Korea has a temperate climate with comparatively fewer typhoons than other countries in East Asia.

Due to the peninsula's position, it has a unique climate influenced from Siberia in the north, the
Pacific Ocean in the east and the rest of Eurasia in the west. The peninsula has four distinct
seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter.[22]

Spring
As influence from Siberia weakens, temperatures begin to increase while the high pressure begins
to move away. If the weather is abnormally dry, Siberia will have more influence on the peninsula
leading to wintry weather such as snow.[23]

Summer
During June at the start of the summer, there tends to be a lot of rain due to the cold and wet air
from the Sea of Okhotsk and the hot and humid air from the Pacific Ocean combining. When these
fronts combine, it leads to a so-called rainy season with often cloudy days with rain, which is
sometimes very heavy. The hot and humid winds from the south west blow causing an increasing
amount of humidity and this leads to the fronts moving towards Manchuria in China and thus there is
less rain and this is known as midsummer; temperatures can exceed 30 °C (86 °F) daily at this time
of year.

Autumn
Usually, high pressure is heavily dominant during autumn leading to clear conditions. Furthermore,
temperatures remain high but the humidity becomes relatively low.

Winter
The weather becomes increasingly dominated by Siberia during winter and the jet stream moves
further south causing a drop in temperature. This season is relatively dry with some snow falling at
times.

Wildlife
Main article: Wildlife of Korea
Animal life of the Korean Peninsula includes a considerable number of bird species and
native freshwater fish. Native or endemic species of the Korean Peninsula include Korean
hare, Korean water deer, Korean field mouse, Korean brown frog, Korean pine and Korean spruce.
The Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) with its forest and natural wetlands is a unique biodiversity
spot, which harbours eighty-two endangered species. Korea once hosted many Siberian tigers, but
as the number of people affected by the tigers increased, the tigers were killed in the Joseon
Dynasty and the Siberian tigers in the South Korea became extinct during the Japanese colonial era
period. It has been confirmed that Siberian tigers are only on the side of North Korea now.
There are also approximately 3,034 species of vascular plants.

History
Main article: History of Korea
See also: History of North Korea and History of South Korea

Part of a series on the

History of Korea
 Prehistoric period

 Jeulmun
 Mumun

Ancient period
Gojoseon 2333 BCE–108 BCE
Jin

Proto–Three Kingdoms period

 Buyeo
 Goguryeo
 Okjeo
 Dongye
 Samhan 
o Ma
o Byeon
o Jin

 Chinese commanderies

Three Kingdoms period

Goguryeo 37 BCE–668 CE
Baekje 18 BCE–660 CE
Silla 57 BCE–935 CE
Gaya confederacy 42–562

Northern and Southern States period

Later Silla (Unified Silla) 668–935
Balhae 698–926

Later Three Kingdoms period

Later Baekje 892–936
Taebong (Later Goguryeo) 901–918
Later Silla 668–935

Dynastic period
Goryeo 918–1392
 Joseon 1392–1897
Korean Empire 1897–1910

Colonial period
Japanese rule 1910–1945
Provisional Government 1919–1948

Modern period
Military governments 1945–1948
North Korea 1948–present
South Korea 1948–present

Topics
 Art
 Division
 Language
 Military (Goguryeo)
 Monarchs
 Naval
 Science and technology
 History of Jeju

Timeline

 v
 t
 e

Prehistory and Gojoseon

Main articles: Prehistoric Korea and Gojoseon
The Korean Academy claimed ancient hominid fossils originating from about 100,000  BCE in the lava
at a stone city site in Korea. Fluorescent and high-magnetic analyses indicate the volcanic fossils
may be from as early as 300,000  BCE.[24] The best preserved Korean pottery goes back to
the paleolithic times around 10,000 BCE and the Neolithic period begins around 6000  BCE.
According to legend, Dangun, a descendant of Heaven, established Gojoseon in 2333 BCE. In 108 
BCE, the Han dynasty defeated Gojoseon and installed four commanderies in the northern Korean
peninsula. Three of the commanderies fell or retreated westward within a few decades, but
the Lelang Commandery remained as a center of cultural and economic exchange with successive
Chinese dynasties for four centuries. By 313, Goguryeo annexed all of the Chinese commanderies.