Across the centuries, the Korean Peninsula has served as a cultural bridge between the Asian continent and the islands of Japan, providing yet another link for Silk Road trade and movement. Historians say that the ancestors of the Koreans of today may have migrated to the peninsula in prehistoric times from Central Asia.
As in neighbouring countries, Buddhism was brought from west of The Silk Road and flourished on the Korean Peninsula. Scattered all over the peninsula are Buddhist temples, many of them hundreds of years old.
During its long history, the peninsula saw much refinement in the arts. The country's craftsmen were widely known for their celadon pottery dating from the Three Kingdoms Period (57 BC to 668 AD).
Another splendid era in Korean history was during the Shilla Kingdom, which had its capital in Kyongju. The city boasts many fine palaces, temples, tombs and museums displaying Silk Road artefacts.
A mountainous and lovely land, the Republic of Korea today is noted for its prosperity, its increasing role in world affairs and its warm and welcoming people - who make a visit to the ancient and culturally rich nation a rewarding experience.
