Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi)
Online ISSN : 1884-0884
Print ISSN : 0022-135X
ISSN-L : 0022-135X
Our Knowledgt from Past to Present on the Geological History of Korea, Part Two
Teiichi KOBAYASHI
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1977 Volume 86 Issue 3 Pages 191-207

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Abstract

This article consists of ten chapters, viz. (1) two new publications on the geology of Korea, (2) development of Korean geology, (3) Pre-Cambrian stratigraphy, (4) the Joseon (i. e. Chosen) group, (5) the Pyeongan (Heian) group, (6) Mesozoic formations, (7) Cenozoic formations, (8) Palaeozoic and later intrusive rocks, (9) geotectonic development of Korea and (10) reminiscence of research in geologic history of Korea
.Tateiwa published “History of Geological Research in Korea, ” 1956 and in 1976 a compilation of reviews of Korean geological publications before 1946. Prior to this the present author wrote “Geology of South Korea etc.” in 1953 and “A Contribution to the Geotectonics of Noth Korea and South Manchuria, ” in 1954, revised the former, 1967 and the latter, 1969 and printed in Geology and Mineral Resources of the Far East, vols. one and two. Among foreign publications are three on the similar subject as follows :
V. L. Masaitis, : Geology of Korea, 1966.
Kim Jongrai : The Geology and Useful Mineral Resources of Korea, 1967.
A. J. Reedman and Um Sang Ho : The Geology of Korea, 1975.
Carl Christian Gottsche (1855-1909), Bunjiro Koto (1856-1935) and Hisakatsu Yabe (18781969) are pioneers respectively of geology, geotectonics and palaeontology of Korea. The history of research in her geology may be divisible into the 1918 and older age of reconnaissance survey, the age of the Geological Survey of Chosen and the Fuel and Ore Dressing Research Center, 1918-1945, and the age since the two organizations have been unified in 1946.
The Pre-Cambrian geology was greatly advanced in the third age with an aid of geochemical chronology. The stratigraphy of the Ogcheon (or Yokusen) metamorphic group is now a subject of moot discussion in South Korea. The Joseon group is the best zonated unit in Korean stratigraphy. The author's conclusion that the group of the Duwibong (Tsuibon) type is heteropic from but synchronous with the group of the Mungyeong-Yeongweol (Bunkei-Neietsu) type is now quite warranted by macro-as well as micro-palaeontology. (See fig. p. 60 (132) in part 1).
In 1962 the Jeongseon (Seizen) limestone and a few other strata of the Taebaengsan region were presumed by certain geologists to be Middle Palaeozoic. but without fossil evidence. Subsequently this misunderstanding was, however, rectified by the discovery of Middle Ordovician conodonts in the limestone and other facts. Lately Carboniferous fusulinids were found in the limestone near Danyang whence the so-called Devonian type corals had been reported.
Recently the Cretaceous stratigraphy of Southeast Korea was largely revised by K. H. Chang. In his new classification the Naktong series was bisected and its upper part was combined with the Silla series into the Hayang group, because the Naktong trough in which the Sindong group i.e. lower Naktong series was accumulated was closed and the Hayang group was deposited in the large Silla basin beside the new small Yeongyang basin where the former's basement was divided into two blocks at the entrance of the Hayang age. Furthermore, the Pulgogsa series by Tateiwa was spilitted into the Yucheon volanic group and the Pulgogsa granite series.
Two extraordinarily important conclusions are that the Pulgogsa granites should be divided into the middle-upper Jurassic.Daebo granite series and the late Cretaceous-early Tertiary Pulgogsa granite series s. str. and that the Daebo granites are extensive to the north of the Sobaegsan-Taebaegsen region and elongated in the Sinian trend whereas the Pulgogsa granite series which is restsicted to the south of the Gyeonggi massif is less extensive in Southeast Korea and reveals no Sinian elongation.

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