South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea

Ancient Korea 
Seokguram Grotto from the Silla era, a UNESCO World Heritage Site 

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Balhae (violet) and Silla (blue), circa 830 CE 
 
The oldest surviving metal movable type book, the Jikji, was printed in 1377, and Goryeo created the 
world's first metal-based movable type in 1234.

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The Tripitaka Koreana — the Buddhist canon (Tripiṭaka) carved onto roughly 80,000 woodblocks and 
stored (and still remaining) at Haeinsa, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site 
The Korean Peninsula was inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic period.
According to Korea's founding mythology, the history of Korea begins with the founding of 
Joseon (also known as "Gojoseon", or "Old Joseon", to differentiate it with the 14th century 
dynasty) in 2333 BCE by the legendary Dangun. Gojoseon was noted in Chinese records in the 
early 7th century. Gojoseon expanded until it controlled the northern Korean Peninsula and parts 
of Manchuria. Gija Joseon was purportedly founded in the 12th century BCE, but its existence 
and role have been controversial in the modern era. In 108 BCE, the Han 
dynasty defeated Wiman Joseon and installed four commanderies in the northern Korean 
peninsula. Three of the commanderies fell or retreated westward within a few decades. 
As Lelang Commandery was destroyed and rebuilt around this time, the place gradually moved 
toward Liaodong. Thus, its force was diminished and only served as a trade center until it was 
conquered by Goguryeo in 313.

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Beginning around 300 BC, the Japonic-speaking Yayoi people from the Korean Peninsula 
entered the Japanese islands and displaced or intermingled with the original Jōmon inhabitants. 
The linguistic homeland of Proto-Koreans is located somewhere in southern Siberia/Manchuria, 
such as the Liao River area or the Amur River area. Proto-Koreans arrived in the southern part of 
the Korean Peninsula at around 300 BC, replacing and assimilating Japonic-speakers and likely 
causing the Yayoi migration.