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"A highly readable and enjoyable book that will serve as an excellent way in to Korean history for anyone with an interest in the country." --Daniel Tudor, Author of Korea: The Impossible Country and North Korea Confidential

"Michael Seth has written a compact and concise but informative and invigorating book on Korean history. A Brief History of Korea is a welcome and welcoming port of entry." --John Lie, C.K. Cho Professor, University of California, Berkeley

"If you need get caught up on Korean history in a hurry Michael J. Seth's A Brief History of Korea is the book that you should read. It is an informative, accessible, and gracefully written account of Korea's past from its mythical origins to the present. No other book on Korea covers so much ground so succinctly and with such erudition." --Gregg Andrew Brazinsky, Professor of History and International Affairs & ESIA Asian Studies Program Director, The George Washington University

"Michael Seth does a magnificent job of synthesizing the long history of the Korean peninsula into a manageable, clear and fully informative historical narrative. Historical events and occurrences from the pre-modern to the modern period are masterfully covered and carefully introduce readers to all of the exciting aspects of Korea. Like his other writings, this book is accessible to anyone and leaves you with a desire to read and learn more about the long history of Korea." -- Albert L. Park, Associate Editor for the Journal of Asian Studies

"…a resource written with the expertise of a scholar, yet thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds…a 'must-have' for public and college library World History collections. Highly recommended." -- Midwest Book Review

"…highly readable and engaging…Would recommend it if you are keen to get an overview of Korean history." -- Hanguk Drama

Chapter Page
Introduction 7
Chapter 1 Origins 13
Chapter 2 Buddhist Korea: The Silla and Goryeo Kingdoms 33
Chapter 3 Confucian Korea: The Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) 57
Chapter 4 From Kingdom to Colony: Korea Under Imperial Domination and Colonial Rule (1876-1945) 81
Chapter 5 Korea Becomes Two States: Division and War (1945-1953) 107
Chapter 6 The Rise of North Korea: The Years of Rapid Development 131
Chapter 7 A Struggling North Korea: Stagnation, Crisis, and Survival 153
Chapter 8 An Emerging South Korea: War, Authoritarianism, and Economic Development 175
Chapter 9 Prosperous South Korea: Democratization and First World Status 199
Chapter 10 Challenges in Every Direction: Korea Today 221
Further Reading 244
Bibliography 246
Index 253

Exploring Korean history from its ancient roots to the present day, A Brief History of Korea is the story of a people with a rich and united culture that has become two Koreas in modern times--one isolated and secretive and the other among the world's most successful economies. Korean culture developed on a 600-mile-long peninsula, bordered on the north by mountains and three sides by the sea, set apart from the Asian mainland.
Korea was one of the last countries in Asia to be visited by Westerners and its borders have remained largely unchanged since it was unified in the seventh century. Though it is one of the world's oldest and most ethnically homogeneous states, Korea was not born in a vacuum. Geographically isolated, the country was heavily influenced by powerful China and was often used as a bridge to the mainland by Japan.
Calling themselves as "a shrimp among whales," Koreans borrowed elements of government, culture and religion all the while fiercely fighting to maintain independence from powerful neighbors. This fascinating book tells the story of Korean domestic dynasties, empires and states, as well as foreign conquest, occupation and division. Today, the two Koreas are starkly different--North Korea a nation closed to the world and South Korea an economic powerhouse and center of Asian democracy.
Chronicling significant events right up through 2018's Singapore Summit, author Michael J. Seth presents a relevant, interesting and important history of Korea within a larger global context. Korea's history is a turbulent one, but ultimately the story of a resistant and resourceful people in search of lasting peace.

Exploring Korean history from its ancient roots to the present day, A Brief History of Korea is the story of a people with a rich and united culture that has become two Koreas in modern times―one isolated and secretive and the other among the world's most successful economies. Korean culture developed on a 600-mile-long peninsula, bordered on the north by mountains and three sides by the sea, set apart from the Asian mainland.

Korea was one of the last countries in Asia to be visited by Westerners and its borders have remained largely unchanged since it was unified in the seventh century. Though it is one of the world's oldest and most ethnically homogeneous states, Korea was not born in a vacuum. Geographically isolated, the country was heavily influenced by powerful China and was often used as a bridge to the mainland by Japan.

Calling themselves as "a shrimp among whales," Koreans borrowed elements of government, culture and religion all the while fiercely fighting to maintain independence from powerful neighbors. This fascinating book tells the story of Korean domestic dynasties, empires and states, as well as foreign conquest, occupation and division. Today, the two Koreas are starkly different―North Korea a nation closed to the world and South Korea an economic powerhouse and center of Asian democracy.

Chronicling significant events right up through 2018's Singapore Summit, author Michael J. Seth presents a relevant, interesting and important history of Korea within a larger global context. Korea's history is a turbulent one, but ultimately the story of a resistant and resourceful people in search of lasting peace.