History of the Korean Peninsula
For centuries, the Korean peninsula has been marked by competing dynasties and a political tug-of-war.
In the 7th century, the three rival kingdoms were united under the Koryo dynasty, from which the word “Korea” is derived.
After WWII, with Chinese and Soviet support, North Korea invaded the south in 1950. The U.S. sent troops to defend its ally and stop the advance of communism.Three years later, fighting in the Korean War ended. But with no peace treaty, North and South Korea are technically still at war.
More than 60 years later, the U.S. still has tens of thousands of troops based in South Korea
Excerpt from Great Decisions, coming to PBS in 2016
http://www.greatdecisionsonpbs.com/
Narrated by Academy Award nominated actor David Strathairn and produced by the Foreign Policy Association, each half-hour episode of the Great Decisions documentary series tackles a different challenge facing America today.