Korea
2 of the 7 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for Korea. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
a former empire in Asia, since 1910 a part of the Japanese Empire comprising the peninsula lying between the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan, and separated by the Strait of Korea from the Japanese Islands. It has a coast line of about 1,740 miles, and a total area of about 90,000 square miles. The N. boundary line is formed by the river Tu-man flowing N. E., and the Amnok flowing S. W. from the watershed of Paik-to-san. The Tu-man, for the last 5 miles of its course, separates Russian Asia from Korea. A belt of land, 5,600 square miles, on the N. side has for the last three centuries been constituted a neutral zone between Korea and Manchuria, but is now being gradually encroached upon from both the Chinese and Korean side. Occupying about the same latitude as Italy, Korea is also like Italy hemmed in on the N. by Alpine ranges, and traversed from N. to S. by a branch chain. From the N. the chain runs close to the coast, till, about the 37th parallel, it trends inland. The climate is healthful, bracing in the N., but colder in winter and hotter in summer than in corresponding European latitudes. Various kinds of timber trees abound, except in the W., where wood is The fauna is very considerable, scarce. and besides tigers, leopards, deer, includes pigs, tiger-cats, badgers, foxes, beavers, otters, martens, and a great variety of birds. Among the products are rice, wheat, beans, cotton, hemp, maize, millet, sesame, perilla. Ginseng grows wild in the Kange Mountains, and is also much cultivated about Kai-song. The cattle are excellent (the bull being the usual beast of burden), the ponies very small but hardy, fowls good, pigs inferior. Iron ores of excellent quality are mined; and there are copper mines. The output of silver is small. Gold to the value of $500,000 has been exported in one year. Three-fourths of the trade is with Japan, and over a fifth with China. The earliest records of Korea go back to 1122 B. C., when Ki-tze with 5,000 Chinese colonists brought to Korea Chinese arts and politics. Almost the first knowledge of Korea obtained by Europe was through the shipwreck of some Dutchmen on the coast in 1653. The missionary De Cespedes had, however, entered Korea at the end of the 16th century, and from 1777 other missionaries followed. In 1835 Maubant gained a footing in Korea, but in 1866, after thousands of converts had been put to death, the only three Catholic missionaries left had to flee for their lives. Japan was the first to effect a footing KÖRNER in Korea in 1876, when a treaty was concluded between the two countries. Korea followed this up by treaties with China and the United States in 1882; with Germany and Great Britain, 1883; with Italy and Russia, 1884; and with France, 1886. The three ports opened to foreign trade are Chemulpo, Fusan, and Gen-san. The new policy has led to discontent; and there was an insurrection in 1884. The suzerainty of China had been acknowledged by Korea from early times, but Japan protested, and this was one of the alleged causes of the Japanese-Chinese War of 1894. China renounced her claim in 1895 and Japan began to display an active interest in Korea. Russia thereupon as- 1394. serted her right to a voice in Korean af- 1896 and fairs, and by 1901 the rival interests of inter the two powers caused a straining of their relations. In April, 1903, Rusafsian activity on the Yalu River, on the boundary between Korea and Manchuria, attracted Japan's special attention. All concessions granted to Russia were nullified by the Korean King, under pressure of Japanese influence. Still the Russians managed to secure a foothold at Yongampho, and in October built a fort at that place. This aroused Japan to greater activity, and Korea became the principal bone of contention that led to the Russo-Japanese War. After the beginning of hostilities, in February, 1904, Japan took possession of Seoul, the capital, expelled the Russian minister, and virtually established a protectorate over the kingdom. Japan landed her troops at various points on the Korean coast, and northern Korea became the scene of Japan's land operations, and the Japanese army was finally mobilized on the Yalu. On April 15, 1904, the royal palace at Seoul was burned to the ground. In 1907 Prince Ito assumed charge of Korea's foreign affairs. Japan's attempts to disarm Korea's soldiery led to two years fighting, in which thousands were killed. A Korean Independence Association was formed in China and appealed to the Paris Peace Conference. Disorders and riots in 1919 were sternly suppressed by the Japanese Government. In 1920, it was stated that the Korean Nationalists had appealed to the Russian Soviet Republic for help against Japan. See JAPAN. KÖRNER, KARL THEODOR (kur'ner), a German poet; born in Dresden, Sept. 23, 1791. After irregular studies at Freiberg, Leipsic, and Berlin, young Körner was appointed dramatist to a Vienna theater; for it he wrote some light comedies. The uprising of the German nation against Napoleon inspired Körner with patriotic ardor. He displayed heroic personal courage in many fights and encouraged his comrades by fiery patriotic songs. These published in 1814 under the title of "Lyre and Sword," are regarded by the Germans with a kind of sacred admiration. The most famous of these pieces is the "Sword Song," composed in a pause of battle, and only a few hours before the author fell, Aug. 26, 1813.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
or Corea, ko-re'a, an ancient kingdom of Asia. It lies on the Pacific, northeast of China. It consists chiefly of a bit of coast and a peninsula extending southward from Manchuria. It is separated from Japan by the Japan Sea, and from China on the southwest by the Yellow Sea. It has an area a little less than that of Florida and South Carolina combined. In point of latitude it stretches from that of South Carolina to that of Central New York . The peninsula is traversed by mountains, the highest rising to an altitude of 8,000 feet. The eastern side of the ridge is covered with forests to the summit. The coast rises sheer from the water's edge for 300 or 400 miles. The western slopes are treeless and broaden out into wide, fertile plains extending down to the Yellow Sea. The capital is Seoul, on the chief river thirty miles inland. Chemulpo, at the river's mouth, is the chief port. The southern end of the peninsula is said to have a climate much like that of the Carolinas. The mountains and northern portion are more like New England . At Seoul, during three winter months, the river is frozen over sufficiently to allow the passage of carts. The average rainfall is thirty-six inches. The country is rich in minerals. Iron, copper, gold, and silver ores abound, but the mineral output is not large. The forests contain an immense quantity of hardwood and evergreen timber suitable for lumber. The country is of great interest to the botanist. Hunters find deer and various furbearing animals, as the beaver, badger, otter, and marten. In the summer season the woods are full of birds. The forests still shelter foxes, wolves, and leopards. In the southern part of the country, longhaired tigers are still a scourge. An old tiger that has learned to eat human beings--a man-eater as he is called--does not hesitate to enter a village and even to tear off the thatched roof of the wretched mud huts of the natives in search of his prey. Half a million dollars' worth of ginseng is collected annually in the mountains for the Chinese market. The principal crops are rice, wheat, millet, Indian corn, beans, cotton, and hemp. Cattle are the chief domestic animals. Oxen are the usual beasts of burden. There are a few small, hardy ponies. Like China, Korea is famous for poultry. A few hogs are raised. The population is estimated variously at from 15,000,000 to 20,000,000. The people are a mixed race, allied in blood and language, however, to the Japanese and to the Chinese. Korea has been overrun repeatedly by the Chinese and by the Japanese, but managed to maintain a sort of independence. Until of late Korea was known as the "Hermit Kingdom." Foreigners were not allowed to enter. The Chinese language held much the same relation to Korean literature and to official life that French had in Germany during the reign of Frederick the Great. Missionaries who forced their way in were persecuted, even massacred. Japan was the first nation to secure the opening of a Korean port for trade. This occurred in 1876. Later, other nations were granted trading privileges. A commercial treaty was formed with the United States in 1882, with Great Britain and Germany in the following year, and with other nations soon after. In 1894 the Chinese endeavored to revive an ancient claim of protectorship over Korea. Under Japanese influence the Koreans proclaimed entire independence. In a war which followed the Japanese and Koreans defeated the Chinese utterly. The Japanese expected to absorb Korea, but Russia stepped in and, like an unjust judge deciding between two litigants, took Korea for herself. In 1905 after ten years of diligent preparation, Japan summoned Russia to evacuate. Failing to obtain a favorable response the Japanese attacked the Russians, and, after one of the pluckiest and most decisive wars in history, drove the Russians out of Korea and practically annexed the "Hermit Kingdom" to the Japanese empire. The war cost Japan $675,908,185--a large sum when we reflect that the United States bought Louisiana for $15,000,000 and Alaska for $7,200,000. See Manchuria ; Japan ; Ito 2026 Editor's Note: This entry catches Korea at the moment of its extinguishment — Japan annexed it outright in 1910, likely as these volumes shipped. Independence returned in 1945, partition immediately after. See Korea under Japanese rule . (Ed: BR 2026-06-02)