Alternative History
Republic of Korea
대한민국
Timeline: Nihon no heiwa
Flag of Korea (1919–1925) (Myomi Republic) Emblem of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea
Flag Emblem
Motto: 
대한독립만세 (Korean)
"Long live Korean independence"
Anthem: 
애국가
"The Patriotic Song"
Korea (green)
CapitalSeoul
Official languages Korean
Demonym Korean
Government Unitary semi-presidential republic
 -  President Park Sang-hak
 -  Prime Minister Hong Seok-hyun
Legislature National Assembly
Formation
 -  First Korean kingdom c. 2333 BCE 
 -  Independence declared 1 March 1919 
 -  Indepence granted 18 June 1919 
 -  Constitution 15 July 1920 
Population
 -  2022 estimate 77,829,690 
Currency Korean Republic won (KRW)
Drives on the right

Korea (Korean: 한국), officially the Republic of Korea (Korean: 대한민국), is a country in East Asia. It borders Manchuria and the Soviet Union to the north; it also shares overseas borders with Japan to the east. Seoul is the nation's capital and largest city, and is known for its modern infrastructure and culture.

The Korean Peninsula was inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic period. Its first kingdom was noted in Chinese records in the early 7th century BCE. Following the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea into Silla and Balhae in the late 7th century, Korea was ruled by the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392) and the Joseon dynasty (1392–1897). The succeeding Korean Empire was annexed in 1910 into Japan, although it would later be granted independence again in 1919 after the March 1st Movement, and became a republic. From 1949 to 1964, it was lead by a fierce anti-communist military dictatorship, which was eventually overthrown in the Flower Revolution and the democratic system was reinstated.

Korea is a developed country and is ranked as the seventh-highest country on the Human Development Index (HDI) in the Asia and Oceania region. Korea has the third-highest life expectancy in the world. In recent years, the country has been facing an aging population and the lowest fertility rate in the world. Its economy ranks as the world's twelfth-largest by nominal GDP. Its citizens enjoy one of the world's fastest Internet connection speeds and the densest high-speed railway network.