Korean History Proficiency Test - Advanced flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Gojoseon

The earliest Korean state, traditionally founded in 2333 BCE by Dangun; it was destroyed by Han China in 108 BCE, after which the Four Commanderies were established.

Gwanggaeto the Great

A Goguryeo king (r. 391–413) who expanded the kingdom into Manchuria and aided Silla against Wa; his achievements are recorded on the Gwanggaeto Stele erected in 414.

Golpum system

Silla's hereditary status system that ranked individuals by bone rank (seonggol and jingol) and determined access to office; it declined after the last seonggol ruler died in 654.

Balhae

A state founded in 698 by Dae Joyeong, a former Goguryeo general; it claimed succession to Goguryeo, adopted a Tang-style five-capital system, and was destroyed by the Khitan in 926.

Unified Silla

The state that emerged after Silla defeated Goguryeo with Tang help in 668 and expelled Tang forces by 676; it administered the peninsula through nine provinces and five capital districts.

Goryeo dynasty

A dynasty founded in 918 by Wang Geon; it unified the Later Three Kingdoms by 936, adopted a Confucian bureaucracy, and fell to the Joseon dynasty in 1392.

Tripitaka Koreana

The complete Buddhist canon carved on woodblocks; first produced in the 11th century and recarved from 1236 to 1251 at Haeinsa; it is a UNESCO Memory of the World item.

Jikji

A Buddhist text printed in 1377 at Heungdeoksa using metal movable type; it is the world's oldest extant book printed with metal movable type.

Military rule in Goryeo

The period after the 1170 military coup when generals dominated the government; the Choe family ruled through the Military Directorate from 1196 to 1258.

Goryeo celadon

A type of green-glazed pottery produced in Goryeo; it reached its peak in the 12th–13th centuries with inlaid (sanggam) decoration and is celebrated for its jade-like color.

Hangul

The Korean alphabet created under King Sejong in 1443 and promulgated in 1446 as Hunminjeongeum; it originally had 28 letters and is now written with 24.

Imjin War

The Japanese invasions of Korea from 1592 to 1598 launched by Hideyoshi; Admiral Yi Sun-sin's naval victories and Ming intervention contributed to Japan's withdrawal.

Sarim faction

A group of Neo-Confucian scholar-officials in Joseon who advocated moral governance; they suffered four major literati purges and eventually dominated the court.

Tangpyeong policy

A policy of impartial appointments pursued by Yeongjo and Jeongjo in the 18th century; it aimed to balance factional power and reduce strife.

Gyeongguk Daejeon

The complete legal code of Joseon, completed in 1485 under Seongjong; it codified administrative structure, land systems, and criminal law.

Daedong law

A tax reform introduced in 1608 and nationwide by 1708; it replaced tribute with a uniform land tax of 12 du per gyeol, paid in rice or cloth.

Silhak

A practical-learning movement in late Joseon that emphasized statecraft, geography, and reform; scholars included Yi Ik, Jeong Yak-yong, and Kim Jeong-ho.

Donghak

A new religion founded by Choe Je-u in 1860; it blended Confucian, Buddhist, and Daoist elements and inspired the 1894 Donghak Peasant Revolution.

Pansori

A Korean narrative musical form performed by a singer and drummer; it developed in the late Joseon period and is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Treaty of Ganghwa

An 1876 treaty between Korea and Japan that opened Busan, Wonsan, and Incheon to Japanese trade and granted extraterritoriality; it was Korea's first modern treaty.

Gabo Reforms

Reforms from 1894 to 1896 that abolished the gwageo, established a cabinet system, ended the slave system, and reformed the military and education.

Eulmi Incident

The 1895 assassination of Queen Min by Japanese agents in Gyeongbokgung; it was followed by the Agwan Pacheon, when Gojong took refuge at the Russian legation.

Donghak Peasant Revolution

An 1894 uprising led by Jeon Bong-jun against corrupt officials; it prompted Qing and Japanese intervention and contributed to the Sino-Japanese War.

March First Movement

A peaceful 1919 demonstration demanding Korean independence; the Japanese response killed thousands, and it led to the founding of the Korean Provisional Government in Shanghai.

Battle of Cheongsanri

A 1920 battle in Manchuria in which Korean independence forces defeated Japanese troops; it is a symbol of armed resistance during colonial rule.

Comfort women system

A Japanese military system during the Pacific War that forced women, many Korean, into sexual slavery; it remains a major historical and diplomatic issue.

Korean Provisional Government

A government-in-exile established in Shanghai in April 1919; it claimed legitimacy as Korea's government and was led by Syngman Rhee and later Kim Gu.

Korean War

A conflict from 1950 to 1953 that began with a North Korean invasion; UN forces intervened, China entered, and an armistice was signed at Panmunjom in 1953.

April 19 Revolution

A 1960 student-led uprising that forced President Syngman Rhee to resign after the rigged March 15 election; it ended the First Republic.

Yushin Constitution

A 1972 constitutional revision under Park Chung-hee that established authoritarian rule and allowed indefinite presidential terms; it was abolished after Park's assassination in 1979.

June 29 Declaration

A 1987 announcement by Roh Tae-woo accepting direct presidential elections; it followed the June Democratic Struggle and led to the 1987 Constitution.

Chaebol

Large family-controlled conglomerates in South Korea, such as Samsung, Hyundai, SK, and LG; they dominate the economy and have shaped industrial policy.