The first 200 years of Joseon were marked by relative peace and saw the creation of

the Korean alphabet by Sejong the Great in the 15th century and the increasing influence
of Confucianism. During the later part of the dynasty, however, Korea's isolationist policy earned it
the Western nickname of the "Hermit Kingdom". By the late 19th century, the country became the
object of imperial design by the Empire of Japan. After First Sino-Japanese War, despite attempts at
modernization by the Korean Empire backed up by Japan, in 1910 Korea was annexed by
Japan and remained a part of Imperial Japan until the end of World War II in August 1945.
In 1945, the Soviet Union and the United States agreed on the surrender