"Prior to Korea's liberation from Japanese colonialism and the country's subsequent division at the end of World War II, the nation had enjoyed a long dynastic history that made the postwar partition particularly traumatic. The ensuing Cold War years soon spawned a very hot Korean War, subsequent decades of strained inter-Korean relations, and tensions in the region surrounding the peninsula. This volume provides readers who are unfamiliar with Korea's heritage with insight into how the two Koreas became engulfed in international geopolitical tensions, including expert analysis of this disjoined nation's background, modern circumstances, and future prospects."

"After a survey of Korea's geographic setting and historic legacy, Olsen details the circumstances of Korea's liberation and subsequent division. Drawing on that background, he analyzes the evolution of both South Korea and North Korea as separate states and surveys the politics, economics, and foreign policy of each."--BOOK JACKET.