Korean people

Koreans (self-name - choson-saram) - the main population of Korea now comprising two states - the Democratic People''s Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea formed a nation by the early 20th century. By their physical type Koreans belong to the Mongoloid race formed in the Greater Altai. Ancient Chinese historiography claims that the first tribal association in Korea which emerged in the northern part of the peninsula and adjacent parts of southern Manchuria was formed in the late 2nd millennium BC by natives of China who in large numbers moved to the area during the internecine strife which accompanied the fall of the ancient Yin kingdom and the emergence of the kingdom of Zhou. At the head of this association which received the Chinese name Chaosyan in the Korean pronunciation - Joseon became one of the tribal leaders Yin - Kizza (Qi Tsu) who moved to Korea with his tribal group. Soon the Chinese settlers merged with the main population of this part of the peninsula so that this unification - even if to admit the important role of the Chinese in its formation - was Korean in character.