ABSTRACT
Korea is located in the northeast region of Asia in the Korean peninsula (see Figure 15.1). It borders China and Russia and is less than 200 miles from Japan across the East Sea. Koreans are generally very proud of their 4,000-year history, which began with the prehistoric kingdom of Gojoseon, followed by four periods of historic kingdoms: the three kingdoms period (B.C. 57~A.D. 676), the Unified Silla and Balhae period (A.D. 675~935), the Goryeo dynasty (A.D. 918~1392), and the Joseon dynasty (A.D. 1392~1910). In 1945, modern Korea was established after 35 years of Japanese colonial rule. The modern nation, however, was quickly divided into the South and the North, each endorsing capitalism and Communism, respectively. In 1950, the conflict resulted in a bitter war that lasted three years, and the two states have remained antagonistic with virtually no communication and mobility between the states until very recently. This chapter will focus on the neuropsychology of South Korea since no data on North Korean neuropsychology are available to date.
