Concise History of Korea

Michael J. Seth is professor of East Asian and world history at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Professor Seth, who has lived and worked in South Korea, is the author of Education Fever: Society, Politics and the Pursuit of Schooling in South Korea (2002), North Korea: A History (2018), and Korea at War (2023). He is also the editor of the Routledge Handbook of Modern Korean History (2016).

Michael Seth's A Concise History of Korea stands as the singular authoritative history of Korea for the undergraduate audience. In depth in its treatment of the social, cultural, military, political, and economic developments of Korea, it also presents a compelling image of Korea within the world. From the unique cultural constructions of Korean society during the Kingdoms and Dynasties to the pain felt under Japanese occupation, Seth makes the story of the Korean nation come alive. Comprehensive and engaging, Seth's work is an excellent text for college students new to the subject.