Gojoseon is an ancient Korean kingdom.

Go, meaning "ancient," distinguishes it from the later Joseon Dynasty; Joseon, as it is called in contemporaneous writings, is also romanized as Chosŏn.According to the Samguk Yusa and other medieval-era records, Gojoseon is said to have been founded in 2333 BCE by Dangun in the legend, who is said to be a Posterity of Heaven.

However, archaeological evidence of Gojoseon is found in the transition from the Jeulmun pottery to the Mumun pottery around 1500 BCE, when groups of semi-sedentary small-scale agriculturalists occupy most of the Korean Peninsula.

Local bronze production begins around the 8th century BCE.

Based on contemporaneous written records, modern historians generally believe it developed from a loose federation into a powerful kingdom between the 8th and 4th centuries BCE.During its early phase, the capital of Gojoseon is located in Liaoning; around 400 BCE, this is moved to Pyongyang, while in the south of the peninsula, the Jin state arises by the 3rd century BC.

Gojoseon is invaded by the Han Dynasty of China during the Gojoseon–Han War in 108 BCE, and followed by successor states and the Proto–Three Kingdoms period in Korean history.The people of Gojoseon are referred to in Chinese records as Dongyi "eastern barbarians."

Their language is probably a predecessor of the equally prehistoric Buyeo languages, and perhaps a form of Proto-Korean.