Korea has come a long way since gaining its independence in the mid 1940s. Check out the 411 on this amazing country.
History of Korea
In 1592, both Japan and China invaded Korea. Around the beginning of the 17th Century a new Chinese dynasty came into power and allowed Korea to rule itself. Korea's self-rule lasted a couple of centuries, until Japan decided to take over Korea. This action led to the Korean War, which finally came to an end in 1953. By then over two million Koreans and 55,000 Americans had been killed (the US entered the war to combat communism). When peace and order were finally restored, Korea was officially divided into two distinct parts: North Korea and South Korea.
Korea - Did U Know?
- 2002 World Cup festivities took place in the South Korea.
- The population of South Korea is close to 48 million people, with 10 million living in South Korea's capital, Seoul.
- The distance between Japan (the other 2002 FIFA World Cup co-host) and Korea is only 21 miles.
- The Korean national flag is designed to reflect all of the cosmic forces in the universe. In the middle, the blue and red halves represent the yin/yang balance (red is the yang or positive forces and blue is the yin or negative forces). In each corner the different line patterns are meant to represent the four elements, heaven, earth, fire and water.
- Among the 50 foreign countries where SPAM is sold, it is most popular in Britain and South Korea. In South Korea, SPAM is considered an upscale food and one of the most popular American imports.
- Writing in red ink is a sign of unfriendliness in Korea, so if you're visiting, make sure you have a black or blue pen with you.
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