Korea

[ kuh-ree-uh, kaw-, koh- ]

noun

1. a former country in East Asia, on a peninsula southeast of Manchuria and between the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea: a kingdom prior to 1910; under Japanese rule 1910–45; now divided at the 38th parallel into North Korea and South Korea.
2. Dem·o·crat·ic Peo·ple's Re·pub·lic of Ko·re·a, official name of North Korea.
3. Re·pub·lic of Ko·re·a, official name of South Korea.

Korea

/ kəˈriːə /

noun

1. a former country in E Asia, now divided into two separate countries, North Korea and South Korea. Korea occupied the peninsula between the Sea of Japan (East Sea) and the Yellow Sea: an isolated vassal of Manchu China for three centuries until the opening of ports to Japanese trade in 1876; gained independence in 1895; annexed to Japan in 1910 and divided in 1945 into two occupation zones (Russian in the north, American in the south), which became North Korea and South Korea in 1948 Japanese name (1910–45)Chosen See North Korea South Korea

Korea

1. Historic region consisting of North Korea and South Korea ; peninsula off northeastern China separating the Yellow Sea and Sea of Japan, two arms of the Pacific Ocean .

Notes

Korea was under Japanese rule in the early twentieth century. At the end of World War II , Korea was divided at the thirty-eighth parallel of north latitude into two zones, with troops of the Soviet Union in the north and troops of the United States in the south. By 1948, two separate governments had emerged, the communist Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north and the noncommunist Republic of Korea in the south. American and Soviet troops were withdrawn by 1949. The Korean War (1950–1953) began when North Korean forces invaded South Korea. Forces of the United Nations under General Douglas MacArthur aided South Korea, whereas Chinese forces aided North Korea.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Korea¹

First recorded in 1610–20; from Korean Goryeo, Koryŏ

Example Sentences

He said it sometimes felt like he was working in "North Korea or East Germany", unable to "have an open conversation" with colleagues.

From BBC

Biden spent four years building up friendships across Asia with the likes of South Korea, Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam - all in an effort to contain China.

From BBC

The Labour government has been negotiating with Switzerland, South Korea and the Gulf Cooperation Council since their election victory in July.

From BBC

Unconfirmed reports say North Korea may send as many as 100,000 soldiers, in addition to artillery and other weapons to its ally.

From BBC

In October, the North blew up sections of two roads that connected it to South Korea, days after accusing Seoul of flying drones into the North’s capital Pyongyang.

From BBC