Difference between revisions of "South Korea" - New World Encyclopedia
Dan Davies (talk | contribs) m (→Culture) |
|||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | {{Ebcompleted}}{{approved}}{{Submitted}}{{images OK}}{{claimed}}{{Contracted}}{{Paid}} | + | {{Ebcompleted}}{{approved}}{{Submitted}}{{images OK}}{{claimed}}{{Contracted}}{{Paid}}{{ce}} |
| − | {{ | ||
{{Infobox Country or territory | {{Infobox Country or territory | ||
|native_name = {{lang|ko-Hang-KR|대한민국}}<br/>{{lang|ko-Hant-KR|大韓民國}}<br/>''Daehan Minguk'' | |native_name = {{lang|ko-Hang-KR|대한민국}}<br/>{{lang|ko-Hant-KR|大韓民國}}<br/>''Daehan Minguk'' | ||
| Line 41: | Line 40: | ||
|established_event3 = [[History of South Korea#First Republic|First Republic]] | |established_event3 = [[History of South Korea#First Republic|First Republic]] | ||
|established_event4 = [[United Nations|United Nations Recognition]] | |established_event4 = [[United Nations|United Nations Recognition]] | ||
| − | |established_date1 = March 1, 1919 | + | |established_date1 = March 1, 1919 ''([[de jure]])'' |
|established_date2 = August 15, 1945 | |established_date2 = August 15, 1945 | ||
|established_date3 = August 15, 1948 | |established_date3 = August 15, 1948 | ||
| Line 62: | Line 61: | ||
|footnote2 = Domestic power supply 220V/60Hz, CEE 7/7 sockets | |footnote2 = Domestic power supply 220V/60Hz, CEE 7/7 sockets | ||
}} | }} | ||
| − | '''South Korea,''' officially the '''Republic of Korea''' | + | '''South Korea,''' officially the '''Republic of Korea''' '''(ROK)''', ([[Korean language|Korean]]: '''대한민국''', {{IPA2|tɛː.han.min.guk̚}}, has existed for nearly 60 years, built on the foundation of a 5,000 year history. Originating from the 1945 American military occupation of the southern half of the Korean peninsula at the end of [[World War II]], South Korea achieved formal independence after [[United Nations]] supervised elections in 1948. The [[Soviet Union]] had refused to allow UN supervision of elections in the northern half of Korea, which it governed. In the South, [[Syngman Rhee]] became the first president of South Korea in August of that year, and the ROK was recognized by the UN as the legal political entity of Korea. The division of the peninsula between North and South solidified after the 1950-53 [[Korean War]], in which the North invaded the South but was repulsed by UN forces. An Armistice remains in effect to date, with the border between the two Koreas roughly following the original 38th parallel that separated the two in 1945. From 1954, and especially since the 1960s, South Korea has prospered, from the devastation of war to an economic and political miracle. |
| − | South Korea is an East Asian state on the southern half of the [[Korean Peninsula]]. To its north sits [[North Korea]] (Democratic People's Republic of Korea), which declared its independence in September 1948. To the west, across the [[Yellow Sea]], lies [[People's Republic of China|China]] and to the south and east, across the [[Korea Strait]] (Tsushima Strait) and East Sea ([[Sea of Japan]]), is [[Japan]]. Approximately one-half of South Korea's population lives in or near the capital [[Seoul]], the second most populous metropolitan area in the world. | + | South Korea is an East Asian state on the southern half of the [[Korean Peninsula]]. To its north sits [[North Korea]] (Democratic People's Republic of Korea), which declared its independence in September 1948. To the west, across the [[Yellow Sea]], lies [[People's Republic of China|China]] and to the south and east, across the [[Korea Strait]] (Tsushima Strait) and East Sea ([[Sea of Japan]]), is [[Japan]]. Approximately one-half of South Korea's population lives in or near the capital, [[Seoul]], the second most populous metropolitan area in the world. |
Korea traces its founding to 2,333 B.C.E. by the mythological first king, [[Tangun]]. Since the establishment of the modern republic in 1948, South Korea struggled with the aftermath of [[Korea under Japanese rule|Japanese occupation]] (1910-1945), the Korean War, 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. In 1987, South Korea held its first direct and fair presidential elections, largely prompted by popular demonstrations. South Korea has been a vibrant democracy for two decades. | Korea traces its founding to 2,333 B.C.E. by the mythological first king, [[Tangun]]. Since the establishment of the modern republic in 1948, South Korea struggled with the aftermath of [[Korea under Japanese rule|Japanese occupation]] (1910-1945), the Korean War, 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. In 1987, South Korea held its first direct and fair presidential elections, largely prompted by popular demonstrations. South Korea has been a vibrant democracy for two decades. | ||
| − | The South Korean economy is now the 12th 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 [[Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development|OECD]] countries<ref>[http://www.oecd.org/document/9/0,2340,en_2649_34223_37529673_1_1_1_1,00.html OECD Broadband statistics]</ref> and is a global leader in electronics, digital displays, semiconductor devices, and mobile phones, as well as in shipbuilding and steel production. | + | The South Korean economy is now the 12th 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 [[Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development|OECD]] countries<ref>Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, [http://www.oecd.org/document/9/0,2340,en_2649_34223_37529673_1_1_1_1,00.html OECD Broadband statistics.] Retrieved October 8, 2007.</ref> and is a global leader in electronics, digital displays, semiconductor devices, and mobile phones, as well as in shipbuilding and steel production. |
| − | Despite Seoul being within North Korean artillery and missile range, the South has been able to gradually realize a remarkably free and open society. In its struggle to develop, South Korea has tended to neglect the traditions of earlier dynasties, emerging into the | + | Despite Seoul being within North Korean artillery and missile range, the South has been able to gradually realize a remarkably free and open society. In its struggle to develop, South Korea has tended to neglect the traditions of earlier dynasties, emerging into the twenty-first century with an identity crisis. The [[Joseon dynasty]], the last to overlook a free and whole Korea, disappeared, a new identity still waiting in the wings. An identity that will most likely emerge with the reunification of North and South. South Koreans want to see the eventual unification of Korea, but most do not want a hasty one, as the expected burden on the ROK economy would be severe. Apart from the oldest generation, most prefer a gradual unification, in which the North's economy, through assistance from the ROK and international community, is gradually brought closer to that of the South's. Regardless of preferences, no one discounts the possibility of an unanticipated, sudden unification. |
| − | ==Names== | + | ==[[Names of Korea]]== |
| − | + | ||
| − | In the [[Korean language]], South Korea is called ''[[Revised Romanization of Korean|Daehan Min-guk]]'' ( | + | In the [[Korean language]], South Korea is called ''[[Revised Romanization of Korean|Daehan Min-guk]]'' (Korean:대한민국, [[Hanja]]:[[wiktionary:大|大]][[wiktionary:韓|韓]][[wiktionary:民|民]][[wiktionary:國|國]], literally "Great Han 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|Samhan Confederacies]] of the [[Proto-Three Kingdoms]] era of Korea. | The name ''Han'' dates back to the ancient [[Samhan|Samhan Confederacies]] of the [[Proto-Three Kingdoms]] era of Korea. | ||
| Line 80: | Line 79: | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
===Before division=== | ===Before division=== | ||
| − | |||
[[Image:bipajoseon.jpg|100px|thumb|left|mandolin-shaped bronze dagger of Gojoseon]] | [[Image:bipajoseon.jpg|100px|thumb|left|mandolin-shaped bronze dagger of Gojoseon]] | ||
| − | Korea began with the legendary founding of [[Gojoseon]] in 2,333 B.C.E. by [[Dangun]]. Limited linguistic evidence suggests possible [[Altaic peoples|Altaic]] origins of these people, whose northern [[Mongolia]]n steppe culture absorbed immigrants and invaders from northern [[Manchuria]], | + | [[History of Korea|Korea]] began with the legendary founding of [[Gojoseon]] in 2,333 B.C.E. by [[Dangun]]. Limited linguistic evidence suggests possible [[Altaic peoples|Altaic]] origins of these people, whose northern [[Mongolia]]n steppe culture absorbed immigrants and invaders from northern [[Manchuria]], Mongolia, and [[China]]. The adoption of the [[Chinese written language|Chinese writing system]] ("[[hanja]]" in Korean) in the second century B.C.E. and [[Buddhism]] in the fourth century C.E. had profound effects on the [[Three Kingdoms of Korea]] ([[Goguryeo]], [[Baekje]], [[Silla]]). Koreans later passed on these, as well as their own advances, to [[Japan]].<ref>Jared Diamond, "[http://www2.gol.com/users/hsmr/Content/East%20Asia/Japan/History/roots.html Japanese Roots]," ''Discover'' 19:6 (June 1998)</ref> |
| − | After the unification of the [[Three Kingdoms of Korea|Three Kingdoms]] by [[Unified Silla|Silla]] in 676, a single government ruled Korea, maintaining political and cultural independence until the nineteenth century, despite the [[Mongol invasions of Korea|Mongol invasions]] of the [[Goryeo]] Dynasty in the | + | After the unification of the [[Three Kingdoms of Korea|Three Kingdoms]] by [[Unified Silla|Silla]] in 676, a single government ruled Korea, maintaining political and cultural independence until the nineteenth century, despite the [[Mongol invasions of Korea|Mongol invasions]] of the [[Goryeo]] Dynasty in the thirteenth century and [[Hideyoshi's invasions of Korea|Japanese invasions]] of the [[Joseon Dynasty]] in the sixteenth century. |
| − | In 1377, Korea produced the [[Jikji]], the world's oldest movable metal print document.<ref>[http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=3946&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html World's oldest printed Doc]</ref> In the | + | In 1377, Korea produced the [[Jikji]], the world's oldest movable metal print document.<ref>Unesco.org, [http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=3946&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html World's oldest printed Doc.] Retrieved October 8, 2007.</ref> In the fifteenth century, the Korean navy built and deployed turtle ships, possibly the world's first [[ironclad warship]]s, and during the reign of King [[Sejong the Great of Joseon|Sejong]], scholars created the Korean alphabet, [[hangul]]. [[Image:Goguryeo tomb mural.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Tomb mural of [[Goguryeo]], one of the three kingdoms of Korea.]] During the latter part of the Joseon dynasty, Korea's isolationist policy earned it the Western nickname, the "[[Hermit Kingdom]]." By the late nineteenth century, the country became the object of colonial designs by Imperial [[Japan]]. In 1910, [[Korea under Japanese rule|Japan]] formally annexed Korea and occupied it until the end of [[World War II]], in 1945. |
===Division and aftermath=== | ===Division and aftermath=== | ||
| − | |||
[[Image:Incheon Memorial.jpg|thumb|left|231px|A sculpture at the Incheon Landing Operation Memorial Hall.]] | [[Image:Incheon Memorial.jpg|thumb|left|231px|A sculpture at the Incheon Landing Operation Memorial Hall.]] | ||
| − | The wartime allies | + | The wartime allies of the U.S., Britain, the Soviet Union, and [[China]] had agreed on the eventual establishment of an independent and unified Korea in the 1943 [[Cairo Declaration]]. However, the U.S. made few plans for Korea's future during the war, other than suggesting a vague notion of multipower trusteeship, and concentrated instead on the defeat of Imperial Japan. Although Truman was painfully aware of the Soviet's seizure of [[Eastern Europe]] as Russian forces drove to Berlin, he did not rescind President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]'s prior request that the USSR enter the Pacific theater after the defeat of Germany. Once Japan surrendered, after the American dropping of two [[atomic bomb]]s in August 1945, Soviet forces had already entered northernmost Korea, as well as Manchuria, days earlier. U.S. military planners judged that Korea should be temporarily divided into two zones of occupation, separated by the 38th parallel, because they argued--perhaps correctly and perhaps not--that it was impossible for American troops alone to accept the surrender of Japanese forces throughout all of Korea due to the distance of the nearest available units. This decision was formalized in [[General Order No. 1]] issued in the name of General [[Douglas MacArthur]], Supreme Commander of Allied Forces Pacific, but approved by President [[Harry Truman]] and the other allied leaders. |
| − | Within three years, however, the Soviet occupation zone had become impermeable, as the well-prepared Russian military methodically set up a local communist government subservient to Moscow. The U.S.-occupation zone, meanwhile, suffered great chaos from internal strife and inept civil administration by an American general ill-equipped for the mission. | + | Within three years, however, the Soviet occupation zone had become impermeable, as the well-prepared Russian military methodically set up a local communist government subservient to Moscow. The U.S.-occupation zone, meanwhile, suffered great chaos from internal strife and inept civil administration by an American general ill-equipped for the mission. In 1948, the United Nations agreed to supervise elections in both halves of Korea, but the Soviet zone refused admittance to the UN observers; thus, the UN was only able to supervise elections in the southern zone. The American-educated Dr. Syngman Rhee won the election, and the Republic of Korea was born on August 15, 1948. Months later, the UN recognized the ROK as the sole legitimate government of Korea. Meanwhile, on September 9, 1948, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK), or North Korea, came into being, with the Soviet-trained [[Kim Il-sung]] becoming premier. |
| − | On June 25, 1950, the North attacked the South in an attempt at forceful reunification | + | On June 25, 1950, the North attacked the South in an attempt at forceful reunification. The attack was planned by the Soviet military, with tacit communist Chinese support, but was carried out by North Korean military forces, signaling the beginning of a bloody international and civil war that caused the deaths of more than four million civilians and soldiers. United Nations forces, composed of troops from sixteen member nations, intervened on behalf of South Korea when it quickly became apparent that the better equipped and trained North Korean forces would soon overrun the country. The Soviet Union and China backed North Korea, with China eventually dispatching millions of troops across the border, while the Soviets provided supplies. The Korean War reached a stalemate within its first year. In July 1953, an armistice was signed by the U.S. (on behalf of UN forces), China, and North Korea. South Korea would not sign, but agreed to abide by it in exchange for a mutual security pact with the U.S. The armistice remains in effect today, technically still leaving the two Koreas in a state of war.<ref>U.S. Department of State, [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2800.htm South Korea.] Retrieved October 8, 2007.</ref> |
[[Image:Samsung building.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Samsung Town Building.]] | [[Image:Samsung building.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Samsung Town Building.]] | ||
| − | In 1960, [[April Revolution|a student uprising]] led to the resignation of president [[Syngman Rhee]], whose government had become autocratic and corrupt. Then followed a period of profound civil unrest and general political instability. General [[Park Chung-hee]] led a [[Supreme Council for National Reconstruction|military coup]] (the "5.16 coup d'etat") against the weak and ineffectual government the following year. Park was president from 1961 until his assassination in 1979, overseeing rapid [[Export-oriented industrialization|export-led economic growth]] but severe political repression as well. | + | In 1960, [[April Revolution|a student uprising]] led to the resignation of president [[Syngman Rhee]], whose government had become autocratic and corrupt. Then followed a period of profound civil unrest and general political instability. General [[Park Chung-hee]] led a [[Supreme Council for National Reconstruction|military coup]] (the "[[5.16 coup d'etat]]") against the weak and ineffectual government the following year. Park was president from 1961 until his assassination in 1979, overseeing rapid [[Export-oriented industrialization|export-led economic growth]] but severe political repression as well. |
[[Image:Seoul daylight.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A view of Seoul.]] | [[Image:Seoul daylight.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A view of Seoul.]] | ||
| − | The year following Park's death, previously repressed opposition leaders clamored to run for president, causing considerable political turmoil. In 1980, General [[Chun Doo-hwan]] launched a [[coup d'etat]] against the transitional government of interim president [[Choi Gyu Hwa]], to assume the presidency. Chun's [[Coup d'etat of December | + | The year following Park's death, previously repressed opposition leaders clamored to run for president, causing considerable political turmoil. In 1980, General [[Chun Doo-hwan]] launched a [[coup d'etat]] against the transitional government of interim president [[Choi Gyu Hwa]], to assume the presidency. Chun's [[Coup d'etat of December 12|seizure of power]] triggered national protest calling for democratization, particularly protests in Gwangju, South Cholla province. Chun sent in special forces to suppress the city, brutally killing many students and civilians in what is known as the [[Gwangju Massacre]]. Chun stated his intent to serve only a single term from the outset and eventually allowed direct presidential elections in 1988, under pressure from widespread popular demonstrations. That year, Seoul hosted the 1988 [[Summer Olympics]], representing a coming of age, much as the 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics did for Japan. |
| − | [[Chaebol]]s, family-owned business conglomerates, drove South Korea's explosive [[economic]] development. Some of the largest and best-known chaebols include [[Samsung]], [[LG Group|LG]] and [[Hyundai]]. In 1996, South Korea became a member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Despite a severe setback caused by the [[Asian financial crisis]] of 1997-98, the country re-emerged as a major economic power. In 2004, South Korea joined the "trillion dollar club" of world economies and, today, its [[standard of living]] approximates that of [[European Union]] members Portugal and Spain. | + | [[Chaebol]]s, family-owned business conglomerates, drove South Korea's explosive [[economic]] development. Some of the largest and best-known chaebols include [[Samsung]], [[LG Group|LG]], and [[Hyundai]]. In 1996, South Korea became a member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Despite a severe setback caused by the [[Asian financial crisis]] of 1997-98, the country re-emerged as a major economic power. In 2004, South Korea joined the "trillion dollar club" of world economies and, today, its [[standard of living]] approximates that of [[European Union]] members Portugal and Spain. |
| − | In June 2000, as a part of South Korean president [[Kim Dae Jung]]'s [[Sunshine Policy]] of engagement with North Korea, the first and only North-South summit took place with North Korean leader [[Kim Jong-il]] in [[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.<ref> | + | In June 2000, as a part of South Korean president [[Kim Dae Jung]]'s [[Sunshine Policy]] of engagement with North Korea, the first and only North-South summit took place with North Korean leader [[Kim Jong-il]], in [[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.<ref>UCLA Center for East Asian Studies, [http://www.isop.ucla.edu/eas/documents/2000Peace.htm Korean President Kim-Dae Jung Receives the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize.] Retrieved October 8, 2007.</ref> South Korea is one of the four so-called [[Asian Tigers]], along with Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore. |
==Government== | ==Government== | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
[[Image:Seoul-National.Assembly-02.jpg|thumb|left|240px|The Gukhoe or [[Korean National Assembly|National Assembly]] Building in [[Yeouido]], [[Seoul]]]] | [[Image:Seoul-National.Assembly-02.jpg|thumb|left|240px|The Gukhoe or [[Korean National Assembly|National Assembly]] Building in [[Yeouido]], [[Seoul]]]] | ||
| − | The government of the Republic of Korea is divided into three branches: [[executive (government)| | + | [[Government of South Korea|The government]] of the Republic of Korea is divided into three branches: [[executive (government)|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. Provincial and local governments act semi-autonomously, and have executive and legislative bodies of their own. The judicial branch operates at both the national and local levels. |
The [[Constitution of the Republic of Korea]] provides for the national governmental structure. | The [[Constitution of the Republic of Korea]] provides for the national governmental structure. | ||
| − | Although the Constitution has been revised several times since 1948 (see [[History of South Korea]]), its characteristics have remained the same. With the exception of the short-lived [[Second Republic of South Korea]], the country has had a presidential system with a relatively independent chief executive. As with most stable three-branch | + | Although the Constitution has been revised several times since 1948 (see [[History of South Korea]]), its characteristics have remained the same. With the exception of the short-lived [[Second Republic of South Korea]], the country has had a presidential system with a relatively independent chief executive. As with most stable three-branch governments, a system of checks and balances is in place. For instance, the executive and legislative branches share in the appointment for the judges of the [[Constitutional Court of Korea|Constitutional Court]]. Likewise, the legislature sends passed resolutions of impeachment to the judiciary for a final decision. However, the President, who presently serves a single five-year term, is generally considered by far the most powerful branch of the ROK government. |
==Foreign relations== | ==Foreign relations== | ||
[[Image:Roh Moo-hyun & GW Bush, APEC 2005-Nov-17.jpg|thumb|right|250px|U.S. President [[George W. Bush]] and South Korean President [[Roh Moo-hyun]] at the 17th [[APEC]] meeting.]]<!-- photo showing major foreign relation event would be preferred —> | [[Image:Roh Moo-hyun & GW Bush, APEC 2005-Nov-17.jpg|thumb|right|250px|U.S. President [[George W. Bush]] and South Korean President [[Roh Moo-hyun]] at the 17th [[APEC]] meeting.]]<!-- photo showing major foreign relation event would be preferred —> | ||
| − | |||
| − | South Korea's foreign relations have been primarily concerned with North Korea and its neighbors [[China]], [[Japan]], and [[Russia]], as well as its main ally, the [[United States]].<ref>A Brief History of the US-Korea Relations Prior to 1945 [http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/943949/posts]</ref> | + | South Korea's [[foreign relations of South Korea|foreign relations]] have been primarily concerned with North Korea and its neighbors [[China]], [[Japan]], and [[Russia]], as well as its main ally, the [[United States]].<ref>A Brief History of the US-Korea Relations Prior to 1945 [http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/943949/posts]</ref> |
| − | The [[United States]] has been the primary driver in the establishment and initial support of the South Korean government since the Korean War. Since the 1990s the two allies have successfully managed differences in their policies towards North Korea, despite divergent national interests regarding the North, and more recently, an anti-American flavor to the present ROK administration. Overall, South Korea has been steadily moving to take responsibility for major policy decisions affecting its own fate. | + | The [[United States]] has been the primary driver in the establishment and initial support of the South Korean government since the Korean War. Since the 1990s, the two allies have successfully managed differences in their policies towards North Korea, despite divergent national interests regarding the North, and more recently, an anti-American flavor to the present ROK administration. Overall, South Korea has been steadily moving to take responsibility for major policy decisions affecting its own fate.<ref>[http://freekorea.us/2001/08/16/ofk-archive-anti-americanism-in-koreathe-statistical-record/ freekorea.us] - OFK Archive: Anti-Americanism in Korea–The Statistical Record</ref> South Korea and China established formal diplomatic relations in August 1992, despite the legacy of the Korean War; today, China is the ROK's largest trading partner. |
| − | South Korea and Japan signed a normalization agreement in 1965, with Japan providing compensation for its 35 years of occupation. South Korea's relations with Japan have been cooperative with the exception of several unsettled disputes, many of which stem from the period of occupation. Japan conscripted more than 100,000 Korean civilians as soldiers.<ref>A Brief History of the US-Korea Relations Prior to 1945. [http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/943949/posts]</ref> Longstanding issues such as [[List of Japanese War Atrocities|Japanese war atrocities]] against Korean civilians, the visits by Japanese politicians to the [[Yasukuni Shrine]] honoring convicted war criminals, the re-writing of [[Japanese history textbook controversies|Japanese textbooks]] to overlook Japanese aggression during World War II, and the territorial disputes over [[Liancourt Rocks]] (known as ''Dokdo'' in Korean, ''Takeshima'' in Japanese) continue to trouble Korean-Japanese relations. | + | South Korea and Japan signed a normalization agreement in 1965, with Japan providing compensation for its 35 years of occupation. South Korea's relations with Japan have been cooperative with the exception of several unsettled disputes, many of which stem from the period of occupation. Japan conscripted more than 100,000 Korean civilians as soldiers.<ref>A Brief History of the US-Korea Relations Prior to 1945. [http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/943949/posts]</ref> Longstanding issues such as [[List of Japanese War Atrocities|Japanese war atrocities]] against Korean civilians, the visits by Japanese politicians to the [[Yasukuni Shrine]], honoring convicted war criminals, the re-writing of [[Japanese history textbook controversies|Japanese textbooks]] to overlook Japanese aggression during World War II, and the territorial disputes over [[Liancourt Rocks]] (known as ''Dokdo'' in Korean, ''Takeshima'' in Japanese) continue to trouble Korean-Japanese relations. |
| − | Both North and South Korea continue to officially claim sovereignty over the entire peninsula. Despite longstanding animosity following the Korean War, the South and North have in recent times occasionally established a more conciliatory relationship. Events such as family reunions and international athletic competitions, where the two Koreas enter the opening ceremonies together but still compete as separate teams, show the possibility of a gradual thaw in the North-South relationship. North Korean missile tests, | + | Both North and South Korea continue to officially claim sovereignty over the entire peninsula. Despite longstanding animosity following the Korean War, the South and North have in recent times occasionally established a more conciliatory relationship. Events such as family reunions and international athletic competitions, where the two Koreas enter the opening ceremonies together but still compete as separate teams, show the possibility of a gradual thaw in the North-South relationship. However, North Korean missile tests, its October 2006 nuclear test, and disputes over sea boundaries, among other factors, have chilled progress toward reconciliation. |
South Korea maintains diplomatic relations with approximately 170 countries. The country has also been a member of the [[United Nations]] since 1991, joining at the same time as North Korea. On January 1, 2007, former South Korean Foreign Minister [[Ban Ki-moon]] assumed the post of [[United Nations Secretary-General|UN Secretary-General]] for a five-year term. Also, Korea has developed strong ties with [[ASEAN]], the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, as both a member of "ASEAN + Three" and the East Asia Summit. It also participates in [[ASEM]], the Asia-Europe Meeting and in [[APEC]], the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. | South Korea maintains diplomatic relations with approximately 170 countries. The country has also been a member of the [[United Nations]] since 1991, joining at the same time as North Korea. On January 1, 2007, former South Korean Foreign Minister [[Ban Ki-moon]] assumed the post of [[United Nations Secretary-General|UN Secretary-General]] for a five-year term. Also, Korea has developed strong ties with [[ASEAN]], the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, as both a member of "ASEAN + Three" and the East Asia Summit. It also participates in [[ASEM]], the Asia-Europe Meeting and in [[APEC]], the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. | ||
| Line 130: | Line 124: | ||
==Military== | ==Military== | ||
[[Image:F-15KRefulefromK-135.jpg|thumb|250px|A South Korean F-15K Eagle comes in for fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker.]] | [[Image:F-15KRefulefromK-135.jpg|thumb|250px|A South Korean F-15K Eagle comes in for fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker.]] | ||
| − | |||
| − | South Korea's 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 those forces are concentrated near the border - the demilitarized zone - with North Korea. All South Korean males are required to serve in the military, typically for a period of twenty-four months. | + | South Korea's [[Military of South Korea|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 those forces are concentrated near the border--[[the demilitarized zone]]--with North Korea. All South Korean males are required to serve in the military, typically for a period of twenty-four months. |
| − | From time to time, South Korea has sent troops overseas to assist American-led coalitions, participating in every major conflict the United States has led since the [[Korean War]]. South Korea dispatched 320,000 troops to fight alongside American and [[South Vietnam]]ese soldiers in the [[Vietnam War]], with a peak strength of 50,000. Most recently, South Korea sent 3,300 troops in the form of the [[Zaytun Division]] to fight in northern [[Iraq]], and is the largest contributor of troops after the U.S. and Britain. | + | From time to time, South Korea has sent troops overseas to assist American-led coalitions, participating in every major conflict the United States has led since the [[Korean War]]. South Korea dispatched 320,000 troops to fight alongside American and [[South Vietnam]]ese soldiers in the [[Vietnam War]], with a peak strength of 50,000. Most recently, South Korea sent 3,300 troops in the form of the [[Zaytun Division]] to fight in northern [[Iraq]], and is the largest contributor of troops during the most recent Iraq conflict, after the U.S. and Britain. |
| − | The United States has stationed at least one division in the ROK since the Korean War at bases and camps throughout the country. <!--(See [[List of United States Army installations in South Korea]] and [[USFK]] for more information on these military bases.)—> Approximately 28,000 | + | The United States has stationed at least one division in the ROK since the Korean War at bases and camps throughout the country. <!--(See [[List of United States Army installations in South Korea]] and [[USFK]] for more information on these military bases.)—> Approximately 28,000 U.S. soldiers presently serve in South Korea, down from 36,000 in recent years. |
| − | The ROK maintains an active duty military force of approximately 680,000, [[List of countries by number of total troops|ranked]] 8th largest in active duty size in the world. | + | The ROK maintains an active duty military force of approximately 680,000, [[List of countries by number of total troops|ranked]] 8th largest in active duty size in the world. Only the United States has more [[Marine Corps|Marines]] than South Korea. |
==Administrative divisions== | ==Administrative divisions== | ||
| Line 188: | Line 181: | ||
{{smaller|<sup>a</sup> [[Revised Romanization of Korean|Revised Romanization]].<br/><sup>b</sup> See also [[Special cities of Korea]] and [[Provinces of Korea]].}} | {{smaller|<sup>a</sup> [[Revised Romanization of Korean|Revised Romanization]].<br/><sup>b</sup> See also [[Special cities of Korea]] and [[Provinces of Korea]].}} | ||
| − | ==Geography and climate== | + | ==[[Geography of South Korea|Geography]] and climate== |
| − | + | ||
| − | South Korea occupies the southern portion of the [[Korean Peninsula]], extending approximately 680 [[mile]]s (1,100 km) from the Asian mainland. A mountainous peninsula, the [[Yellow Sea]] flanks Korea to the west, and the [[Sea of Japan]] | + | South Korea occupies the southern portion of the [[Korean Peninsula]], extending approximately 680 [[mile]]s (1,100 km) from the Asian mainland. A mountainous peninsula, the [[Yellow Sea]] flanks Korea to the west, and the [[Sea of Japan]] to the east. The [[Korea Strait]] and the [[East China Sea]] touches the southern tip of the peninsula. The country's total area is 38,462.49 [[square mile]]s or 99,617.38 [[square kilometre]]s.<ref>Korea Statistical Information Service, [http://kosis.nso.go.kr/cgi-bin/sws_999.cgi?ID=DT_1A1&IDTYPE=3&A_LANG=1&FPUB=3&SELITEM= 행정구역(구시군)별 국토적.] Retrieved October 8, 2007.</ref> |
[[Image:Southkoreamap.png|thumb|right|300px|General map of South Korea.]] | [[Image:Southkoreamap.png|thumb|right|300px|General map of South Korea.]] | ||
| − | South Korea naturally divides into four general regions: | + | South Korea naturally divides 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]]. South Korea's land is largely mountainous [[Lowlands]], located primarily in the west and southeast. |
| − | About three thousand islands, mostly small and uninhabited, lie off the western and southern coasts. The country's largest island, with an area of 1,845 square [[kilometres]] (712 sq mi), [[Jeju]] Island sits about 100 | + | About three thousand islands, mostly small and uninhabited, lie off the western and southern coasts. The country's largest island, with an area of 1,845 square [[kilometres]] (712 sq mi), [[Jeju]] Island sits about 100 kilometers (about 60 mi) off the southern coast of South Korea. Jeju is also the site of South Korea's highest point: [[Halla-san]], an extinct [[volcano]], reaches 1,950 [[meters]] (6,398 [[foot (unit of length)|ft]]) above sea level. Other islands of South Korea include [[Ulleungdo]] and the [[Korean-Japanese disputes|disputed]] [[Liancourt Rocks]] (Dokdo). |
| − | The local [[climate]] is relatively [[temperate climate|temperate]], with [[precipitation (meteorology)|precipitation]] heavier in summer during a short rainy season called ''[[East Asian monsoon|jangma]]'' | + | The local [[climate]] is relatively [[temperate climate|temperate]], with [[precipitation (meteorology)|precipitation]] heavier in summer, during a short rainy season called ''[[East Asian monsoon|jangma]].'' Winters can be bitterly cold. In [[Seoul]], the average January temperature range is -7°[[Celsius|C]] to 1°C (19°[[Fahrenheit|F]] to 33°F), and the average July temperature range is 22°C to 29°C (71°F to 83°F). Winter temperatures range higher along the southern coast and considerably lower in the mountainous interior. Rainfall concentrates in the summer months of June through September. Late summer [[typhoons]] bring strong winds and heavy rains frequently to the southern coast. The average annual precipitation varies from 1,370 millimeters (54 [[inches]]) in Seoul to 1,470 millimeters (58 inches) in [[Busan]]. |
| − | ==Economy== | + | ==[[Economy of South Korea|Economy]]== |
[[Image:Currency South Korea.jpg|thumb|left|240px|[[South Korean won]] banknotes and coins.]] | [[Image:Currency South Korea.jpg|thumb|left|240px|[[South Korean won]] banknotes and coins.]] | ||
| + | South Korea is a major international economic power with the [[List of countries by GDP (nominal)|twelfth largest]] economy in the world (eleventh largest by [[List of countries by GDP (PPP)|purchasing power parity]]) and the third largest in Asia, behind only [[Japan]] and [[China]] (fourth behind China, Japan, and India by purchasing power parity). China constitutes South Korea's largest trading partner and export market today.<ref>[http://www.ifans.go.kr/ICSFiles/afieldfile/2005/07/05/policybrief05_3.pdf Trade Policy Outlook for Second-term Bush Administration]</ref> | ||
| − | + | [[Image:Auto Show 061.jpg|thumb|right|240px|[[Hyundai Motor Company|Hyundai]] is one of the Korean Big Four.]] South Korea was ranked as one of the poorest countries in Asia in the 1950s.<ref>College Journal, [http://www.collegejournal.com/globalcareers/crossingborders/korea.html Working in South Korea.] Retrieved October 8, 2007.</ref> At the end of World War II, the country had inherited a colonial economic system designed solely for Japan's needs. In addition, the Korean War destroyed much of the country's infrastructure.<ref>Michigan State University, [http://www.asia.msu.edu/eastasia/NorthKorea/history.html North Korean History.] Retrieved October 8, 2007.</ref> After the war, South Korea became heavily dependent on U.S. aid.<ref>Cumings (1997), 305-307; Nahm (1996), 448.</ref> | |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | [[Image:Auto Show 061.jpg|thumb|right|240px|[[Hyundai Motor Company|Hyundai]] is one of the Korean Big Four.]] South Korea ranked one of the poorest countries in Asia in the 1950s.<ref> | ||
| − | |||
| − | Following the military coup led by [[Park Chung-hee]], South Korea embarked on a series of ambitious [[Five-Year Plans of South Korea|five-year plans]] for economic development. Emphasis shifted to foreign trade with the [[Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea|normalization of relations with Japan]] in 1965 and resulted in a boom in trade and investment. Rapid expansion, first into light and then heavy industries, followed in the 1960s and 1970s. During that period, the South Korean economy grew at an average annual rate of 8.6 | + | Following the military coup led by [[Park Chung-hee]], South Korea embarked on a series of ambitious [[Five-Year Plans of South Korea|five-year plans]] for economic development. Emphasis shifted to foreign trade with the [[Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea|normalization of relations with Japan]] in 1965, and resulted in a boom in trade and investment. Rapid expansion, first into light and then heavy industries, followed in the 1960s and 1970s. During that period, the South Korean economy grew at an average annual rate of 8.6 percent.<ref>Yang (1999), p.594.</ref> |
| − | That phenomenal growth earned the title "[[Miracle on the Han River]]," the main river that runs through the capital and largest city, [[Seoul]]. In the 1980s and 1990's, rocketing growth continued as South Korea transformed itself from an exporter of mostly textiles and shoes into a major global producer of [[automobile]]s, [[electronics]], [[shipbuilding]], [[steel]] and, later, high-technology products such as [[Computer display|digital monitor]]s, [[mobile phone]]s, and [[semiconductor]]s. | + | That phenomenal growth earned the title "[[Miracle on the Han River]]," the main river that runs through the capital and largest city, [[Seoul]]. In the 1980s and 1990's, rocketing growth continued as South Korea transformed itself from an exporter of mostly textiles and shoes into a major global producer of [[automobile]]s, [[electronics]], [[shipbuilding]], [[steel]], and, later, high-technology products such as [[Computer display|digital monitor]]s, [[mobile phone]]s, and [[semiconductor]]s. |
| − | 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 [[conglomerate (company)|conglomerates]]. Those companies, known as [[chaebol]], flourished under the support of the Park regime.<ref> | + | 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 [[conglomerate (company)|conglomerates]]. Those companies, known as [[chaebol]], flourished under the support of the Park regime.<ref>Cumings (1997) chapter 6.</ref> Some, such as [[Hyundai Motor Company|Hyundai]], [[Samsung]], [[LG Group|LG]], and [[SK Group|SK Company]], became global corporations. In 2004, South Korea joined the trillion dollar club of world economies.<ref>CIA World Factbook, [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ks.html Korea, South.] Retrieved October 8, 2007.</ref> |
[[Image:Seoul-Samsungdong-buildings-01.jpg|thumb|right|240px|World Trade Center in Seoul.]] | [[Image:Seoul-Samsungdong-buildings-01.jpg|thumb|right|240px|World Trade Center in Seoul.]] | ||
| Line 280: | Line 270: | ||
South Korea's [[Olympics|Olympic teams]] have also traditionally performed at a championship level in [[archery]], [[shooting]], [[badminton]], [[table tennis]], [[fencing]], [[weightlifting]], [[boxing]], [[judo]], [[short track speed skating]], [[marathon]], [[taekwondo]], [[kumdo]], [[wrestling]] as well as [[team handball|handball]] and [[field hockey]]. In 1988, South Korea hosted the [[1988 Summer Olympics|Summer Olympics in Seoul]]. Korea has conducted an ongoing campaign to have a future [[Winter Olympics]] held in [[Pyeongchang County]]. South Korea has hosted the [[Asian Games]] in 1986 and 2002. | South Korea's [[Olympics|Olympic teams]] have also traditionally performed at a championship level in [[archery]], [[shooting]], [[badminton]], [[table tennis]], [[fencing]], [[weightlifting]], [[boxing]], [[judo]], [[short track speed skating]], [[marathon]], [[taekwondo]], [[kumdo]], [[wrestling]] as well as [[team handball|handball]] and [[field hockey]]. In 1988, South Korea hosted the [[1988 Summer Olympics|Summer Olympics in Seoul]]. Korea has conducted an ongoing campaign to have a future [[Winter Olympics]] held in [[Pyeongchang County]]. South Korea has hosted the [[Asian Games]] in 1986 and 2002. | ||
| − | In football (soccer), South Korea and Japan co-hosted the [[2002 FIFA World Cup]], and [[Korea Republic national football team|South Korea]] became the first [[Asian Football Confederation|Asian team]] to reach the semi-finals. The | + | In football (soccer), South Korea and Japan co-hosted the [[2002 FIFA World Cup]], and [[Korea Republic national football team|South Korea]] became the first [[Asian Football Confederation|Asian team]] to reach the semi-finals. 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 also is home for the invitation-only Peace Cup for international men's and women's professional football clubs. |
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]] became the second and third persons in the Games to win three gold medals. | 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]] became the second and third persons in the Games to win three gold medals. | ||
Revision as of 14:54, 8 October 2007
| 대한민국 大韓民國 Daehan Minguk Republic of Korea | |||||
| |||||
| Motto: None (Unofficial: 널리 인간을 이롭게 하라(弘益人間) "Broadly benefit humankind" also translated as "Devotion to the welfare of humanity") | |||||
| Anthem: Aegukga (애국가; 愛國歌) Patriotic Hymn | |||||
 | |||||
| Capital (and largest city) |
Seoul 37°35′N 127°0′E | ||||
| Official languages | Korean | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Government | Presidential republic | ||||
| - President | Roh Moo-hyun | ||||
| - Prime Minister | Han Duck-soo | ||||
| Establishment | |||||
| - Independence declared | March 1, 1919 (de jure) | ||||
| - Liberation | August 15, 1945 | ||||
| - First Republic | August 15, 1948 | ||||
| - United Nations Recognition | December 12, 1948 | ||||
| Area | |||||
| - Total | 99,646 km² (108th) 38,492 sq mi | ||||
| - Water (%) | 0.3 | ||||
| Population | |||||
| - February 2007 estimate | 49,024,737 | ||||
| - Density | 480/km² 1,274/sq mi | ||||
| GDP (PPP) | 2006 estimate | ||||
| - Total | $1.196 trillion[1] | ||||
| - Per capita | $24,500 | ||||
| HDI (2006) | .png){kind=icon} 0.912 (high)
| ||||
| Currency | South Korean won (KRW)
| ||||
| Time zone | Korea Standard Time (UTC+9) | ||||
| - Summer (DST) | not observed (UTC+9) | ||||
| Internet TLD | .kr | ||||
| Calling code | +82 | ||||
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), (Korean: 대한민국, IPA: [tɛː.han.min.guk̚], has existed for nearly 60 years, built on the foundation of a 5,000 year history. Originating from the 1945 American military occupation of the southern half of the Korean peninsula at the end of World War II, South Korea achieved formal independence after United Nations supervised elections in 1948. The Soviet Union had refused to allow UN supervision of elections in the northern half of Korea, which it governed. In the South, Syngman Rhee became the first president of South Korea in August of that year, and the ROK was recognized by the UN as the legal political entity of Korea. The division of the peninsula between North and South solidified after the 1950-53 Korean War, in which the North invaded the South but was repulsed by UN forces. An Armistice remains in effect to date, with the border between the two Koreas roughly following the original 38th parallel that separated the two in 1945. From 1954, and especially since the 1960s, South Korea has prospered, from the devastation of war to an economic and political miracle.
South Korea is an East Asian state on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. To its north sits North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea), which declared its independence in September 1948. To the west, across the Yellow Sea, lies China and to the south and east, across the Korea Strait (Tsushima Strait) and East Sea (Sea of Japan), is Japan. Approximately one-half of South Korea's population lives in or near the capital, Seoul, the second most populous metropolitan area in the world.
Korea traces its founding to 2,333 B.C.E. by the mythological first king, Tangun. Since the establishment of the modern republic in 1948, South Korea struggled with the aftermath of Japanese occupation (1910-1945), the Korean War, 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. In 1987, South Korea held its first direct and fair presidential elections, largely prompted by popular demonstrations. South Korea has been a vibrant democracy for two decades.
The South Korean economy is now the 12th 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[2] and is a global leader in electronics, digital displays, semiconductor devices, and mobile phones, as well as in shipbuilding and steel production.
Despite Seoul being within North Korean artillery and missile range, the South has been able to gradually realize a remarkably free and open society. In its struggle to develop, South Korea has tended to neglect the traditions of earlier dynasties, emerging into the twenty-first century with an identity crisis. The Joseon dynasty, the last to overlook a free and whole Korea, disappeared, a new identity still waiting in the wings. An identity that will most likely emerge with the reunification of North and South. South Koreans want to see the eventual unification of Korea, but most do not want a hasty one, as the expected burden on the ROK economy would be severe. Apart from the oldest generation, most prefer a gradual unification, in which the North's economy, through assistance from the ROK and international community, is gradually brought closer to that of the South's. Regardless of preferences, no one discounts the possibility of an unanticipated, sudden unification.
Names of Korea
In the Korean language, South Korea is called Daehan Min-guk (Korean:대한민국, Hanja:大韓民國, literally "Great Han 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.
History
Before division
Korea began with the legendary founding of Gojoseon in 2,333 B.C.E. by Dangun. Limited linguistic evidence suggests possible Altaic origins of these people, whose northern Mongolian steppe culture absorbed immigrants and invaders from northern Manchuria, Mongolia, and China. The adoption of the Chinese writing system ("hanja" in Korean) in the second century B.C.E. and Buddhism in the fourth century C.E. had profound effects on the Three Kingdoms of Korea (Goguryeo, Baekje, Silla). Koreans later passed on these, as well as their own advances, to Japan.[3]
After the unification of the Three Kingdoms by Silla in 676, a single government ruled Korea, maintaining political and cultural independence until the nineteenth century, despite the Mongol invasions of the Goryeo Dynasty in the thirteenth century and Japanese invasions of the Joseon Dynasty in the sixteenth century.
In 1377, Korea produced the Jikji, the world's oldest movable metal print document.[4] In the fifteenth century, the Korean navy built and deployed turtle ships, possibly the world's first ironclad warships, and during the reign of King Sejong, scholars created the Korean alphabet, hangul.
During the latter part of the Joseon dynasty, Korea's isolationist policy earned it the Western nickname, the "Hermit Kingdom." By the late nineteenth century, the country became the object of colonial designs by Imperial Japan. In 1910, Japan formally annexed Korea and occupied it until the end of World War II, in 1945.
Division and aftermath
The wartime allies of the U.S., Britain, the Soviet Union, and China had agreed on the eventual establishment of an independent and unified Korea in the 1943 Cairo Declaration. However, the U.S. made few plans for Korea's future during the war, other than suggesting a vague notion of multipower trusteeship, and concentrated instead on the defeat of Imperial Japan. Although Truman was painfully aware of the Soviet's seizure of Eastern Europe as Russian forces drove to Berlin, he did not rescind President Franklin D. Roosevelt's prior request that the USSR enter the Pacific theater after the defeat of Germany. Once Japan surrendered, after the American dropping of two atomic bombs in August 1945, Soviet forces had already entered northernmost Korea, as well as Manchuria, days earlier. U.S. military planners judged that Korea should be temporarily divided into two zones of occupation, separated by the 38th parallel, because they argued—perhaps correctly and perhaps not—that it was impossible for American troops alone to accept the surrender of Japanese forces throughout all of Korea due to the distance of the nearest available units. This decision was formalized in General Order No. 1 issued in the name of General Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander of Allied Forces Pacific, but approved by President Harry Truman and the other allied leaders.
Within three years, however, the Soviet occupation zone had become impermeable, as the well-prepared Russian military methodically set up a local communist government subservient to Moscow. The U.S.-occupation zone, meanwhile, suffered great chaos from internal strife and inept civil administration by an American general ill-equipped for the mission. In 1948, the United Nations agreed to supervise elections in both halves of Korea, but the Soviet zone refused admittance to the UN observers; thus, the UN was only able to supervise elections in the southern zone. The American-educated Dr. Syngman Rhee won the election, and the Republic of Korea was born on August 15, 1948. Months later, the UN recognized the ROK as the sole legitimate government of Korea. Meanwhile, on September 9, 1948, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK), or North Korea, came into being, with the Soviet-trained Kim Il-sung becoming premier.
On June 25, 1950, the North attacked the South in an attempt at forceful reunification. The attack was planned by the Soviet military, with tacit communist Chinese support, but was carried out by North Korean military forces, signaling the beginning of a bloody international and civil war that caused the deaths of more than four million civilians and soldiers. United Nations forces, composed of troops from sixteen member nations, intervened on behalf of South Korea when it quickly became apparent that the better equipped and trained North Korean forces would soon overrun the country. The Soviet Union and China backed North Korea, with China eventually dispatching millions of troops across the border, while the Soviets provided supplies. The Korean War reached a stalemate within its first year. In July 1953, an armistice was signed by the U.S. (on behalf of UN forces), China, and North Korea. South Korea would not sign, but agreed to abide by it in exchange for a mutual security pact with the U.S. The armistice remains in effect today, technically still leaving the two Koreas in a state of war.[5]
In 1960, a student uprising led to the resignation of president Syngman Rhee, whose government had become autocratic and corrupt. Then followed a period of profound civil unrest and general political instability. General Park Chung-hee led a military coup (the "5.16 coup d'etat") against the weak and ineffectual government the following year. Park was president from 1961 until his assassination in 1979, overseeing rapid export-led economic growth but severe political repression as well.
The year following Park's death, previously repressed opposition leaders clamored to run for president, causing considerable political turmoil. In 1980, General Chun Doo-hwan launched a coup d'etat against the transitional government of interim president Choi Gyu Hwa, to assume the presidency. Chun's seizure of power triggered national protest calling for democratization, particularly protests in Gwangju, South Cholla province. Chun sent in special forces to suppress the city, brutally killing many students and civilians in what is known as the Gwangju Massacre. Chun stated his intent to serve only a single term from the outset and eventually allowed direct presidential elections in 1988, under pressure from widespread popular demonstrations. That year, Seoul hosted the 1988 Summer Olympics, representing a coming of age, much as the 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics did for Japan.
Chaebols, family-owned business conglomerates, drove South Korea's explosive economic development. Some of the largest and best-known chaebols include Samsung, LG, and Hyundai. In 1996, South Korea became a member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Despite a severe setback caused by the Asian financial crisis of 1997-98, the country re-emerged as a major economic power. In 2004, South Korea joined the "trillion dollar club" of world economies and, today, its standard of living approximates that of European Union members Portugal and Spain.
In June 2000, as a part of South Korean president Kim Dae Jung's Sunshine Policy of engagement with North Korea, the first and only North-South summit took place with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, in 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.[6] South Korea is one of the four so-called Asian Tigers, along with Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore.
Government
The government of the Republic of 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. Provincial and local governments act semi-autonomously, and have executive and legislative bodies of their own. The judicial branch operates at both the national and local levels.
The Constitution of the Republic of Korea provides for the national governmental structure. Although the Constitution has been revised several times since 1948 (see History of South Korea), its characteristics have remained the same. With the exception of the short-lived Second Republic of South Korea, the country has had a presidential system with a relatively independent chief executive. As with most stable three-branch governments, a system of checks and balances is in place. For instance, the executive and legislative branches share in the appointment for the judges of the Constitutional Court. Likewise, the legislature sends passed resolutions of impeachment to the judiciary for a final decision. However, the President, who presently serves a single five-year term, is generally considered by far the most powerful branch of the ROK government.
Foreign relations
South Korea's foreign relations have been primarily concerned with North Korea and its neighbors China, Japan, and Russia, as well as its main ally, the United States.[7]
The United States has been the primary driver in the establishment and initial support of the South Korean government since the Korean War. Since the 1990s, the two allies have successfully managed differences in their policies towards North Korea, despite divergent national interests regarding the North, and more recently, an anti-American flavor to the present ROK administration. Overall, South Korea has been steadily moving to take responsibility for major policy decisions affecting its own fate.[8] South Korea and China established formal diplomatic relations in August 1992, despite the legacy of the Korean War; today, China is the ROK's largest trading partner.
South Korea and Japan signed a normalization agreement in 1965, with Japan providing compensation for its 35 years of occupation. South Korea's relations with Japan have been cooperative with the exception of several unsettled disputes, many of which stem from the period of occupation. Japan conscripted more than 100,000 Korean civilians as soldiers.[9] 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 overlook Japanese aggression during World War II, and the territorial disputes over Liancourt Rocks (known as Dokdo in Korean, Takeshima in Japanese) continue to trouble Korean-Japanese relations.
Both North and South Korea continue to officially claim sovereignty over the entire peninsula. Despite longstanding animosity following the Korean War, the South and North have in recent times occasionally established a more conciliatory relationship. Events such as family reunions and international athletic competitions, where the two Koreas enter the opening ceremonies together but still compete as separate teams, show the possibility of a gradual thaw in the North-South relationship. However, North Korean missile tests, its October 2006 nuclear test, and disputes over sea boundaries, among other factors, have chilled progress toward reconciliation.
South Korea maintains diplomatic relations with approximately 170 countries. The country has also been a member of the United Nations since 1991, joining at the same time as North Korea. On January 1, 2007, former South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon assumed the post of UN Secretary-General for a five-year term. Also, Korea has developed strong ties with ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, as both a member of "ASEAN + Three" and the East Asia Summit. It also participates in ASEM, the Asia-Europe Meeting and in APEC, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.
Military
South Korea's 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 those forces are concentrated near the border—the demilitarized zone—with North Korea. All South Korean males are required to serve in the military, typically for a period of twenty-four months.
From time to time, South Korea has sent troops overseas to assist American-led coalitions, participating in every major conflict the United States has led since the Korean War. South Korea dispatched 320,000 troops to fight alongside American and South Vietnamese soldiers in the Vietnam War, with a peak strength of 50,000. Most recently, South Korea sent 3,300 troops in the form of the Zaytun Division to fight in northern Iraq, and is the largest contributor of troops during the most recent Iraq conflict, after the U.S. and Britain.
The United States has stationed at least one division in the ROK since the Korean War at bases and camps throughout the country. Approximately 28,000 U.S. soldiers presently serve in South Korea, down from 36,000 in recent years.
The ROK maintains an active duty military force of approximately 680,000, ranked 8th largest in active duty size in the world. Only the United States has more Marines than South Korea.
Administrative divisions
| Namea | 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.
Geography and climate
South Korea occupies the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula, extending approximately 680 miles (1,100 km) from the Asian mainland. A mountainous peninsula, the Yellow Sea flanks Korea to the west, and the Sea of Japan to the east. The Korea Strait and the East China Sea touches the southern tip of the peninsula. The country's total area is 38,462.49 square miles or 99,617.38 square kilometres.[10]
South Korea naturally divides 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. South Korea's land is largely mountainous Lowlands, located primarily in the west and southeast.
About three thousand islands, mostly small and uninhabited, lie off the western and southern coasts. The country's largest island, with an area of 1,845 square kilometres (712 sq mi), Jeju Island sits about 100 kilometers (about 60 mi) off the southern coast of South Korea. Jeju is also the site of South Korea's highest point: Halla-san, an extinct volcano, reaches 1,950 meters (6,398 ft) above sea level. Other islands of South Korea include Ulleungdo and the disputed Liancourt Rocks (Dokdo).
The local climate is relatively temperate, with precipitation heavier in summer, during a short rainy season called jangma. Winters 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 range higher along the southern coast and considerably lower in the mountainous interior. Rainfall concentrates in the summer months of June through September. Late summer typhoons bring strong winds and heavy rains frequently to the southern coast. The average annual precipitation varies from 1,370 millimeters (54 inches) in Seoul to 1,470 millimeters (58 inches) in Busan.
Economy
South Korea is a major international economic power with the twelfth largest economy in the world (eleventh 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). China constitutes South Korea's largest trading partner and export market today.[11]
South Korea was ranked as one of the poorest countries in Asia in the 1950s.[12] At the end of World War II, the country had inherited a colonial economic system designed solely for Japan's needs. In addition, the Korean War destroyed much of the country's infrastructure.[13] After the war, South Korea became heavily dependent on U.S. aid.[14]
Following the military coup led by Park Chung-hee, 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 resulted in a boom in trade and investment. Rapid expansion, first into light and then heavy industries, followed in the 1960s and 1970s. During that period, the South Korean economy grew at an average annual rate of 8.6 percent.[15]
That phenomenal growth earned the title "Miracle on the Han River," the main river that runs through the capital and largest city, Seoul. In the 1980s and 1990's, rocketing growth continued as South Korea transformed itself from an exporter of mostly textiles and shoes into a major global producer of automobiles, electronics, shipbuilding, steel, and, later, high-technology products 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. Those companies, known as chaebol, flourished under the support of the Park regime.[16] Some, such as Hyundai, Samsung, LG, and SK Company, became global corporations. In 2004, South Korea joined the trillion dollar club of world economies.[17]
Since the Asian financial crisis of 1997-98, the corporate landscape changed considerably after massive bankruptcies and government reforms. The crisis exposed longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's economy, including high debt-to-equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an undisciplined financial sector, along with collusion between government and chaebols. That led to two rounds of financial and industrial restructuring; once in 1997 and again following the collapse of Daewoo in 1999.[18] Daewoo's collapse has been recorded as one of the largest bankruptcies in world history. [6] By 2003, just over one-half of the 30 largest chaebol from 1995 remained.[19]
Between 2003 and 2005, economic growth has slowed to a sustainable 4% per year, an enviable figure for most the world's economies.[20] Rapid export growth, primarily to China, offset a downturn in consumer spending, attributed to massive personal credit card debt. 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.[21] In 2006, South Korean economy has increased to a growth rate to 5.1%, with the economic forecast for 2007 positive.
Moderate inflation, low unemployment, an export surplus, and fairly equal distribution of income characterizes the South Korean economy.[22][23][24] South Korea continues to strive to maintain global competitiveness, although the country has been reluctant to open the job market to foreigners.
Transportation
An extensive network of railways, highways, bus routes, ferry services, and air routes criss-crosses the country. All cities have intercity and intracity bus systems. Major cities also have express bus terminals.
Highways in South Korea are classified highways (expressways/motorways), national highways, and various classifications below the national level. Korea Highway Corporation operates the toll highways and service amenities en route. South Korea has about 3,000 kilometers of national highways. Most tourist and freight transportation use highways. Korail provides frequent train service to all major South Korean cities. Two rail lines, Gyeongui and Donghae Bukbu Line, to North Korea are now being reconnected. The Korean high-speed railway system, KTX, provides frequent high-speed service along Gyeongbu and Honam Line. Major cities have subway systems, including the popular Seoul Subway. Korail commuter lines are already linked with the Seoul subway system and several commuter lines connected with Busan, Daegu subway system are under construction.
The main international airport is Incheon International Airport. South Korea has eight international airports and seven domestic airports. South Korea's international air carriers are Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. About 70 international passenger and cargo airlines operate frequent flights between Korea and many nations throughout the world.
Demographics
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.[25] The capital city of Seoul is also the country's largest city and chief industrial center with 10.3 million inhabitants in 2006, making Seoul one of the most populated single cities in the world.[26] 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).[27]
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. That trend of net entry reversed over the next forty years due to emigration, especially to the United States and Canada. 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 returned.
Although small, the percentage of non-Koreans in South Korea has risen in the early twenty-first century. Officially, as of April 2005, the total number of known foreign laborers in South Korea stood at 378,000, 52% of whom work menial factory jobs without proper immigration visas.[28] The foreign workforce mainly comes from South Asian and Southeast Asian nations, although many workers from the former Soviet Union countries as well as some from Nigeria have entered. In addition to those workers, about 11,000 expat English teachers and around 31,000 US military personnel live and work in Korea.[29]
As of 2005, approximately 22 million or 46.5% of the South Korean population express no religious preference.[30] Of the remainder, 10.7 million are Buddhist, 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. The largest Christian church in South Korea, Yoido Full Gospel Church, is located in Seoul and has approximately 780,000 members (2003 estimate). Including Yoido Full Gospel, eleven of the world's twelve 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.[31] 45,000 Muslim believers reside in Korea as well as approximately 100,000 temporary workers from Muslim countries.[32]
Culture
The two Koreas have developed distinct contemporary forms of culture since the division of the Korean peninsula 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.[33]
Korean art and culture have developed and transformed through cultural influences from many countries. Prior to the 19th century, 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, passing them on to neighboring countries like Japan. In modern times, Western and particularly the American influences have been strongest although influences from Europe, especially Germany, have been pronounced.
In the aftermath of the Japanese occupation, the Korean government had sought to restrict Japanese cultural influences until 1999. Recently, Japanese influences have been particularly controversial; for example, the K-pop singer Hyori sparked a national controversy. 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 headway in Japan, with Korean singers like BoA, and television dramas like Daejanggeum and Winter Sonata finding success.[34] Recent Korean films such as Oldboy, Oasis and others have also received international acclaim.
Technology, including feature-rich cell phones and pervasive online gaming, heavily dominates the contemporary culture of South Korea. South Korea today has one of the highest expansion of high-speed internet access to households in the world.[35] Digital multimedia broadcasting now allows South Koreans to watch television on their cell phones.
South Korea's entertainment industry has grown substantially since the 1990s, producing Asia-wide successes in music, television, and film. South Korea nonertheless still retains centuries-old customs and traditions, such as its unique cuisine and ancestor worship.
Sports
Taekwondo, a popular martial art, originated in Korea. Taekwondo roughly translates to the way of punching and kicking, although sometimes translated as the way of the hands and feet. The South Korean military incorporates taekwondo into military training, while taekwondo became an official Olympic sport in 2000. Other Korean martial arts include subak and taekkyeon.
Baseball, first introduced to Korea in 1905 by an American missionary Phillip Gillette, has become the most popular spectator sport in South Korea.[36] The Korea Baseball Association, established in 1982, became the first South Korean professional sports league. 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 had been the only undefeated team, beating 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 forty-five 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.
South Korea's Olympic teams have also traditionally performed at a championship level in archery, shooting, badminton, table tennis, fencing, weightlifting, boxing, judo, short track speed skating, marathon, taekwondo, kumdo, wrestling as well as handball and field hockey. In 1988, South Korea hosted the Summer Olympics in Seoul. Korea has conducted an ongoing campaign to have a future Winter Olympics held in Pyeongchang County. South Korea has hosted the Asian Games in 1986 and 2002.
In football (soccer), South Korea and Japan co-hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and South Korea became the first Asian team to reach the semi-finals. 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 also is home for the invitation-only Peace Cup for international men's and women's professional football clubs.
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 became the second and third persons in the Games to win three gold medals.
International rankings
| Organisation | Title | Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| International Monetary Fund/World Bank | Gross Domestic Product (nominal) | 12 out of 183 |
| CIA World Factbook | Gross Domestic Product (PPP) | 11 out of 227 |
| World Bank | Ease of Doing Business | 23 out of 175 |
| World Economic Forum | Global Competiveness | 24 out of 125 |
| Heritage Foundation/The Wall Street Journal | Index of Economic Freedom | 31 out of 157 |
| The Economist | Worldwide quality-of-life index, 2005 | 30 out of 111 |
| Reporters Without Borders | Worldwide press freedom index | 31 out of 167 |
| Transparency International | Corruption Perceptions Index | 42 out of 163 |
| United Nations Development Program | Human Development Index | 26 out of 192 |
Notes
- ↑ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ks.html#Econ
- ↑ Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD Broadband statistics. Retrieved October 8, 2007.
- ↑ Jared Diamond, "Japanese Roots," Discover 19:6 (June 1998)
- ↑ Unesco.org, World's oldest printed Doc. Retrieved October 8, 2007.
- ↑ U.S. Department of State, South Korea. Retrieved October 8, 2007.
- ↑ UCLA Center for East Asian Studies, Korean President Kim-Dae Jung Receives the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize. Retrieved October 8, 2007.
- ↑ A Brief History of the US-Korea Relations Prior to 1945 [1]
- ↑ freekorea.us - OFK Archive: Anti-Americanism in Korea–The Statistical Record
- ↑ A Brief History of the US-Korea Relations Prior to 1945. [2]
- ↑ Korea Statistical Information Service, 행정구역(구시군)별 국토적. Retrieved October 8, 2007.
- ↑ Trade Policy Outlook for Second-term Bush Administration
- ↑ College Journal, Working in South Korea. Retrieved October 8, 2007.
- ↑ Michigan State University, North Korean History. Retrieved October 8, 2007.
- ↑ Cumings (1997), 305-307; Nahm (1996), 448.
- ↑ Yang (1999), p.594.
- ↑ Cumings (1997) chapter 6.
- ↑ CIA World Factbook, Korea, South. Retrieved October 8, 2007.
- ↑ KOIS (2003), pp. 238-239.
- ↑ 18 out of 30, according to Country Studies: South Korea. The Economist (2003-04-10). Retrieved 2006-04-06.
- ↑ GDP - Rank order - Real Growth Rate. CIA Factbook. Retrieved 2006-09-15.
- ↑ Anti-Speculation Measures. Hankooki Ilbo. Retrieved 2006-09-15.
- ↑ Field Listing - Inflation Rate - (consumer prices). CIA Factbook. Retrieved 2006-09-15.
- ↑ Field Listing - Unemployment Rate. CIA Factbook. Retrieved 2006-09-15.
- ↑ Field Listing - Exports. CIA Factbook. Retrieved 2006-09-15.
- ↑ South Korea. CIA Country Studies. Retrieved 2006-04-22.
- ↑ World City Populations. Retrieved 2006-04-04.
- ↑ Populations for all cities as of 2005, By city and province. NSO Database. Retrieved 2006-04-22.
- ↑ Migrants Want Flexible Employment System. Korea Times December 30, 2005. Retrieved 2006-04-04.
- ↑ US military figures as of 2005, from [3] (Excel file) Tim Kane Global U.S. Troop Deployment, 1950-2003
- ↑ According to figures compiled by the South Korean National Statistical Office. 인구,가구/시도별 종교인구/시도별 종교인구 (2005년 인구총조사). NSO online KOSIS database. Retrieved 2006-08-23. This should not be confused with other figures which report only the percentage of the religious population that are Buddhist, Christian, etc.
- ↑ Korean Christian missionaries. Christianity Today. Retrieved 2006-09-15.
- ↑ Islam takes root and blooms
- ↑ Associated Organizations. MCT Website. Retrieved 2006-04-11. See also Mission and Goal. Korea Cultural Administration website. Retrieved 2006-04-11.
- ↑ Winter Sonata: Wiseman, Paul. Korea's romantic hero holds Japan in thrall. USA Today December 9. Retrieved 2006-04-11. Daejanggeum: [4] BoA: [5]
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ KOIS (2003), p.632.
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Breen, Michael (2004). The Koreans: Who They Are, What They Want, Where Their Future Lies . St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 0312326092.
- Cumings, Bruce (1997). Korea's place in the sun. New York: W.W. Norton. ISBN 0-393-31681-5.
- Hart, Dennis (2003). From Tradition to Consumption: Constructing a Capitalist Culture in South Korea. Seoul: Author. ISBN 89-88095-44-8.
- 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.
- Yang, Sung Chul (1999). The North and South Korean political systems: A comparative analysis (rev. ed.). Seoul: Hollym. ISBN 1-56591-105-9.
- Yonhap News Agency (2004). Korea Annual 2004. Seoul: Author. ISBN 89-7433-070-9.
External links
- Korea.net: Gateway to Korea. Retrieved July 18, 2007.
- Korea National Statistical Office. Retrieved July 18, 2007.
- South Korea in Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved July 18, 2007.
- CIA World Factbook entry on South Korea. Retrieved July 18, 2007.
- A Country Study: South Korea in the Library of Congress. Retrieved July 18, 2007.
- South Korea at the Yahoo! Directory. Retrieved July 18, 2007.
- Galbijim Wiki: including non-encyclopedic content for Korea. Retrieved July 18, 2007.
- Main cities of South Korea: satellite views and geographical coordinates. Retrieved July 18, 2007.
 People's Republic of China
|
 Republic of China (Taiwan)1 Japan North Korea
|
 South Korea Mongolia
| |
| SARs |  Hong Kong Macau
| ||
Sometimes included: Singapore · Vietnam · Russian Far East
Afghanistan · Armenia · Azerbaijan1 · Bahrain · Bangladesh · Bhutan · Brunei · Cambodia · China, People's Republic of · China, Republic of (Taiwan)2 · Cyprus · Egypt3 · Georgia1 · India · Indonesia4 · Iran · Iraq · Israel · Japan · Jordan · Kazakhstan1 · Korea, Democratic People's Republic of · Korea, Republic of · Kuwait · Kyrgyzstan · Laos · Lebanon · Malaysia · Maldives · Mongolia · Myanmar · Nepal · Oman · Pakistan · Philippines · Qatar · Russia1 · Saudi Arabia · Singapore · Sri Lanka · Syria · Tajikistan · Thailand · Timor-Leste (East Timor)4 · Turkey1 · Turkmenistan · United Arab Emirates · Uzbekistan · Vietnam · Yemen3
For dependent and other territories, see Dependent territory and List of unrecognized countries.
1 Partly or significantly in Europe.
2 The Republic of China (Taiwan) is not officially recognized by the United Nations; see Political status of Taiwan.
3 Partly or significantly in Africa.
4 Partly or wholly reckoned in Oceania.
Credits
New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:
The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:
Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.
