb on Hiroshima August 8, 1945, Russians enter the war

against Japan, fulfilling their Yalta Conference agreement

August 9, 1945, Atom bomb on Nagasaki August 10/11, 1945 (about midnight), young

colonels, Dean Rusk and Charles Bonesteel, under orders from Gen. McArthur, draw a division line at the 38th parallel, keeping the capital city, Seoul, in the American area.

August 15, 1945, Japan Surrenders.

Divided Korea After WW2, Korea was divided by two Allied

armies that liberated it- the Russian and other Allied forces.

The cold war worsened relations between the two superpowers, and the two parts of Korea got involved and became permanently divided.

In 1948 The Republic of Korea was born. Meanwhile in North Korea, a separate

government was installed- Communism.

Both allied and Russian armies withdrew from Korea.

However, the Russians left behind a powerful and well-equipped North Korean army and advisor.

Korean War On June 25, 1950, the north Korean army

launched a surprise attack in south Korea. UN security Council declared the invasion as

a “ruthless act of aggression”. Korean bonds with Filipinos are strong, due to

Christianity, and dating to the time of the Korean War.

Korean War Ends Cease Fire July 27, 1953 Neither Korea Signed Armistice State of war continues

Both Koreas considered themeslves the only legitimate authority

Both Koreas had aurhoritarian dictatorships at least through 1987

Christianity in Korea Revolves around two of its largest branches, Protestantism and

Catholicism, accounting for 8.6 million and 5.3 million members respectively.

Roman Catholicism was first introduced during the late Joseon Dynasty period.

In 1603, Yi Gwang-jeong, Korean diplomat, returned from Beijing carrying several theological books written by Matteo Ricci, a Jesuit missionary to China.

He began disseminating the information in the books and the first seeds of Christianity were sown. In 1758 King Yeongjo of Joseon officially outlawed Catholicism as an evil practice. Roman Catholicism was again introduced in 1785 by Yi Seung-hun. Korean Christians were subject to persecution.

Two Koreas Republic of Korea (South)

Syngman Rhee’s Government 1948-1960 Pro-American Capitalist Anti-communist Pro Christian Authoritarian Corrupt Inept

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North)

Kim Il Sung’s Government 1948-1994 Pro-Soviet / Pro-Chinese Anti-American Communist Becomes anti-religion Authoritarian Isolationist

South Korean History Park Chung Hee

leads South Korea Military Dictator Harsh discipline Anti-communist Economic

development for national security

Fantastic economic growth

Terrible human rights

North Korean History Kim Il Sung in North

Korea Juche Ideology

National independence

Aligned with USSR and China

Plays them off against each other until 1991

Standard pattern of brinksmanship to get what he wants

Relevant History Kim Il Sung dies in 1994

Kim Jong Il succeeds his father and continues his father’s government patterns

US and most experts expected North Korea to collapse under economic strains and leadership transition.

Quiz What is difference between North and South

Korea? What is Chosun mean?