Korea won its independence from Japan in 1905 during the Russo-Japanese War. Five years later it formally annexed the whole peninsula. A republic was set up in the southern half of the peninsula, and a communist regime was set up in the northern part of the peninsula.
During the Korean War (1950 - 1953), the United States help South Korea defend itself from North Korea, who were supported by the Chinese. An armistice or a truce was signed in 1953 which divided the peninsular along the 38th parallel.
Since the Korean War, the southern peninsula grew economically 14 times greater than the northern peninsula. Since the incomes are so much higher, the standard of living is also high. In 1987, South Korea elected ROH Tae-woo, which ended militaristic rule in the south. For the first time, Korea has a fully functional democracy.
The foundation of Korean culture is Confucius. However, you can see everywhere in the Korea that it is a forward thinking country. No one knows where the country is headed, but there is an insatiable appetite for technology. There is an infectious energy in Seoul, Korea, and it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement.
Gyeongju is not as modern as Seoul. There are many royal tombs and pagodas or Buddhist temples. Busan is more primitive than the other two cities. The culture in Busan will not allow the natives to begin a conversation with a foreigner. That initiation is the responsibility of the tourist. Once the ice is broken, the people can be kind and generous.
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