Korea (A Different History)

Korea (Korean:대한재국) or the Second Empire of Korea, the successor the the Empire of Joseon, is an Empire located in East Asia, on the Korean Peninsula. It's bordering seas are the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Korea. Across the Japan Strait are the seven kingdoms of Japan. Korea is a regional superpower, with the second most powerful economy in Asia after China. Korea is also a recognized nuclear power, under the Non-Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT or NNPT), along with the United States, Russia, China, Israel, Great Britain, France, and Hawaii. The capital of Korea is Pyongyang, a metropolis of 31 million inhabitants.

The First
According to legend, Gojoseon was established in 2333 BC by Dangun, the prince of the gods. In 109 B.C., Han China invaded Gojoseon due to a conflict regarding escourts. However, the two pronged attack was poorly coordinated, as that both fronts had their independent command, and soon fell apart. In 108 B.C., however, the command was merged and Wanggeom was besieged, and later Gojoseon became a vassal state to Han China. Han China proceded to impose the Four Commanderies of Han. Later, Gojoseon fractured and broke into several kingdoms, including Buyeo, Okjeo, Dongye, Goguryeo, and Baekje.

Three Kingdoms
In the first century B.C., Korea was divided into three nations. They were Silla, Goguryeo, and Bakjae. This was known as the Three Kingdoms Period or the Warring States Period, as that these nations frequently had skirmishes and wars with each other, and mirroring China's Three Empire's Period, with neither side winning. However, around the beginning of the 1st century, Goguryeo conquered both Bakjae and Silla in 5 years, unifying the peninsula.

Unified Goguryeo

 * Main Articles: Goguryeo, Guguryeo Civil War 

Under Goguryeo, Korea grew stronger and stronger. By the end of the 1st century, they had conquered all of the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria. However, an internal power struggle by 2 high officials in Goguryeo's government created a civil war that started in 98 A.D. and ended 3 years later with a high cost. In the end, thousands had been killed and the nation was in ruins. However, rebuilding started, and expansion followed soon after. By 149 A.D., Guguryeo was able to regain their former glory, and began putting more onto it. However, a new danger lurked close by: Han China.

Han Invasion

 * Main Article: Han invasions of Korea

Han China invaded Goguryeo in 152 A.D. over a border dispute with an ambassador. The invasion consisted of 250,000 men, and came in 3 directions. The land attack came from the North, which split into 2 attacks to go separate ways, one to go to Pyongyang, and another to go downward the peninsula, to surround Pyongyang. The other two attacks were through the Sea of Korea and the Yellow Sea, on the east and west sides of Goguryeo. However, as the attacks were unorganized, as the first ones, and actually under three commands, it was doomed to failure. Goguryeo managed to drive out Chinese forces, and restored borders to their original, and actually invaded Han China, conquering their sliver or Manchuria. However, Goguryeo negotiated a peace, knowing that it could not possibly conquer even 1/4 of the massive Chinese Empire, and that it would get over it's surprise quickly and the full wrath of China would be poured out on Goguryeo. This ended the Han invasions of Korea, the last one to ever come for centuries.

Pyonghwa Goguryeo

 * Main Article: Pyonghwa Goguryeo 

Pyonghwa Goguryeo, or Peace Goguryeo, was a 500 year time between 178 A.D. through 692 A.D., in which Goguryeo enjoyed an era of peace and enlightenment. In this time, many items were invented, including:
 * Yut, a board game wildly popular in Korea today
 * Janggu, a type of drum used mostly in the Southern regions of Korea
 * Taekkyeon, a martial art and predecessor to Taekwondo
 * A cannon much more accurate than others around the globe, with more firepower

Song invasion of Korea

 * Main Article: Song invasion of Korea

In 692 A.D., the Song Dynasty, a dynasty which lasted for over 300 years, invaded Goguryeo after it refused to become a vassal state. The Song Dynasty invaded Goguryeo with a force of 300,000 men, both by land and by sea. By land, the Song forces captured most of Manchuria, as well as parts of northern Korea. However, at sea, the Song navy was completely annihliated by the Korean navy, which resulted in Song supply lines being cut and a valuable part of their invasion force destroyed. The Song army was thrown in chaos as expected reinforcements never arrived. However, the Song army was able to keep the northern half of Manchuria until reinforcements arrived from the homeland. However, due to exhaustion and low morale, they withdrew by 2 years and gave Manchuria back to Goguryeo. Now the second time they had resisted Chinese invasions, Goguryeo became something of a legend in East Asian nations, a sign that China was not invincible. After the failed invasions, Goguryeo amped up their army and navy extraordinarily, as to prepare for future invasions to come.

Goguryeo's Expansion
After the Chinese withdrew from Manchuria in 694 A.D., Goguryeo began a period of intense expansion into



both Manchuria and Eastern Russia. They faced almost no resistance from the locals, and Goguryeo became the second most powerful nation in the region, after Song China. In 712 A.D., Goguryeo launched an invasion of the tribes of Japan, which ended with them occupying central Japan and more. By the second half of the century, all of Japan had been taken, as well as most of Manchuria. However, by then, Goguryeo's power started to wane as rebellions started in both Manchuria and Japan. Later, Goguryeo lost a portion of Manchuria and all of Japan.

Waning of Goguryeo's Power

 * Main Articles: Fall of Goguryeo, Second Goguryeo Civil War 

Although Goguryeo's expansion led it to wealth and power, by the 800s their power started to wane, as that in both Manchuria and Japan, tribes began rebelling to the Goguryeo's government. Also at this time, a power struggle started between Taejo, a major official, and Jucheng, the top general in Goguryeo. In 876 A.D., a civil war broke out in Goguryeo between Taejo and Jucheng, with Taejo having the northern half and Jucheng controlling the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. Jucheng held the king and his family hostage, while Taejo captured many highe officials for his hostages. In the end, the Goguryeo army suppressed both rebellions and the king was restored, but using this as a chance for freedom, Japan and parts of Manchuria rebelled, and by the time the internal rebellion was put down, it was too late to stop the external rebellion. By the end of the 9th century, Goguryeo was limited to the Korean Peninsula and parts of Manchuria, and had completely lost Japan. This marked the end of the 800 year old kingdom, and by 912 A.D., it fell apart into several warring nations.

Joseon

 * Main Article: Joseon 

The Joseon dynasty began in 918 A.D., and soon formed the nation of Joseon. They proceded to conquer the 5 other kingdoms in Korea, unifying it once more. They then again began a period of expansion into Manchuria, but never quite reached the glories of the days of Goguryeo. They also attempted to invade Japan, but failed due to storms. However, Joseon managed to recover, and launched another invasion of Japan in 1012, which was more successful, with them setting up a beachhead and began to expand into Japan. By 1032, 20 years later, all of Japan was conquered again, though it was not to last. In 1068, Japan once again rebelled, and split into 7 warring kingdoms. Samurai rose to power, each becomming shoguns of their kingdoms.
 * Kingdom of Hokkiado
 * Kingdom of Kamakura
 * Kingdom of Kantō
 * Kingdom of Kansai
 * Kingdom of Shikoku
 * Kingdom of Okinawa
 * Kingdom of Chūbu

War of Hokkiado

 * Main Article: War of Hokkiado 

The War of Hokkiado was started when Joseon, wanting to weaken the Japanese kingdoms, assassinated the King of the Kingdom of Kansai, making it look as if Hokkiado, a major competitor to Kansai, had done it. Kansai gathered up a coalition of 4 of the 7 kingdoms, while Hokkiado managed to grab 3 of the 7 kingdoms, including itself. By the end of the war, all 7 nations were devastated by the war, and received aid from Joseon, strengthening Joseon's influence in Japan. However, Joseon never conquered Japan again.

The April Rebellion

 * Main Article: The June Rebellion 

The Joseon Dynasty was the longest lasting one in Korean history, starting in 918 A.D. and ending in 1914, 1,000 years later. However, on April 21st, 1914, Lee Il-Chun started the April Rebellion, which led to the overthrow of the current government and the formation of the Empire of Korea. It was dissolved by Lee Il-Chun, the first emperor of the Empire of Korea. The Empire of Korea had a strong central government, with advisors advising the Emperor, but in the end, the final decision was made the the Emperor. However, in 1948, after the end of the Second World War, after intense pressure from other nations, including the United States, England, and Scotland, Korea was turned into a semi-democratic nation with the President having half of the power and the Emperor having the rest. The President would be elected by popular vote, while the seat of Emperor was hereditary.

The Beginning of the Empire of Korea
The Empire of Korea was formed on June 4th, 1914, right before the start of the First World War. It was formed by Lee Il-Chun, who dissolved the former government and renamed the nation to the Empire of Korea.

First World War

 * Main Article: World War I 

The First World War was the second largest war in history, after the Second World War. After WWI, Korea began to rise as that other nations, such as the USSR, the United States, and Europe were either devastated by the war or they were suffering the First Great Depression (1927-1942). Korea was not as affected by the First Great Depression as the other nations, due to both their strong economy and their isolation from the rest of the world.

Economy
Korea has the second strongest economy in East Asia, after Ming China, and the third most in Asia, after Ming China and the Mughal Empire. Most of their GDP comes from exporting and manufacturing, although the hi-tech market has been on the rise.