South Korea
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Name: The Republic of Korea. Introduction: Korea traces its founding to 2333 BCE by the legendary Dangun. Since the establishment of the modern republic in 1948, South Korea struggled with the aftermath of Japanese occupation (1910-1945), the Korean War (1950-1953), and decades of authoritarian governments, undergoing five major constitutional changes. While the government officially embraced Western-style democracy from its founding, presidential elections suffered from rampant irregularities. It was not until 1987 that direct and fair presidential elections were held, largely prompted by popular demonstrations. South Korea has been a vibrant multi-party democracy for two decades. Area: 99,646 kmē Population: 49,024,737 Capital: Seoul Location: South Korea is an East Asian country on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. To the north, it is bordered by North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea), with which it was united until 1945. To the west, across the Yellow Sea, lies China and to the southeast, across the Korea Strait, lies Japan. Geography: South Korea occupies the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula, which extends some 1,100 km from the Asian mainland. This mountainous peninsula is flanked by the Yellow Sea to the west, and the Sea of Japan (East Sea) Most South Koreans live in urban areas, due to rapid migration from the countryside during the country's rapid economic expansion in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. The capital city of Seoul is also the country's largest city and chief industrial center. It had 10.3 million inhabitants in 2006, making Seoul one of the most populated single cities in the world. Other major cities include Busan (3.65 million), Incheon (2.63 million), Daegu (2.53 million), Daejeon (1.46 million), Gwangju (1.41 million) and Ulsan (1.10 million). People: Approximately one-half of South Korea's population lives in or near the capital Seoul. As of 2005, approximately 46.5% of the South Korean population express no religious preference. Of the remainder, 10.7 million follow Buddhism, 8.6 million are Protestant, 5.1 million are Catholic, and less than half a million belong to various minor religions including Jeungsando and Wonbuddhism. Economy: The South Korean economy has advanced rapidly since the 1950s and is now the 11th largest (nominal value) economy in the world. South Korea is also one of the world's most technologically advanced and digitally-connected countries; it has the third most broadband Internet users among the OECD countries and is a global leader in electronics, digital displays, shipbuilding, semiconductor devices, and mobile phones. Culture: South Korea shares its traditional culture with North Korea, but the two Koreas have developed distinct forms of culture since the peninsula was divided in 1945. 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 and were then passed on to neighboring countries. Modern Culture: In modern times, Western and particularly the US influences have been strongest. 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 and television dramas finding success. The contemporary culture of South Korea is heavily dominated by technology, including feature-rich cell phones and pervasive online gaming. South Korea's entertainment industry has grown substantially since the 1990s, producing Asia-wide successes in music, television, and film in a phenomenon known as the "Korean wave." However, the country still retains centuries-old customs and traditions, such as its unique cuisine and ancestor worship. Sports: Taekwondo, a popular martial art, originated in Korea. It became standard military training in South Korea, and in 1961 the rules were standardized and taekwondo became an official Olympic sport in 2000. Taekwondo in the military is an integral part in the Korean land forces. Baseball first introduced in 1905, has since become the most popular spectator sport in South Korea. Other popular sports in South Korea include basketball, football, golf, tennis and ice hockey. Women's golf is especially strong, with 45 South Koreans playing on the world's leading women's tour. In 1988, South Korea hosted the Summer Olympics in Seoul. South Korea has hosted the Asian Games in 1986 and 2002. Government: The government of South Korea is divided into three branches: executive, judicial, and legislative. The executive and legislative branches operate primarily at the national level, although various ministries in the executive branch also carry out local functions. Local governments are semi-autonomous, and contain executive and legislative bodies of their own. The judicial branch operates at both the national and local levels. The South Korean government's structure is determined by the Constitution of the Republic of Korea. This document has been revised several times since its first promulgation in 1948. However, it has retained many broad characteristics; with the exception of the short-lived Second Republic of South Korea, the country has always had a presidential system with a relatively independent chief executive. Military: 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 twenty-four months. South Korea dispatched 320,000 troops to fight alongside American soldiers in the Vietnam War. Currency: South Korean won (KRW) Time zone: Korea Standard Time (UTC+9) Internet TLD: .kr Calling code: +82 |