Figures from these exile organizations would become important in post-WWII Korea.ДЄfter the end of World War II in 1945, the Allies divided the country into a northern area (protected by the Soviets) and a southern area (protected primarily by the United States). Thereafter the resistance movements, coordinated by the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in exile, became largely active in neighboring Manchuria, China, and Siberia, influenced by Korea's peaceful demonstrations. Korean resistance manifested in the widespread March 1st Movement of 1919. However, in 1905, the Korean Empire signed a protectorate treaty and in 1910, Japan annexed the Korean Empire. After the assassination of Empress Myeongseong in 1895, the Donghak Peasant Revolution, and the Gabo Reforms of 1894 to 1896, the Korean Empire (1897вЂ“1910) came into existence, heralding a brief but rapid period of social reform and modernization. By the mid 19th century, with the country unwilling to modernize, and under encroachment of European powers, Joseon Korea was forced to sign unequal treaties with foreign powers. Henceforth, Joseon gradually became more and more isolationist and stagnant. The combined force of Ming dynasty of China and the Joseon dynasty repelled these Japanese invasions, but at cost to the countries. Most notable of these invasions is the Japanese invasions of Korea, which marked the end of the Joseon dynasty's early period. King Sejong the Great (1418вЂ“1450) implemented numerous administrative, social, scientific, and economic reforms, established royal authority in the early years of the dynasty, and personally created Hangul, the Korean alphabet.ДЄfter enjoying a period of peace for nearly two centuries, the Joseon dynasty faced foreign invasions and internal factional strife from 1592 to 1637. In 1392, General Yi Seong-gye established the Joseon dynasty (1392вЂ“1910) after a coup d'Г©tat that overthrew the Goryeo dynasty in 1388. However, Mongol invasions in the 13th century brought Goryeo under its influence until the mid-14th century. During the Goryeo period, laws were codified, a civil service system was introduced, and culture influenced by Buddhism flourished. Meanwhile, Balhae fell after invasions by the Khitan Liao dynasty and the refugees including the last crown prince emigrated to Goryeo, where the crown prince was warmly welcomed and included into the ruling family by Wang Geon, thus unifying the two successor states of Goguryeo. In the late 9th century, Silla was divided into the Later Three Kingdoms (892вЂ“936), which ended with the unification by Wang Geon's Goryeo dynasty. modern Bohai Sea) in old territories of Goguryeo, which led to the Northern and Southern States period (698вЂ“926) of Balhae and Silla coexisting. In 698, Go of Balhae established the Kingdom of Balhae (c.f. This resulted in the fall of Gojoseon and led to succeeding warring states, the ProtoвЂ“Three Kingdoms period that spanned the later Iron Age.ДЇrom the 1st century, Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla grew to control the peninsula and Manchuria as the Three Kingdoms of Korea (57 BCвЂ“668 AD), until unification by Silla in 676. In the 2nd century BC, Gija Joseon was replaced by Wiman Joseon, which fell to the Han dynasty of China near the end of the century. The Jin state was formed in southern Korea by the 3rd century BC. The first written historical record on Gojoseon can be found from the early 7th century BC. In the 12th century BC Gija, a prince from the Shang dynasty of China, purportedly founded Gija Joseon.

ДЄccording to the mythic account recounted in the Samguk yusa ( 1280s), the Gojoseon (Old Joseon) kingdom was founded in northern Korea and southern Manchuria in 2333 BC. The Paleolithic people are not the direct ancestors of the present Korean (Chosun) people, but their direct ancestors are estimated to be the Neolithic People of about 2000 BC. Similarly, according to The History of Korea, supervised by Kim Yang-ki and edited by Kang Deoksang, Jung Sanae, and Nakayama Kiyotaka, The earliest known Korean pottery dates to around 8000 BC, and the Neolithic period began after 6000 BC, followed by the Bronze Age by 2000 BC, and the Iron Age around 700 BC. The Lower Paleolithic era in the Korean Peninsula and Manchuria began roughly half a million years ago.