Joseon, officially Great Joseon State, was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that lasted just over 500 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom was founded following the aftermath of the overthrow of Goryeo in what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul. The kingdom's northernmost borders were expanded to the natural boundaries at the rivers of Amnok and Tuman through the subjugation of the Jurchens.
King Taejo's portrait
The throne room at Gyeongbok Palace
Portrait of Ha Yeon, who served as Chief State Councillor during King Sejong's reign
A page from the Hunmin Jeongeum Eonhae, a partial translation of Hunminjeongeum, the original promulgation of the Korean alphabet
Korean is the native language for about 81 million people, mostly of Korean descent. It is the official and national language of both North Korea and South Korea. The language has notable differences in each of the Koreas, in part owing to different official standardizations of the language. They are still largely mutually intelligible, however. South Korean newspaper Daily NK has claimed North Korea criminalizes the use of the South's standard language with the death penalty, and South Korean education and media often portray the North's language as alien and uncomfortable.
The oldest Korean dictionary (1920)
The Latin alphabet used in romanization on road signs, for foreigners in South Korea
Highway sign in Korean, Reunification Highway, Pyongyang, North Korea
Highway sign in Korean and English, Gyeongbu Expressway, Daegu, South Korea