South Korean History - Page 1

Significance of the Liberation Day of Korea (August 15th)

A Paper by Ki-Won Rhew (Edited by Paul Noll)

Korea has many National Holidays. Korea has four National Celebration Days;
October 3rd to commemorate the founding of ancient Korea in 2333 BC,
March 1st to commemorate an independence movement in 1919,
August 15th to commemorate the liberation form the Japanese rule in 1945 at the Japanese surrender to the USA, and

We don't know exact day of the founding of ancient Korea. But historians generally agree that the founding of ancient Korea occurred in 2333 BC according to the mythology of our founding fathers. Throughout the history of Korea several different kingdoms governed the Korean peninsula and Manchuria, a part of current Chinese territory at the north of Korea peninsula. Korea amazes the world that Korea has maintained the uniformity of one race, one language, and a unique culture different from neighboring countries. They did this for some 4300 years even though its neighboring counties invaded it several times.

The Yi Dynasty started in 1392 and achieved many successes in politics, national welfare, culture, literature, and arts. Korea absorbed the continental culture and developed or added their own culture and then passed it on to the people of the Japanese Islands. Japan needed to learn the advanced culture of Korea and to trade with Korea for their necessities of the lives. Plundering by Japan had been occurring on the Korean shorelines, so the Korean government reluctantly designated a small area in Pusan for a point of trade.