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Republic of Korea대한민국 大韓民國 Daehan Minguk
Flag Coat of arms of South Korea Coat of arms
Motto: 널리 인간 세계를 이롭게 하라 (Broadly bring benefit to humanity, 弘益人間)
Anthem: Aegukga
Capitaland largest city	Seoul
Official languages	Korean
Government	Presidential democracy
Establishment
• Water (%)	0.3%
Population
• July 2005 estimate	48,422,644 (24th)
GDP (PPP)	2004 estimate
• Total	$1.03 trillion (12th)
• Per capita	$24,130 (27th)
HDI (2003)	0.901 very high (28th)
Currency	South Korean won (KRW)
Time zone	UTC+9
• Summer (DST)	UTC+10
Calling code	82
ISO 3166 code	KR
Internet TLD	.kr

South Korea, known officially as the Republic of Korea, (see Names of Korea) is an East Asian country on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. To the north, it is bordered by North Korea, with which it was united as one country known as Korea until 1945. To the west, across the Yellow Sea, lies China, and to the southeast, across the Korea Strait, lies Japan. Approximately one-quarter of South Korea's population lives in or near the capital and largest city, Seoul.

Since its founding in 1948, the country has struggled with the legacy of Japanese occupation, the Korean War, and decades of military rule, seeing five major constitutional changes. Pro-democracy demonstrations during the 1980s eventually led to free elections in 1987. South Korea is now a multi-party democracy.

The South Korean economy has advanced rapidly since the 1950s and it is now the 11th largest economy in the world. South Korea is also one of the world's most technologically advanced and digitally-connected countries.

The South Korean entertainment industry has grown explosively since the 1990s, producing Asia-wide successes in music, television, and film in a phenomenon known as Hallyu , or the "Korean wave". However, the country retains centuries-old customs and traditions, such as its unique cuisine, tea ceremony and ancestor worship.

History

At the end of World War II in 1945, Korea was divided at the 38th parallel into the Soviet Union-occupied northern half and the United States-occupied southern half. Despite promises of unification in the 1943 Cairo Declaration and thereafter, each half formed its own government in 1948. Prior to 1945, the peninsula had been united for more than 1,000 years.

On June 25, 1950, the Korean War broke out. The United Nations-backed South and the Communist-backed North eventually reached a stalemate and an armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula along the demilitarised zone at about the original demarcation line. A potential Korean reunification has remained a prominent topic; no peace treaty has yet been signed with the North, so technically, South Korea and the North are still at war. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took place, part of the South's continuing Sunshine Policy of engagement. Since then, regular contacts have led to a cautious and slow thaw.

After the war, the autocratic government of Syngman Rhee was thrown out of power by a student uprising and a brief period of civilian rule was established in 1960. This was followed by a military coup and the rise of Park Chung-hee, who was president from 1962 until his assassination in 1979. The Park regime saw rapid economic growth and severe political repression, trends which continued under successor Chun Doo-hwan.

Chun's seizure of power was greeted by widespread protests culminating in the 1980 Gwangju massacre. In the aftermath of that incident, the movement for democracy gained strength and was ultimately successful in forcing a change to civilian democratic rule in 1988.

Government and politics

Main articles: Politics of South Korea, Government of South Korea

The Republic of Korea is a democratic republic with powers shared between the president, legislature and judiciary. Since 1948, the Constitution underwent five major revisions, each signifying a new South Korean republic. The current Sixth Republic began with the last major constitutional revision, in 1988.

The Head of State is the president, who is elected by direct popular vote for a single five-year term. In addition to being the head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, the president also has considerable executive powers. The president appoints the prime minister with approval of the National Assembly, as well as appointing and presiding over the State Council of chief ministers.

The South Korean legislature is the National Assembly, a unicameral body in which members serve a four-year term of office. This legislature currently has 299 seats, of which 243 are elected by regional vote. The remainder are distributed by proportional representation.

The South Korean judiciary is largely independent of the other two branches. The highest judiciary body is the Supreme Court, whose justices are appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly. In addition, the Constitutional Court oversees questions of constitutionality.

The main political parties in South Korea are the Uri Party, the Grand National Party (GNP), the Democratic Labor Party (DLP), and the Democratic Party (DP). The Uri Party was formed in late 2003 from a liberal faction of the DP (then the Millennium Democratic Party). The Uri Party gained a slim majority in the National Assembly in the April 2004 legislative elections, but lost that majority in subsequent by-elections. The conservative GNP and centrist DP form the dominant political opposition. The progressive DLP is aligned with labour unions and farmers' groups, and constitutes the left-wing opposition.

Geography and climate

South Korea occupies the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula, which extends some 680 miles (1,100 km) from the Asian mainland. This mountainous peninsula is flanked by the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan (East Sea) to the west and east. Its southern tip lies on the Korea Strait and the East China Sea. The country's total area is 38,462.49 square miles or 99,617.38 square kilometres.

South Korea's land is mountainous, and most of it is not arable. Lowlands, located primarily in the west and southeast, constitute only 30% of the total land area. South Korea can be divided into four general regions: an eastern region of high mountain ranges and narrow coastal plains; a western region of broad coastal plains, river basins, and rolling hills; a southwestern region of mountains and valleys and a southeastern region dominated by the broad basin of the Nakdong River.

About 3,000 islands, mostly small and uninhabited, lie off the western and southern coasts. Jeju Island is located about 100 kilometres (about 60 mi) off the southern coast of South Korea. It is the country's largest island, with an area of 1,845 square kilometres (712 sq mi). Jeju is also the site of South Korea's highest point: Halla-san, an extinct volcano on Jeju, reaches 1,950 metres (6,398 ft) above sea level.

The local climate is relatively temperate, with precipitation heavier in summer during a short rainy season called jangma, and winters that can be bitterly cold. In Seoul the average January temperature range is -7 °C to 1 °C (19 °F to 33 °F), and the average July temperature range is 22 °C to 29 °C (71 °F to 83 °F). Winter temperatures are higher along the southern coast and considerably lower in the mountainous interior. Rainfall is concentrated in the summer months of June through September. The southern coast is subject to late summer typhoons that bring strong winds and heavy rains. The average annual precipitation varies from 1,370 millimetres (54 in) in Seoul to 1,470 millimetres (58 in) in Busan.

Provinces and cities

South Korea consists of one Special City, six Metropolitan Cities, and nine Provinces. The names below are given in English, Revised Romanization, Hangul, and Hanja.

Special City

• 1. Seoul Special City (Seoul Teukbyeolsi; 서울특별시; 서울特別市)

Metropolitan Cities

• 2. Incheon Metropolitan City (Incheon Gwangyeoksi; 인천광역시; 仁川廣域市)
• 3. Daegu Metropolitan City (Daegu Gwangyeoksi; 대구광역시; 大邱廣域市)
• 4. Ulsan Metropolitan City (Ulsan Gwangyeoksi; 울산광역시; 蔚山廣域市)
• 5. Busan Metropolitan City (Busan Gwangyeoksi; 부산광역시; 釜山廣域市)
• 6. Gwangju Metropolitan City (Gwangju Gwangyeoksi; 광주광역시; 光州廣域市)
• 7. Daejeon Metropolitan City (Daejeon Gwangyeoksi; 대전광역시; 大田廣域市)

Provinces

• 8. Gyeonggi-do (경기도, 京畿道)
• 9. Gangwon-do (강원도, 江原道)
• 10. Gyeongsangbuk-do (경상북도, 慶尙北道)
• 11. Gyeongsangnam-do (경상남도, 慶尙南道)
• 12. Jeollanam-do (전라남도, 全羅南道)
• 13. Jeollabuk-do (전라북도, 全羅北道)
• 14. Chungcheongnam-do (충청남도, 忠淸南道)
• 15. Chungcheongbuk-do (충청북도, 忠淸北道)
• 16. Jeju-do (제주도, 濟州道)

See also: Special cities of Korea and Provinces of Korea.

Economy

As one of the East Asian Tigers, South Korea is tightly integrated with the high-tech modern global economy, and has the 10th largest economy in the world in absolute terms. South Korea's 2005 GDP was over 900 billion dollars in terms of purchasing power parity. Per capita, this GDP is roughly 12 times that of North Korea. The country is now a leader in various high-technology fields as well as shipbuilding.

This current prosperity stands in marked contrast to the past. In 1945 the country was an economic disaster, and the Korean War made the situtation even worse. During the First Republic (1948-1960), the country was heavily dependent on American aid. Following a military coup led by Park Chung-hee in 1962, the nation embarked on a series of ambitious five-year plans for economic development. Emphasis shifted from foreign aid to foreign trade, with the normalization of relations with Japan in 1965 and the subsequent boom in foreign investment. These developments were followed by the rapid expansion of first light and then heavy industries in the 1960s and 1970s. During this period, the South Korean economy grew at an average annual rate of 8.6%; this phenomenal growth is called the "Miracle on the Han River."

The South Korean model of top-down development led to the dominance of government-assisted, family-controlled conglomerates These companies, known as chaebol, began to emerge in the 1950s and flourished under the government support of the Park regime. Examples include Hyundai, Samsung, Daewoo, and LG. Since the East Asian financial crisis of 1997, the corporate landscape has changed considerably, partly as a result of government reforms. In 2003, just over half of the 30 largest chaebol remained from 1995, although these continued to dominate the economy.

This miracle came at considerable long-term cost. The 1997 crisis exposed longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's economy, including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an undisciplined financial sector. This led to two rounds of financial and industrial restructuring, in 1997 and again following the collapse of Daewoo in 1999. In addition, the oppressive military regimes of the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Republics (1962-1988) are often blamed for South Korea's enduringly combative labor relations, which have hindered the country's development in recent years.

Demographics

South Korea is the 12th most densely populated country in the world. It is also one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogeneous, being more than 99.8% ethnic Korean.

Officially, as of the April 2005, the total number of known foreign labourers in South Korea stood at 378,000, 52% of whom were in the country without authorization. This foreign workforce mainly comes from South Asian and Southeast Asian countries, such as Bangladesh, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Vietnam. There are also many workers from the former Soviet Union countries and Nigeria. Along with these workers, there are about 11,000 ex-pat English teachers and around 30,000 US military personnel.

Following the division of the Korean peninsula after WWII, about 4 million people from North Korea crossed the border to South Korea. This trend reversed over the next 40 years due to emigration, especially to the United States and Canada. However, South Korea's burgeoning economy and improved political climate in the early and mid-1990s slowed the high emigration rates typical of the late 1980s. Many of those who emigrated chose to return to South Korea. The annual rate of population increase in South Korea has dropped steadily from more than 3% in the late 1950s to 0.4% in 2005 as a result of people choosing to have fewer children than in the past. South Korea is currently tied with Taiwan and Poland for the lowest birthrate in the world. If current trends continue, its population is expected to begin falling in 2020.

About 85% of South Koreans live in urban areas. The capital city of Seoul had 10.3 million inhabitants in 2003, making it one of the most populated single cities in the world. Seoul is also the country's largest city and chief industrial centre. Its density has allowed it to become one of the most "digitally-wired" cities in today's globally connected economy. Other major cities include Busan (3.9 million), Incheon (2.9 million), Daegu (2.65 million), Daejeon (1.48 million), Gwangju (1.38 million) and Ulsan (1.15 million).

According to 2003 statistics compiled by the South Korean government, about 46% of citizens profess to follow no particular religion. Christians account for 27.3% of the population and Buddhists 25.3%. Buddhism is stronger in the east of the country, namely the Yeongnam and Gangwon regions, where it accounts for more than half of the religious population. Christianity, which initially got a foothold in Korea in the late 18th century, grew exponentially in the 1970s and 1980s. Various other religions, including Wonbulgyo, Chondogyo, and Islam, account for about 2.5 % of the religious population.

Culture

Main articles: Korean culture, Contemporary culture of South Korea

South Korea shares its traditional culture with North Korea, but the two Koreas have developed distinct contemporary forms of culture since the peninsula was divided in 1945. The South Korean Ministry of Culture and Tourism actively encourages the traditional arts, as well as modern forms, through funding and education programs.

Korean art and culture have absorbed influences from many countries; prior to the 19th century, these cultural infusions came primarily from China. Koreans adapted many Chinese art forms with innovation and skill, creating distinctively Korean forms. For many centuries, Korean forms of metalwork, sculpture, painting, and ceramics flourished throughout the Korean peninsula. In modern times, Western and Japanese influences have been the strongest. Japanese influences have been particularly controversial; the K-pop group Roo'ra sparked a national controversy in 1996 when it was found that they had copied a melody from a Japanese group.

In recent times, Korean pop culture has become popular in Asia and beyond, earning the name Hallyu or "Korean Wave." Korean pop culture has also made its way into Japan, with Korean singers like BoA, and television dramas like Daejanggeum and Winter Sonata finding success. Recent Korean films such as Oldboy and Oasis have also received international acclaim.

The contemporary culture of South Korea is heavily dominated by technology, including feature-rich cell phones and pervasive online gaming. South Korea today has the highest penetration of high-speed internet access to households in the world. Digital multimedia broadcasting now allows South Koreans to watch television on their cell phones.

Military and foreign relations

Main articles: Foreign relations of South Korea, Military of South Korea

In its foreign relations, South Korea is primarily concerned with neighbors China, Japan, and North Korea, and with ally the United States. The US was the primary driver in the establishment and initial sustenance of the South Korea government; however, since the 1990s the two nations have often been at odds with regard to their policy towards North Korea. South Korea and China established formal diplomatic relations on August 24, 1992, despite previous hostility dating back to the Korean War. South Korea's relations with Japan continue to be turbulent, primarily due to a number of Korean-Japanese disputes stemming from Japanese colonial rule.

North and South Korea continue to dispute which country should be deemed the "rightful successor" to the previous Korean states. Despite longstanding animosity following the Korean War in 1950 (which has still not officially ended), the South and North have in recent times sought to establish a more conciliatory relationship. This road has however been punctuated by a number of difficulties, including the North-South presidential summit corruption allegations in June 2000. Nevertheless, events such as the Olympic Games, where the two Koreas currently participate as one team, show a new and more optimistic side to the North-South relationship.

In addition, South Korea maintains diplomatic relations with approximately 170 countries. The country has also been a member of the United Nations since 1991, when it joined at the same time as North Korea. It has also developed links with ASEAN as both a member of "ASEAN Plus three" and the East Asia Summit (EAS).

The South Korean military is composed of the Republic of Korea Army (ROKA), Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN), Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF), and Republic of Korea Marine Corps (ROKMC), together with reserve forces. Many of these forces are concentrated near the border with North Korea. All South Korean males are constitutionally required to serve in the military, typically for a period of 24 months. From time to time, South Korea has sent its troops overseas to assist American forces, most recently in the form of the Zaytun Division in northern Iraq.

Sports

South Korea retains some traditional sports, but sports imported from the West are predominant. Popular sports include hiking, football, baseball, basketball, and golf. South Korea's Olympic teams have also traditionally performed strongly in archery and speed skating.

Taekwondo, a popular martial art, originated in Korea. Taekwondo means technique of kicking and punching, although the emphasis lies on the kicks. It became standard military training in South Korea, and in 1961 the rules were standardized. Other Korean martial arts include hapkido and taekkyeon. It became an official Olympic sport in 2000.

Golf is very popular in South Korea. Membership in many golf clubs in South Korea is considerably cheaper than in Japan or the US, making practice more accessible. South Korea is especially strong in women's golf: over 30 Koreans play on the world's leading women's tour, the LPGA tour in the United States. The best-known Korean golfer is Se Ri Pak, and others such as Grace Park are rising stars. Korean American golfers like Michelle Wie also attract a huge following.

Baseball has been popular in Korea since it was introduced in 1905. The first South Korean professional sports league was the Korea Baseball Association, established in 1982. In the 2006 World Baseball Classic, the South Korean team reached the final four before losing to Japan. Prior to that final match, the South Korean team was the only undefeated team, and had beaten both the American and Japanese teams.

In 2002, the World Cup was jointly hosted by South Korea and Japan, and South Korea became the first Asian nation to reach the semi-finals. In 1988, South Korea hosted the Summer Olympics in Seoul. There is an ongoing campaign to have a future Winter Olympics held in Pyeongchang County. South Korea has hosted the Asian Games on numerous occasions.

Notes

1. South Koreans call their country Daehan Minguk (대한민국listen, 大韓民國). Its short name is Hanguk (한국, Han nation, usually referring to Korea) or Namhan (남한, South Han, referring to South Korea.) In English, the nation is often referred to simply as "Korea". See also Names of Korea.
2. The exact sequence of events which touched off the Korean War is disputed, with North Korea claiming that their advance was provoked by an initial incursion from the South. For details, see Korean War.
3. The estimated area rises steadily from year to year, possibly due to land reclamation. "행정구역(구시군)별 국토면적". Korea Statistical Information Service. Retrieved 2006-03-27.
4. "Rank Order - GDP (purchasing power parity)". CIA World Factbook online. Retrieved 2006-04-03.
5. According to 2005 US government estimates (North: $1800; South: $20,400). "GDP - Rank order - per capita (PPP)". CIA Factbook. Retrieved 2004-04-06.
6. South Korea's shipbuilding output surpassed Japan's in 2004. Malhotra, T.C. "Asia: Shipbuilders to the World". Scandinavian Oil & Gas Magazine, June 2005. Retrieved 2006-04-03.
7. Nahm (1996), p. 351.
8. Cumings (1997), 305-307; Nahm (1996), p. 448.
9. Yang (1999), pp. 593-598.
10. Cumings (1997), 320-321.
11. Yang (1999), p. 594.
12. The term is used by Cumings (1997, p. 309), among many others.
13. See ch. 6 in Cumings (1997).
14. 18 out of 30, according to "Country Studies: South Korea". The Economist. 2003-04-10. Retrieved 2006-04-06.
15. KOIS (2003), pp. 224-225.
16. KOIS (2003), pp. 238-239.
17. Jae W. Jo. "The Trappings of Globalization: Korea's Modernization and the resulting Internal Labor and Social Problems". TED Case Studies (No. 627). Retrieved 2006-04-06.
18. "Migrants Want Flexible Employment System". Korea Times December 30 2005. Retrieved 2006-04-04.
19. "Korea Records World's Lowest Birthrate". English.chosun.com August 24 2005. Retrieved 2006-03-27.
20. "인구,가구/시도별 종교인구 구성비". Korea National Statistical Office website. Retrieved September 19. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
21. "Associated Organizations". MCT Website. Retrieved 2006-04-11. See also "Mission and Goal". Korea Cultural Administration website. Retrieved 2006-04-11.
22. Jung, Eun-young. "Interpreting Musical Traffic:Influences of Japanese Popular Music on Korean Popular Music since the mid-1990s (abstract)". Association for Korean Music Research website. Retrieved 2006-04-11.. See also: "음악가 리뷰: 룰라". Music On website (Korean). Retrieved 2006-04-11.
23. Winter Sonata: Wiseman, Paul. "Korea's romantic hero holds Japan in thrall". USA Today December 9. Retrieved 2006-04-11. {{cite web}}: Text "2004" ignored (help) Daejanggeum: BoA:
24. However, according to the 2006 Face of the Web survey by Ipsos, Japan now leads Korea in internet connections per capita. "Ipsos press release". Retrieved 2006-04-03.
25. KOIS (2003), p. 632.

References

• Cumings, Bruce (1997). Korea's place in the sun. New York:W.W. Norton. ISBN 0-393-31681-5. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
• KOIS (Korea Overseas Information Service) (2003). Handbook of Korea, 11th ed. Seoul:Hollym. ISBN 1-56591-212-8.
• Nahm, Andrew C. (1996). Korea: A history of the Korean people (2nd ed.). Seoul:Hollym. ISBN 1-56591-070-2. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
• Yang, Sung Chul (1999). The North and South Korean political systems: A comparative analysis (rev. ed.). Seoul:Hollym. ISBN 1-56591-105-9. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
• Yonhap News Agency (2004). Korea Annual 2004. Seoul:Author. ISBN 89-7433-070-9. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)

See also

Template:Korea-related topics

External links

• BBC News - Country Profile: South Korea
• CIA World Factbook - South Korea
• Guardian Unlimited - Special Report: North and South Korea
• Korea.net: Gateway to Korea portal from the KOIS government agency
• Korea National Statistical Office
• Korea Peace Network summary of past/current American policy towards Korea
• Library of Congress - Country Study: South Korea data as of June 1990
• National Assembly official site
• Open Directory Project - South Korea directory category
• South Korea Stock Market summary of the South Korea stock market
• The Blue House official presidential site
• Tour2Korea operated by Korea National Tourism Organization
• Template:Wikitravel
• Yahoo! - South Korea directory category
• Yahoo! News - Full Coverage: South Korea
• Galbijim Wiki for expats in Korea
• Several informations about South Korea and a photo album

Template:East Asia

• East Asian countries
• South Korea
• Divided regions