   #copyright

South Korea

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Asian Countries;
Countries

   SOS Children works in South Korea. For more information see SOS
   Children in South Korea
   대한민국
   大韓民國
   Daehan Minguk
   Republic of Korea

   Flag of South Korea Coat of arms of South Korea
   Flag                Coat of arms
   Motto: 널리 인간을 이롭게 하라
   弘益人間
   "Broadly bring benefit to humanity"

   Anthem: Aegukga
   Location of South Korea
   Capital
   (and largest city) Seoul
   37°35′N 127°0′E
   Official languages Korean
   Government Republic
    - President Roh Moo-hyun
    - Prime Minister Han Myung-sook
   Establishment
    - Gojoseon October 3, 2333 BCE^a
    - Republic declared March 1, 1919 ( de jure)
    - Liberation August 15, 1945
    - First Republic August 15, 1948
    - [ Nations Recognition] December 12, 1948
   Area
    - Total 99,646 km² ( 108th)
   38,492 sq mi
    - Water (%) 0.3
   Population
    - July 2006 estimate 48,846,823 ( 25th)
    - Density 480/km² ( 19th)
   1,274/sq mi
   GDP ( PPP) 2005 estimate
    - Total $994.4 billion ( 14th)
    - Per capita $20,590 ( 33rd)
   HDI  (2004) 0.912 (high) ( 26th)
   Currency South Korean won ( KRW)
   Time zone Korea Standard Time ( UTC+9)
    - Summer ( DST) not observed ( UTC+9)
   Internet TLD .kr
   Calling code +82
   ^a Legendary.

   South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea ( Korean: 대한민국, IPA:
   [tɛ.ɦan.min.guk̚], listen ), is an East Asian state 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 a
   single country called Korea until 1945. To the west, across the Yellow
   Sea, lies China, and to the southeast, across the Korea Strait, lies
   Japan. Approximately one-half of South Korea's population lives in or
   near the capital and largest city, Seoul, the second largest
   metropolitan area in the world.

   Since its founding in 1948, the country has struggled with the
   aftermath of 35 years of Japanese annexation, the Korean War, and
   decades of military rule, seeing five major constitutional changes.
   Pro-democracy demonstrations during the 1980s 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 is
   now the 10th 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 second highest broadband
   Internet connections per capita among OECD countries and is a global
   leader in electronics, digital displays, shipbuilding and mobile
   phones.

   South Korea's 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 still retains centuries-old customs and traditions, such as its
   unique cuisine and ancestor worship.

Names

   In the Korean language, South Korea is called Daehan Min-guk ( 대한민국
   listen , 大韓民國, literally "Great People's Nation"), or Hanguk for short
   (한국, "Han Nation," usually referring to Korea as a whole) or Namhan
   (남한, "South Han", referring to South Korea specifically). North Koreans
   refer to the South as Namjosŏn (남조선, "South Chosŏn").

   The name Han dates back to the ancient Samhan Confederacies of the
   Proto-Three Kingdoms era of Korea.

   In English, the nation is often referred to simply as "Korea", a
   corruption of the name of the Goryeo Dynasty (sometimes spelled Koryo),
   which in turn derived its name from the more ancient Kingdom of
   Goguryeo.

History

   At the end of World War II, American and Soviet troops had occupied the
   southern and northern halves of Korea, respectively, dividing the
   peninsula at the 38th parallel. Despite promises of an independent and
   unified Korea in the 1943 Cairo Declaration, the United States and
   Soviet Union helped establish two separate governments in 1948; the
   communist North and the capitalist South.

   On June 25, 1950, the North invaded the South, beginning a civil war
   that caused the deaths of more than 4 million civilians and soldiers
   alike, now referred to as the Korean War. The United Nations backed
   South Korea and the Soviet Union and China backed North Korea. The war
   eventually reached a stalemate. The 1953 armistice split the peninsula
   along the demilitarised zone at about the original demarcation line. No
   peace treaty was ever signed, however, and therefore the two countries
   are technically still at war.

   In 1960, a student uprising overthrew the autocratic government of
   Syngman Rhee and South Korea saw a brief period of democratic reforms.
   However, General Park Chung-hee led a military coup (the "5.16
   Revolution") against the weak government the following year. Park took
   over as president from 1961 until his assassination in 1979, overseeing
   rapid export-led economic growth as well as severe political
   repression.

   In 1980, General Chun Doo-hwan launched a coup d'etat against a
   short-lived civilian administration to assume the presidency. Chun's
   seizure of power was greeted by widespread protests, culminating in the
   1980 Gwangju Massacre. The movement for democracy gained strength in
   its aftermath, ultimately forcing Chun to allow free elections and a
   change to civilian democratic rule in 1988. That year, Seoul hosted the
   1988 Summer Olympics.

   In 1996, South Korea became a member of the Organization for Economic
   Co-operation and Development. Despite a severe setback caused by the
   Asian financial crisis in 1997, the country soon emerged as a major
   economic power. In 2004, South Korea joined the "trillion dollar club"
   of world economies and, today, its standard of living is equal to that
   of many countries in Western Europe.

   In June 2000, as a part of South Korean president Kim Dae Jung's
   Sunshine Policy of engagement, a historic first North-South summit took
   place in North Korea's capital Pyongyang. That year, Kim won the Nobel
   Peace Prize for his work for democracy and human rights and efforts at
   reconciliation between the two Koreas. Since then, trade and investment
   between the two Koreas have increased dramatically as a result of
   regular contacts in relations and economic ties.

Government and politics

   South Korea is a liberal democracy based on a presidential republican
   system with powers shared between the president, legislature, and
   judiciary. Since 1948, the constitution has undergone five major
   revisions, with each signifying a new Republic. The current Sixth
   Republic began with the last major constitutional revision in 1988.

   The head of state and head of government is the President, who is
   elected by direct popular vote for a single five-year term. In addition
   to being the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, the president also
   has considerable executive powers. The president appoints the Prime
   Minister with the 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, 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 independent Constitutional Court
   oversees questions of constitutionality.

   Several changes have been unsuccessfully attempted, including a direct
   vote for all seats of the National Assembly, coordination of
   legislative and presidential election periods, a semi-presidential
   system, and a shortening of the presidential term.

   The main political parties in South Korea as of 2006 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). It
   gained a slim majority in the National Assembly after the April 2004
   legislative elections, but lost it 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

   Satellite image of South Korea.
   Enlarge
   Satellite image of South Korea.

   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 to the west, and the
   Sea of Japan to the 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 three thousand 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.

Administrative divisions

   Principal divisions of South Korea.
   Enlarge
   Principal divisions of South Korea.

   South Korea is divided into eight provinces, one special self-governing
   province, six metropolitan cities, and one special city. The names
   below are given in English, Hangul, and Hanja.
           Name^a       Hangul            Hanja
              Special cities (Teukbyeolsi ^a)
   1  Seoul             서울특별시   서울特別市
            Metropolitan cities (Gwangyeoksi ^a)
   2  Busan             부산광역시   釜山廣域市
   3  Daegu             대구광역시   大邱廣域市
   4  Incheon           인천광역시   仁川廣域市
   5  Gwangju           광주광역시   光州廣域市
   6  Daejeon           대전광역시   大田廣域市
   7  Ulsan             울산광역시   蔚山廣域市
                         Provinces
   8  Gyeonggi-do       경기도     京畿道
   9  Gangwon-do        강원도     江原道
   10 Chungcheongbuk-do 충청북도    忠淸北道
   11 Chungcheongnam-do 충청남도    忠淸南道
   12 Jeollabuk-do      전라북도    全羅北道
   13 Jeollanam-do      전라남도    全羅南道
   14 Gyeongsangbuk-do  경상북도    慶尙北道
   15 Gyeongsangnam-do  경상남도    慶尙南道
   Special self-governing province (Teukbyeoljachi-do ^a)
   16 Jeju              제주특별자치도 濟州特別自治道

   ^a Revised Romanization.
   ^b See also Special cities of Korea and Provinces of Korea.

Economy

   South Korea has the tenth largest economy in the world (fourteenth
   largest by purchasing power parity), and the third largest in Asia,
   behind only Japan and China (fourth behind China, Japan, and India by
   purchasing power parity). As one of the East Asian Tigers, it achieved
   rapid economic growth through exports of manufactured goods. This is in
   sharp contrast to the stagnation of North Korea's economy, which has
   turned for the worse since the disintegration of the Soviet Union.
   South Korea's per capita GDP is now roughly 12 times that of North
   Korea.

   In the 1950s, South Korea was one of the poorest countries in Asia. At
   the end of World War II, the country inherited a colonial economic
   system designed solely for Japan's exploitative needs. Much of the
   country's infrastructure was destroyed during the Korean War that
   followed in 1950-1953. After the war, South Korea became heavily
   dependent on U.S. aid.

   Following the military coup led by general Park Chung-hee in 1962,
   South Korea embarked on a series of ambitious five-year plans for
   economic development. Emphasis shifted to foreign trade with the
   normalization of relations with Japan in 1965 and a subsequent boom in
   trade and investment. Rapid expansion, first into light and then heavy
   industries, in the 1960s and 1970s followed. During this period, the
   South Korean economy grew at an average annual rate of 8.6%.

   This phenomenal growth is often called the " Miracle on the Han River",
   the Han River being the main river that runs through the nation's
   capital and largest city, Seoul. In the 1980s and 1990s, growth
   continued as South Korea transformed itself from an exporter of mostly
   textiles and shoes into a major global producer of automobiles,
   electronics, shipbuilding, and steel and later, high-technology fields
   such as digital monitors, mobile phones, and semiconductors.

   The South Korean model of encouraging the growth of large,
   internationally competitive companies through easy financing and tax
   incentives led to the dominance of the family-controlled conglomerates.
   These companies, known as chaebol, flourished under the support of the
   Park regime. Some such as Hyundai, Samsung and LG became global
   corporations. In 2004, through all of this combined, South Korea joined
   in the trillion dollar club of world economies.

   Since the Asian financial crisis of 1997, however, the corporate
   landscape has changed considerably as a result of massive bankruptcies
   and government reforms. The 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. Daewoo's collapse has been
   recorded as one of the world's largest bankruptcies in history. By
   2003, just over one-half of the 30 largest chaebol from 1995 remained.

   Between 2003 and 2005, economic growth has moderated to about 4% per
   year. A downturn in consumer spending, attributed to massive personal
   credit card debt, was offset by rapid export growth especially to
   China. In 2005, the government proposed labor reform legislation and a
   corporate pension scheme to help make the labor market more flexible,
   and new real estate policies to cool property speculation.

   Moderate inflation, low unemployment, an export surplus, and fairly
   equal distribution of income characterize this economy.

Transportation

   A KTX train stationed at East Daegu station.
   Enlarge
   A KTX train stationed at East Daegu station.

   Transportation in South Korea is provided by extensive networks of
   railways, highways, bus routes, ferry services, and air routes that
   criss-cross the country.

   Korail provides frequent service to all major South Korean cities. Two
   rail lines to North Korea are now being reconnected. The Korean
   high-speed railway system is known as Korea Train Express (KTX).

   Major cities have subway systems, including the popular Seoul
   Metropolitan Subway. Virtually all towns in South Korea are served by
   regional bus service.

   Highways in South Korea are classified into freeways
   (expressways/motorways), national highways, and various classifications
   below the national level. Korea Highway Corporation operates the toll
   highways and service amenities en route.

   The main international airport is Incheon International Airport. South
   Korea's national air carriers are Korean Air and Asiana Airlines.

Demographics

   The population of South Korea rose rapidly in the late 20th century.
   Enlarge
   The population of South Korea rose rapidly in the late 20th century.

   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 centre. 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).

   The population has also been shaped by international migration.
   Following the division of the Korean peninsula after World War II,
   about four million people from North Korea crossed the border to South
   Korea. This trend of net entry reversed over the next forty 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
   previous decade. Many of those who left the country chose to return.

   Although small, the percentage of non-Koreans in South Korea has risen
   rapidly in the early twenty-first century. Officially, as of 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
   nations. There are also many workers from the former Soviet Union
   countries and Nigeria. In addition to these workers, there are about
   11,000 expat English teachers and around 31,000 US military personnel.

   As of 2005, approximately 25 million or 46.5% of the South Korean
   population express no religious preference. Of the remainder, 13.7
   million are Christian, 10.7 million are Buddhist, and small numbers
   belong to various minor religions including Jeungsando and Wonbuddhism.
   The largest Christian church in the world, Yoido Full Gospel Church, is
   located in Seoul and has approximately 780,000 members (2003 estimate).
   Including Yoido Full Gospel, 11 of the world's 12 largest churches are
   located in Seoul (see Korean Christianity). South Korea is also the
   second largest missionary sending nation on earth, after the U.S.

Foreign relations and the military

   In its foreign relations, South Korea is primarily concerned with North
   Korea and the neighboring countries of China, Japan, and Russia, as
   well as its main ally, the United States. The US was the primary driver
   in the establishment and initial sustenance of the South Korean
   government before the Korean War of 1950-1953; however, since the 1990s
   the two nations have often been at odds with regard to their policies
   towards North Korea.

   South Korea and China established formal diplomatic relations on August
   24, 1992, despite previous hostility dating back to the Korean War.

   The South Korea government declared all problems of the Japanese
   colonization of Korea to have been solved by the National agreement in
   1965. However South Korea's relations with Japan continue to be
   turbulent due to a number of unsettled Korean-Japanese disputes, many
   of which stemmed from the period of Japanese occupation. During World
   War II, more than 100,000 Koreans civilians served in the Japanese army
   as officers and soldiers. However, longstanding issues such as Japanese
   war atrocities against Korean civilians, the visits by Japanese
   politicians to the Yasukuni Shrine honoring convicted war criminals,
   the re-writing of Japanese textbooks to justify Japanese aggression
   during WWII, and the territorial disputes over the islands of Dokdo
   (known as "Takeshima" in Japanese) continue to trouble Korean-Japanese
   relations. In response to then- Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's
   repeated visits to the Yasukuni shrine, the President of South Korea
   Roh Moo-hyun suspended all summit talks between South Korea and Japan.

   Both North and South Korea continue to officially claim sovereignty
   over the entire peninsula. 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. Events such as family reunifications and the Olympic
   Games, where the two Koreas entered the opening ceremonies together but
   still competed as separate teams, promised a gradual thaw in the
   North-South relationship (see Sunshine policy). However, the progress
   has been complicated by North Korean missile tests in 1993, 1998 and
   2006.

   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. On January 1, 2007, South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon
   will assume the post of UN Secretary General. 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 twenty-four months.

   From time to time, South Korea has sent its troops overseas to assist
   American forces. South Korea dispatched 320,000 troops to fight
   alongside American soldiers in the Vietnam War. Most recently, South
   Korea sent 3,300 troops in the form of the Zaytun Division to assist
   with reconstruction efforts in northern Iraq, the largest contributor
   after the U.S. and Britain.

   The United States has stationed a substantial contingent of troops in
   the ROK since the Korean War. The American Troops are stationed in
   bases, of which most are camps. They are considered camps not for their
   lack of buildings or support structure; but, in order to represent a
   lack of permanence for the ROK Government. (See List of United States
   Army installations in South Korea and USFK for more information on
   these military bases.)

Sports

   Taekwondo sparring match.
   Enlarge
   Taekwondo sparring match.

   Taekwondo, a popular martial art, originated in Korea. Taekwondo means
   the way of the foot, the way of the fist, and the way of life. 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 a integral part in the Korean land
   forces.Other Korean martial arts include hapkido and taekkyeon.

   Baseball was first introduced to Korea in 1905 by an American
   missionary named Phillip Gillette and has since become the most popular
   spectator sport in South Korea. The first South Korean professional
   sports league was the Korea Baseball Association, established in 1982.
   During the 2006 World Baseball Classic, South Korea 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 Japan twice
   and the United States once.

   Other popular sports in South Korea include basketball, football, golf,
   tennis, and ice hockey. Women's golf is especially strong, with over
   thirty South Koreans playing on the world's leading women's tour, the
   U.S. LPGA Tour, including stars such as future Hall of Famer Se Ri Pak.
   Rising star Michelle Wie is also of Korean heritage, with both parents
   from South Korea. South Korea's Olympic teams have also traditionally
   performed strongly in archery, boxing, judo, short track speed skating,
   taekwondo, and wrestling.

   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.

   The 2002 FIFA World Cup was jointly hosted by South Korea and Japan,
   and South Korea became the first Asian team to reach the semi-finals.
   During the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin the South Korean short track
   team dominated their event, taking home six of the eight gold medals
   available as well as three silvers and one bronze. Skaters Ahn Hyun Soo
   and Jin Sun-Yu were the second and third persons in the Games to win
   three gold medals.

   The Korea Republic national football team, also known as the " Taeguk
   Warriors", qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany for their
   sixth consecutive World Cup.

   South Korea is also the cradle of the e-sports (electronic sports)
   world. Home to KesPA, e-sports has become popular in Korea with two
   broadcasting stations broadcasting live matches on television. South
   Korea has been regarded the birthplace of e-sports and also the future
   of e-sports. The Koreans are widely known for their e-sports, and
   especially in the WCG, World Cyber Games, where in the RTS game,
   Starcraft, no non-Korean has ever won.
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Korea"
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