0

I don't understand " in what became South Korea" means. In other word, I'd like to know the structure and meaning : in what became South Korea

Yu was born on Dec. 16, 1902, the second daughter of five children to Christian parents near Cheonan, in what became South Korea when the peninsula was divided in 1945, after World War II.

Improve this question
1
  • 3
    Cheonan is in South Korea. But it did not become South Korea until 1945--it was just Korea.
    – Xanne
    Commented Mar 30, 2018 at 7:03

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

What refers to Cheonan, the area in question.

We can paraphrase the sentence like this:

Yu was born on Dec. 16, 1902, the second daughter of five children to Christian parents near Cheonan, in the land which started to belong to South Korea when the peninsula was divided in 1945, after World War II.

Improve this answer
4
  • Thank you Enguroo. It seems very clear to me. I thought in the area instead of in the land.
    – Mankak
    Commented Mar 30, 2018 at 7:55
  • Right, that very place became South Korea later. Thank you for your feedback!
    – Enguroo
    Commented Mar 30, 2018 at 8:25
  • I disagree that what refers only to Cheonan. I would say it refers to all the territory which became South Korea, that is Cheonan and all the other areas which now make up South Korea. Another example is that of Pocahontas who was born in the Tsenacommacah in what became the state of Virginia. Virginia covers more than the Tsenacommacah but did not exist as a state until nearly 200 years later than the birth of Pocahontas.
    – BoldBen
    Commented Mar 30, 2018 at 14:34
  • Dear BoldBen. I think your opinion is the same as Enguroo's analysis: "what" refers to all the territory or land which bccame South Korea in 1945 when it was emancipated from Japan.
    – Mankak
    Commented Mar 30, 2018 at 21:57

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .