Korean americans 1

The United States is a nation of immigrants.
- Quote by John F. Kennedy: "There is no part of our nation that has not been touched by our immigrant background" (Kennedy 1964, 3).
- Understanding Korean immigrants contributions to national life requires exploring their background, history, and culture.

Name Origin: "Korea" derives from the Koryo dynasty (918-1392).
Historically known as Choson, meaning "the Land of the Morning Calm."
- Choson was both the name of an ancient kingdom (4th century B.C.) and the last kingdom (Yi Dynasty, 1392-1910).
Geographical Description:
- Ancient Choson encompassed the Korean peninsula and southern Manchuria.
- Current borders are marked by the Yalu and Tumen rivers in the north.
- The Korean peninsula functions as a bridge between political powers in Asia and Japan for cultural exchange and military aggression.
- Area: 85,563 square miles (approximately the size of Minnesota or combined size of England and Scotland).
- Division post-World War II resulted in the People's Republic of Korea in the north and the Republic of Korea in the south.

Early Kingdoms: Emerged in southern Manchuria and northern Korean peninsula around the 4th century B.C.
- Based on tribal leagues tracing back to Neolithic totemic clans (3000-2000 B.C.)
- Tang-gun Myth: Mythical founding figure born of a god and a bear-totem family (dating Korean history to 2333 B.C.).
- Transition from clans to three major kingdoms:
- Koguryo (37 B.C.-A.D. 668)
- Paekche (12 B.C.-A.D. 660)
- Silla (57 B.C.-A.D. 935)
- Unified under Silla Kingdom in 676, followed by Koryo Kingdom (918-1392) and Yi Dynasty (1392-1910).
- Yi Dynasty: Known as the Hermit Kingdom due to self-imposed isolation and tributary relations with China.
Colonial History:
- Korean sovereignty loss after Japanese invasions.
- Forced adaptation to Western pressures led to opening of ports.
- Japan became a dominant force after defeating China (Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895) and Russia (Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905).
- Korea declared a protectorate and annexed by Japan in 1910.
Cultural erasure:
- Colonial government prohibited the Korean language and historical narrative; imposed Japanese culture and Shinto worship.
- Japanese rule ended with their defeat in World War II (August 15, 1945).
- Korea's fate post-war was decided by Allied powers without Korean input, dividing the nation at the 38th parallel.
- Establishment of two states occurred in 1948: Republic of Korea (August 15) and People’s Republic of Korea (September 9).

Invasion: North Korean forces attacked South Korea on June 25, 1950.
North Korean military strength:
- 150,000 troops with significant artillery and armor.
South Korean resistance:
- 65,000 troops, poorly equipped and unprepared.
Outcomes:
- Rapid fall of South Korea to North Korean forces.
- UN-led counterattack turned the tide but again failed as China intervened.
Casualties:
- Heavy losses on both sides:
- U.S.: 142,000 casualties (54,246 killed in action).
- Estimated South Korean casualties: 300,000; North Korean: 520,000; Chinese: roughly 900,000. Civilian deaths were high, particularly on both Korean sides.
Consequences: The armistice agreement was signed in July 1953, leaving Korea divided.

Syngman Rhee's Era: Post-war authoritarianism, exploitation of fears of communism led to election rigging until public outcry forced resignation in 1960.
April 19th Revolution: Student demonstrations led the way to Rhee’s downfall; termed the first successful democratic revolution in Korean history.
- However, the ensuing government lacked true democratic qualities, degenerating into military rule under Park Chung Hee (1961-1979).
Economic Transformation: Despite repression, the period saw rapid economic growth:
- GNP rose from $87 to $1,503 by 1980, with annual economic growth averaging 9.2%. Trade surged.
Continued autocracy: The military ruled until Chun Doo Hwan’s presidency began in 1980, continuing previous practices.
Democratic Transition: Roh Tae Woo’s presidency in 1988 marked a less autocratic regime, though corruption and economic woes continued, leading to both decline in immigration and the return migration of Koreans.

1994 population estimates:
- South Korea: 45.1 million; North Korea: 23.1 million.
- Korean diaspora: 5 million (notable communities in China, the U.S., and Japan).

Koreans share morphologically similar characteristics with other East Asians but distinctions in cultural heritage are prominent, rejecting the classification as a separate racial category.

Origins: Korean is thought to belong to Ural-Altaic language family and has a unique phonetic alphabet, Hangul, created during the 15th-century reign of King Sejong.
Linguistic Comparison: Chinese and Japanese languages influenced Korean in vocabulary; structurally, Korean maintains its independence through Hangul.

54% of South Koreans identified as religious (1994 census); breakdown: Buddhism (27.6%); Protestantism (18%); Catholicism (5.7%); Confucianism (1%).
Confucianism: Functions as a moral compass rather than a religion, emphasizing social ethics and hierarchical relationships, integral to Korean culture and continuity, despite its non-theological nature.

Shamanism, Buddhism, and Christianity have been significant in shaping cultural practices:
- Shamanism: Remains an influential folk religion.
- Buddhism: Established as a state religion during the Three Kingdoms period, gave way to Confucianism, yet maintained prominence in practice (notably celebration of Buddha’s birthday).
- Christianity: Gained influence from the 17th century; today, about 25% of the population are affiliated with Christian denominations.

Unique cultural traits include traditional clothing (hanbok), distinctive music, food—most notably kimchi—and artistic expressions in various forms which reflect Korean communal values and individual heritage abroad.