<Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article contains Korean text . Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Hangul and Hanja . </Td> </Tr> <P> Korea is a historical country in East Asia; since 1945 it has been divided into two distinct sovereign states: North Korea (officially the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea") and South Korea (officially the "Republic of Korea"). Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by China to the northwest and Russia to the northeast . It is separated from Japan to the east by the Korea Strait and the Sea of Japan (East Sea). </P> <P> Korea emerged as a singular political entity in 676CE after centuries of conflict among the Three Kingdoms of Korea, which were unified as Unified Silla to the south and Balhae to the north . Unified Silla divided into three separate states during the Later Three Kingdoms period . Goryeo, which had succeeded Goguryeo, defeated the two other states and united the Korean Peninsula . Around the same time, Balhae collapsed and its last crown prince fled south to Goryeo . Goryeo (also spelled as Koryŏ), whose name developed into the modern exonym "Korea", was a highly cultured state that created the world's first metal movable type in 1234 . However, multiple invasions by the Mongol Yuan Dynasty during the 13th century greatly weakened the nation, which eventually agreed to become a vassal state after decades of fighting . Following the Yuan Dynasty's collapse, severe political strife followed, and Goryeo eventually fell to a coup led by General Yi Seong - gye, who established Joseon in 1392 . </P> <P> The first 200 years of Joseon were marked by relative peace . During this period, the Korean alphabet was created by Sejong the Great in the 15th century and there was increasing influence of Confucianism . During the later part of the dynasty, 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 the First Sino - Japanese War, despite the Korean Empire's effort to modernize, it was annexed by Japan in 1910 and ruled by Imperial Japan until the end of World War II in August 1945 . </P>

Which country is more developed north korea or south korea