Archeologists have found evidence of human civilization in the Korean peninsula dating from 5000 BC Ancient Korea was populated by clan communities which combined to form small city-states. By the first century BC, three kingdoms had emerged on the Korean Peninsula and part of what is now northeastern China. These kingdoms were Goguryo from 37 BC to 668 AD., Paekche from 18 BC to 660 AD, and Silla from 57 BC to 935 AD.
The Choson Dynasty ruled from 1392 until 1910, longer than most other dynasties in world history. During this time Koreans continued to keep their own distinctive identity. In the late 19th century, Korea became the focus of intense competition for occupation among China, Russia and Japan.	Did you know? Throughout history, Korea has resisted cultural and political domination from outside forces.
The Japanese invaded Korea in 1910 and occupied the country until 1945, when Japan surrendered to the Allied powers near the end of World War II. The Japanese invasion and colonization of Korea marked the end of the Choson Dynasty and the end of traditional Korea. Korea was divided along the 38th parallel. The north was occupied by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America dominated the south. The Korean War began on June 25, 1950, when North Korea invaded South Korea.
Canada assisted South Korea during the Korean war. From 1950 to 1953, three Canadian battalions spent one year each in Korea as part of a 27 nation peacekeeping effort. A total of 26,972 Canadian soldiers were sent to Korea. Over 516 of them were killed while in service there and are buried in Pusan. As South Korea began to repair itself from the devastating effects of war, a fourth Canadian battalion went to Korea to help rebuild. Neither Canadians nor Koreans have forgotten this shared past.