대한민국 大韓民國 Daehan Minguk Republic of Korea
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: 널리 인간을 이롭게 하라 (홍익인간) Benefit all mankind
Anthem: Aegukga (애국가; 愛國歌) Patriotic Hymn
Capital (and largest city)		Seoul 37°35′N, 127°0′E
Official languages		Korean
Demonym		South Korean, Korean
Government		Presidential republic
-	President	Lee Myung-bak
-	Prime Minister	Han Seung-soo
Establishment
-	National Foundation Day	October 3, 2333 BC
-	Korean Empire	October 12, 1897
-	Liberation 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. The Flag of South Korea, or Taegukgi has three parts a white background a red and blue Taegeuk (taijitu or "yin-yang" in the The Coat of arms of South Korea consists in the Taeguk symbol present on the national flag surrounded by five stylized petals and a ribbon bearing A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's Aegukga is also the name of the national anthem of North Korea, although it is romanized differently Nationality noun South Korean(s adjective: South Korean Statistics Age structure 0-14 Seoul ( soʊl is the Capital and largest City of South Korea. An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory This article is mainly about the spoken Korean language See Hangul for details on the native Korean writing system A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A presidential system is a System of government where an executive branch exists and presides (hence the term separately from the Legislature A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its The President of the Republic of Korea is according to the Constitution head of state chief executive of the government and commander-in-chief of the armed forces Lee Myung-bak (ˈliː ˈmjʊŋˌbæk or Korean) (born December 19, 1941) is the tenth and current President of South Korea The Prime Minister of South Korea is appointed by the President with the National Assembly 's approval Dr Han Seung-soo (born December 28, 1936 in Gangwon-do) is a Korean Politician and Diplomat. For the history of the Korea before its division, see History of Korea. Gaecheonjeol is a public holiday in South Korea on October 3. Events 42 BC - First Battle of Philippi: Triumvirs Mark Antony and Octavian fight an indecisive battle with Caesar's The 24th century BC is a Century which lasted from the year 2400 BC to 2301 BC The Korean Empire was a former small empire of Korea that lasted from the Gwangmu Restoration of 1897 until Japan 's annexation of Korea in 1910 Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon. Year 1897 ( MDCCCXCVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common The March First Movement, or Samil Movement, was one of the earliest displays of Korean independence movements during the Japanese occupation of Korea Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The division of Korea into North Korea and South Korea stems from the 1945 Allied victory in World War II, ending Japan Events 778 - The Battle of Roncevaux Pass, at which Roland is killed Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar For the history of the Korea before its division, see History of Korea. Events 778 - The Battle of Roncevaux Pass, at which Roland is killed Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Events 627 - Battle of Nineveh: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats Emperor Khosrau II 's Persian Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions  Areas between 10000 km² and 100000 km² are listed here This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" 3
Population
-	estimate	49,044,790 (24th)
-	Density	493/km² (12th) 1,274/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2008 estimate
-	Total	$1. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 276 trillion[1] (14th)
-	Per capita	$26,277 (2008) (28th)
GDP (nominal)		2008 estimate
-	Total	$999,369 billion (13th)
-	Per capita	$20,582 (2008) (30th)
Gini (2005)		31. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita PLEASE NO RANDOM FIGURES THERE ARE NO FIGURES BASED ON NATIONAL STATISTICS IN THIS ARTICLE Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product Per capita at Nominal values, the The Gini coefficient is a measure of statistical dispersion most prominently used as a measure of inequality of income distribution or inequality of wealth 6 (low)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0. The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 921 (high) (26th)
Currency		International symbol ₩ Pronounced Won (KRW)
Time zone		Korea Standard Time (UTC+9)
-	Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC+9)
Internet TLD		.kr
Calling code		+82
1	Mobile phone system CDMA, WCDMA, HSDPA and WiBro
2	Domestic power supply 220V/60 Hz, CEE 7/7 sockets

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (or ROK) and often referred to as Korea (Korean: 대한민국, IPA: [tɛː.han.min.ɡuk̚], Hanja: 大韓民國), listen (help·info)) is a presidential republic in East Asia, occupying the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The won (ko 원 ( sign: ₩; code: KRW) is the currency of South Korea. ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established Korea Standard Time (KST Korean: ko 한국 표준시 ko 韓國標準時 Han-guk pyojunsi is the standard time zone in North and South Korea and is 9 hours Daylight saving time ( DST A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E This article is mainly about the spoken Korean language See Hangul for details on the native Korean writing system Hanja is the Korean name for Chinese characters. More specifically it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated A presidential system is a System of government where an executive branch exists and presides (hence the term separately from the Legislature A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its Physical geography See also Geography of North Korea, Geography of South Korea Mountains cover 70 percent of the Korean Peninsula and arable plains are Also known as the "Land of the Morning Calm", it is bordered by China to the west, Japan to the east and North Korea to the north, with which it was united until 1945. There are various names of Korea in use today derived from ancient kingdoms and dynasties Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, Its capital and largest city is Seoul, the world's second largest metropolitan city. Seoul ( soʊl is the Capital and largest City of South Korea. The question of which are the World's largest cities is a complex one to which there is no single correct answer simply because there are many different ways of defining a "city"

Korea is one of the oldest civilizations in the world, with its foundation dating back to 2333 BC by the legendary Dangun. A Civilization is a society in which large numbers of people share a variety of common elements Dangun Wanggeom was the legendary founder of Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom around present-day Liaoning, Manchuria, and the Korean Archaeological research shows that the peninsula was inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic. The Lower Paleolithic (or Lower Palaeolithic) is the earliest subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age. Following the unification of the Three Korean Kingdoms under Silla in 668 AD, Korea went through the Goryeo and Joseon Dynasty as one nation until the end of the Korean Empire in 1910. The Three Kingdoms of Korea ( refer to the ancient Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula Silla (57 BC – 935 AD was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. The Goryeo Dynasty ( 918 - 1392) (also spelled Koryŏ was a Sovereign state established in 918 by Taejo Wang Kon. The Korean Empire was a former small empire of Korea that lasted from the Gwangmu Restoration of 1897 until Japan 's annexation of Korea in 1910 After division, South Korea was established in 1948 and has since rapidly recovered from the Japanese invasion (1910–1945) and Korean war (1950–1953), operating a successful and stable democracy since the first direct election in 1987. Korea under Japanese rule refers to the period between 1910 and 1945 when Korea was forcibly annexed by the Japanese Empire. The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system Elections in South Korea are held on national level to select the President and the National Assembly.

South Korea is a major economic power and one of the wealthiest countries in Asia. The G20 ( Group of 20) is a group consisting of 19 of the world's largest economies together with the European Union. It had one of the world's fastest growing economies since the 1960s, now highly developed and one of the three largest^[2] in Asia and 13th largest^[3] in the world. The term developed country, or advanced country, is used to categorize countries with developed Economies in which the tertiary and quaternary sectors PLEASE NO RANDOM FIGURES THERE ARE NO FIGURES BASED ON NATIONAL STATISTICS IN THIS ARTICLE Forming the G20 industrial nations and the world's top ten exporters, it is a member of the United Nations, WTO, OECD, APEC, EAS and ASEAN+3, defined as a High Income Nation by the World Bank and an Advanced Economy by the IMF and CIA. The G20 ( Group of 20) is a group consisting of 19 of the world's largest economies together with the European Union. This is a list of countries by Exports, based on The World Factbook. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The East Asia Summit (EAS is a forum held annually by leaders of 16 countries in the East Asian region The World Bank Group (WBG is a family of five International organizations responsible for providing Finance and advice to countries for the purposes of economic The International Monetary Fund ( IMF) is an International organization that oversees the Global financial system by following the Macroeconomic near as long as it used to be several months ago It has been actively summarized and split into sub-articles and there is a dynamic talk page discussion of all A major non-NATO ally, it has the world's sixth largest armed forces and one of the ten largest defence budgets in the world. Major non-NATO ally ( MNNA) is a designation given by the United States government to exceptionally close allies who have close strategic working relationships This list of countries by size of armed forces displays national troop levels by active troop strength number of Naval combatants fighter aircraft and Nuclear weapons. This is a list of countries by military expenditures using the latest information available Nicknamed as an Asian tiger, it is still among the world's fastest growing developed countries^[4] and a Next Eleven state, forecasted to surpass the income per capita of Germany, UK and France in 16 years. The term Four Asian Tigers or East Asian Tigers refers to the Economies of South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore The term developed country, or advanced country, is used to categorize countries with developed Economies in which the tertiary and quaternary sectors The Next Eleven (or N-11) are eleven countries — Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. ^[5] Today, its success story is known as the "Miracle on the Han River", a role model for many developing countries. " Miracle on the Han River " ( is a phrase used to describe the period of rapid economic growth that took place in South Korea from the 1961 coup of General Developing countries are countries that haven't reached Western-style standards of democratic government free market economy industrialization social programs and human rights guaranties ^[6]

South Korea has a strong economic, political and cultural influence in Asia and is one of the world's leading countries in science and technology. An economy is the realized social system of production exchange distribution and consumption of goods and services of a country or other area Politics Politics is the process by which groups of people make decisions Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate" generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding Technology is a broad concept that deals with a Species ' usage and knowledge of Tools and Crafts and how it affects a species' ability to control and adapt ^[7] It has a very advanced and modern infrastructure^[8] and is a world leader in information technology such as electronics, semiconductors, LCD displays, cell phones and high-tech gadgets, led by Samsung and LG. Infrastructure typically refers to the technical structures that support a society such as Roads Water supply, Wastewater, Power grids Information technology ( IT) as defined by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA is "the study design development implementation support Electronics refers to the flow of charge (moving Electrons through Nonmetal conductors (mainly Semiconductors, whereas electrical A semiconductor' is a Solid material that has Electrical conductivity in between a conductor and an insulator; it can vary over that GADGET is a freely available code for cosmological N-body/SPH simulations written by Volker Springel at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics. The Samsung Group ( Korean:, Samsung Guerup) is South Korea 's largest company or Chaebol and the world's largest conglomerate Home of the world's third largest steel producer, POSCO, it is the world's largest shipbuilder and one of the world's top five automobile manufacturers, headed by Hyundai and Kia. Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0 The Pohang Iron and Steel Company, or POSCO ( ( ( ( based in Pohang, South Korea, is the third largest Steel producer in the world See also Shipbuilding (song. Shipbuilding is the construction of Ships It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a The Hyundai Motor Company, a division of the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group, is South Korea ’s largest and the world’s fifth largest automaker in terms of units Kia Motors, a subsidiary of Hyundai Kia Automotive Group, is South Korea 's 2nd largest automobile manufacturer with headquarters in Seoul, It is also a leading country in engineering, construction, machinery, textiles, petrochemicals, biotechnology and robotics. Engineering is the Discipline and Profession of applying technical and scientific Knowledge and In the fields of Architecture and Civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the Building or assembling of Infrastructure A machine is any device that uses Energy to perform some activity A textile is a flexible material comprised of a network of natural or artificial Fibres often referred to as thread or Yarn. Petrochemicals are chemical products made from raw materials of Petroleum or other Hydrocarbon origin Biotechnology is Technology based on Biology, especially when used in Agriculture, Food science, and Medicine. See also Robot Robotics is the science and technology of Robots and their design manufacture and application

Contents 1 Government 2 History 2.1 Before division 2.2 After division 3 Foreign relations 3.1 United States 3.2 China 3.3 Japan 3.4 North Korea 3.5 Other nations 4 Military 5 Administrative divisions 6 Geography and climate 6.1 Climate 6.2 Environment 7 Economy 7.1 Transportation 7.2 Modern Industries 8 Science and technology 8.1 Space programs 8.2 Robotics 8.3 Energy 9 Education 10 Demographics 10.1 Religion 11 Culture & Entertainment 12 Sports 13 International rankings 14 See also 15 References 16 External links

Government

Main article: Government of South Korea

The government of South Korea is divided into three branches : executive, judicial, and legislative. The Government of South Korea is divided into three branches executive judicial and legislative The National Assembly of South Korea is a 299-member Unicameral Legislature. Yeouido is a large island next to the Han River in Seoul, South Korea. Seoul ( soʊl is the Capital and largest City of South Korea. In Political science and Constitutional law, the executive is the branch of government responsible for the day-to-day management of the State. In Law, the judiciary or judicial system is the system of Courts which administer Justice in the name of the sovereign or State A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation The executive and legislative branches operate primarily at the national level, although various ministries in the executive branch also carry out local functions. Local governments are semi-autonomous, and contain executive and legislative bodies of their own. The judicial branch operates at both the national and local levels.

The South Korean's government's structure is determined by the Constitution of the Republic of Korea. The Constitution of the Republic of Korea (South Korea is its basic law This document has been revised several times since its first promulgation in 1948 (see history of South Korea). For the history of the Korea before its division, see History of Korea. However, it has retained many broad characteristics; with the exception of the short-lived Second Republic of South Korea, the country has always had a presidential system with a relatively independent chief executive. The Second Republic of South Korea was the government of South Korea for eight months in 1960 and 1961 ^[9]

History

Before division

Main article: History of Korea

Archeological findings indicate that the Korean Peninsula was occupied by humans as early in the Lower Paleolithic period. Physical geography See also Geography of North Korea, Geography of South Korea Mountains cover 70 percent of the Korean Peninsula and arable plains are The Lower Paleolithic (or Lower Palaeolithic) is the earliest subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age.

Korea began with the founding of Gojoseon in 2333 BC by Dangun. Gojoseon was an ancient Korean kingdom considered the first proper nation of the Korean people. Dangun Wanggeom was the legendary founder of Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom around present-day Liaoning, Manchuria, and the Korean ^[10] Gojoseon expanded until it controlled much of the northern Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria. Manchuria ( Romanized Manchu: Manju,, Маньчжурия Mongolian: Манж is a historical name given to a vast geographic region in northeast After numerous wars with the Chinese Han Dynasty, Gojoseon disintegrated, leading to the Proto-Three Kingdoms of Korea period. The Han Dynasty ( 206 BC–220 AD followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. Proto-Three Kingdoms of Korea refers to the period after the fall of Gojoseon and before the maturation of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla into

In the early centuries of the Common Era, Buyeo, Okjeo, Dongye, and the Samhan confederacy occupied the peninsula and southern Manchuria. Buyeo, Puyŏ, or Fuyu was an ancient Korean kingdom located from today's Manchuria to northern North Korea, from around the 2nd Okjeo was a small tribal state which arose in the northern Korean peninsula from perhaps 2nd century BCE to 5th century CE Dongye was a state which occupied portions of the northeastern Korean peninsula from roughly 150 BCE to around 400 CE Samhan refers to the ancient confederacies of Mahan, Jinhan, and Byeonhan in central and southern Korean peninsula Of the various small states, Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla grew to control the peninsula as the Three Kingdoms. Goguryeo or Koguryo was an ancient Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean peninsula, southern Manchuria, and Baekje (18 BCE – 660 CE or Paekche, was a kingdom located in southwest Korea Silla (57 BC – 935 AD was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. The Three Kingdoms of Korea ( refer to the ancient Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula

Introduction of Buddhism and other influences from China had profound effects on Korea, which later passed on, combined with Korean advances, to Japan. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. ^{[11][12][13][14]}

The unification of the Three Kingdoms by Silla in 676 led to the North-South States period, in which the much of the Korean peninsula was controlled by Unified Silla, while Balhae succeeded the northern parts of Goguryeo. Unified Silla ( 668 CE - 935 CE or Later Silla is the name often applied to the kingdom of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Unified Silla ( 668 CE - 935 CE or Later Silla is the name often applied to the kingdom of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Alternate meaning Bohai Sea Balhae (698 - 926 ( Bohai in Chinese, Пархэ in Russian) was an In Unified Silla, poetry and art was encouraged, and Buddhist culture flourished. Unified Silla ( 668 CE - 935 CE or Later Silla is the name often applied to the kingdom of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Relationships between Korea and China remained relatively peaceful during this time. However, Unified Silla weakened under internal strife, and surrendered to Goryeo in 935. The Goryeo Dynasty ( 918 - 1392) (also spelled Koryŏ was a Sovereign state established in 918 by Taejo Wang Kon. Balhae, Silla's neighbor to the north, was formed as a successor state to Goguryeo. Alternate meaning Bohai Sea Balhae (698 - 926 ( Bohai in Chinese, Пархэ in Russian) was an Goguryeo or Koguryo was an ancient Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean peninsula, southern Manchuria, and During its height, Balhae controlled most of Manchuria and parts of Russia. It fell to the Khitan in 926. The Khitan (or Khitai,) were a Nomadic people, located in Mongolia and modern Manchuria (Northeast China from the 4th century dominating much of it

After the North-South Period, successor states fought for control during the Later Three Kingdoms period. The Later Three Kingdoms of Korea (892 - 936 consisted of Silla, Hubaekje ("Later Baekje " and Taebong (also known as Hugoguryeo The peninsula was soon united by Wang Geon of Goryeo. Taejo of Goryeo ( January 31, 877 - July 4, 943, r 918-943 was the founder of the Goryeo Dynasty which ruled Korea from The Goryeo Dynasty ( 918 - 1392) (also spelled Koryŏ was a Sovereign state established in 918 by Taejo Wang Kon. Like Silla, Goryeo was a highly cultural state and created the Jikji in 1377, using the world's oldest movable metal printing press. Jikji is the abbreviated title of a Korean Buddhist document whose full title can be translated "The Monk Baegun's Anthology of the Great Priests' Teachings A printing press is a mechanical device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a medium (such as paper or cloth thereby transferring an image ^[15]

The Mongol invasions in the 13th century greatly weakened Goryeo. The Mongol invasions of Korea (1231 - 1273 consisted of a series of campaigns by the Mongol Empire against Korea, then known as Goryeo, from 1231 to 1259 However, Goryeo continued to rule Korea as a tributary ally to the Mongols. After the fall of the Mongolian Empire (Yuan Dynasty), Goryeo continued its rule. The Yuan Dynasty ( Pinyin: Yuáncháo Dai Ön Ulus (Дай Юан Улс was a ruling Dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai After severe political strife and continued invasions, Goryeo was replaced by the Joseon Dynasty in 1388 following a rebellion by General Yi Seong-gye. Taejo of Joseon ( October 11, 1335 &ndash May 24, 1408; r 1392-1398 born Yi Seong-gye, whose changed name is Yi Dan, was

General Yi declared the new name of Korea as Joseon in reference to Gojoseon, and moved the capital to Seoul. Gojoseon was an ancient Korean kingdom considered the first proper nation of the Korean people. Seoul ( soʊl is the Capital and largest City of South Korea. The first 200 years of the Joseon Dynasty was marked by relative peace and saw the creation of hangul by King Sejong the Great in the 14 century and the rise and influence of Confucianism. Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B

In the latter of the 16th century, Joseon was invaded by a newly unified Japan. During the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598), centuries of peace had left the dynasty unprepared, and the lack of technology and poor leadership from the Joseon government and generals led to the destruction of much of the Korean peninsula. Two Japanese invasions of Korea and subsequent battles on the Korean peninsula took place during the years 1592-1598 King Seonjo ruled in Korea between 1567 and 1608. He was the fourteenth king of the Joseon Dynasty. However, continued Korean dominance at sea led by Admiral Yi, the rise of local militias, and the intervention of Ming China put Japan under great pressure to retreat in 1598. Yi Sun-sin (April 28 1545 – December 16 1598 also commonly transliterated Yi Soon-shin or Lee Sun-shin, Korean:이순신 was a Korean The Ming Dynasty ( or Empire of the Great Ming ( was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol -led

Today, Admiral Yi is celebrated as one of Korea's foremost heroes and his turtle ships, used with great success against the Japanese, are considered the world's first ironclad warships, although lack of hard evidence of iron plating sparks much debate. Construction According to the Nanjung Ilgi, Yi's wartime diary Yi decided to resurrect the turtle ship in 1591 from pre-existing designs after discussing An ironclad was a steam-propelled Warship of the later 19th century protected by Iron or Steel armor plates

During the last years of the Joseon Dynasty, Korea's isolationist policy earned it the name the "Hermit Kingdom", primarily for protection against Western imperialism. Hermit kingdom is a Pejorative term applied to any Country or Society which willfully walls itself off (metaphorically or physically from the rest of the Imperialism has two meanings one describing an action and the other describing an attitude

After division

Main article: History of South Korea

In the aftermath of World War II, Soviet Union and United States troops controlled the northern and southern halves of the country respectively. For the history of the Korea before its division, see History of Korea. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The two Cold War rivals established governments sympathetic to their own ideologies, leading to Korea's division into two political entities: North Korea and South Korea. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia,

Despite the initial plan of a unified Korea in the 1943 Cairo Declaration, escalating Cold War antagonism eventually led to the establishment of two separate governments: the communist North and the capitalist South. The Cairo Declaration was a result from Cairo Conference at Cairo, Egypt, on November 27, 1943. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the In the North, a former anti-Japanese guerilla and communist activist, Kim Il-sung^[16] and in the South, freshly shipped from America, Syngman Rhee were installed as presidents. Kim Il-sung ( 15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was the leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from its founding in early Syngman Rhee or Yi Seungman ( March 26, 1875 – July 19, 1965) was the first president of South Korea. ^[17]

On June 25, 1950, North Korea invaded the South leading to the Korean War. Events 524 - Battle of Vézeronce, the Franks defeat the Burgundians Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the The Soviet boycott of the United Nations at the time, and therefore, no veto, allowed the UN to intervene when it became apparent that the superior communist forces would easily take over the entire country. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The Soviet Union and China backed North Korea, with the later participation of millions of Chinese troops. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, After huge advances on both sides, the war eventually reached a stalemate. The 1953 armistice, never signed by South Korea, split the peninsula along the demilitarized zone near the original demarcation line. The Korean Demilitarized Zone ( Korean: 한반도의 군사 분계선 is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a Buffer No peace treaty was ever signed, and the two countries are still technically at war. ^[18]

In 1960, a student uprising led to the resignation of the autocratic and corrupt President Syngman Rhee. The April Revolution, sometimes called the April 19 Revolution or April 19 Movement, was a popular uprising in April 1960 led by labor and student Syngman Rhee or Yi Seungman ( March 26, 1875 – July 19, 1965) was the first president of South Korea. A period of profound civil unrest and general political instability followed, broken by General Park Chung-hee's military coup (the "5. Park Chung-hee ( November 14, 1917 – October 26, 1979) was a former ROK Army general and the autocratic dictator of the Republic The Supreme Council for National Reconstruction, initially named the Revolutionary Committee, was a group of Korean officials 16 coup d'état") against the weak and ineffectual government the next year. Park took over as president until his assassination in 1979, overseeing rapid export-led economic growth as well as severe political repression. Export-Oriented Industrialisation (EOI sometimes called export substitution industrialization (ESI is a Trade and economic Policy aiming to speed-up Park is heavily criticized as a ruthless military dictator, although the Korean economy developed significantly during his tenure.

The years after Park's assassination were marked by, again, considerable political turmoil as the previously repressed opposition leaders all campaigned to run for president in the sudden political void. In 1980, there was a coup d'état, by General Chun Doo-hwan against the transitional government of Choi Gyu Ha, the interim president and a former prime minister under Park. Chun Doo-hwan (born 18 January, 1931) was former ROK Army general and the President of South Korea from 1980 to 1988 Chun assumed the presidency. His seizure of power triggered nationwide protest demanding democracy, in particular the city of Gwangju, in Jeollanam-do where Chun sent in special forces to violently suppress the city, in what is now known as the Gwangju Massacre. The Coup d'état of December Twelfth ( Hangul: 12/12 군사반란 or the "12/12 Incident" was a military Coup d'état which took place on Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system Jeollanam-do (South Jeolla is a province in the southwest of South Korea. The Gwangju Democratization Movement ( Hangul: 광주 민주화운동 refers to a popular uprising in the city of Gwangju,

Until 1987, he and his government held Korea under despotic rule when Park Jong Chul — a student attending Seoul National University — was tortured to death. Seoul National University ( SNU) is a national Research university in Seoul, South Korea. ^[19] The Catholic Priests' Association for Justice revealed that Park was tortured, igniting huge demonstrations around the country. The demonstrations snowballed when another student from Yonsei University, Lee Han Yeol, was killed by a police-fired tear gas bomb while he was demonstrating against the military government. The period of resistance is called the Resistance of June when all joined the national movement. Eventually, Chun's party, the Democratic Justice Party, and its leader, Roh Tae-woo announced the June 29th Declaration, which included the direct election of the president. Roh Tae-woo (born December 4, 1932 in Daegu, South Korea) is a former ROK Army general and politician ^[20]

Today, South Korea is a liberal democracy, with universal suffrage at age 19. The term "liberal" in "liberal democracy" does not imply that the government of such a democracy must follow the political ideology of The CIA World Factbook calls it a, "fully functioning modern democracy". The World Factbook ( ISSN; also known as the CIA World Factbook) is an annual publication of the Central Intelligence Agency of the ^[21] However, The Economist described the country as a "Flawed Democracy". The Economist is an English-language weekly news and International affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd and edited in London ^[22]

In 1988, Seoul hosted the 1988 Summer Olympics, a cause of both national and international celebration in contrast to great turmoil of the past. The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event staged in 1988 in In 1996, South Korea became a member of the OECD, a testament to further economic growth. As with many of its Asian neighbors, South Korea suffered the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, but the country was able to re-emerge and continue its growth towards a major economic power after a swift recovery. The Asian Financial Crisis was a period of Financial crisis that gripped much of Asia beginning in July 1997 and raised fears of a worldwide economic meltdown ( ^[23]

In June 2000, as part of South Korean president Kim Dae-jung's Sunshine Policy of engagement, a North-South summit took place in Pyongyang, the capital city of North Korea. Kim Dae-jung (Born December 3, 1925, kim tɛdʑuŋ is a former South Korean president and the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize recipient The Sunshine Policy was the South Korean doctrine towards North Korea until Lee Myung-bak 's election to presidency in 2008 Inter-Korean Summits are meetings between the leaders of North Korea and South Korea. Pyongyang (pʰjʌŋjaŋ is the Capital and largest City of North Korea, located on the Taedong River, at. That year, Former President Kim received the Nobel Peace Prize "for his work for democracy and human rights in South Korea and in East Asia in general, and for peace and reconciliation with North Korea in particular. The Nobel Peace Prize ( Swedish, Danish and Nobels fredspris is one of five Nobel Prizes Bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor "^[24]

In 2004, South Korea joined the "trillion dollar club" of world economies. ^[25]

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of South Korea

United States

The United States of America was the primary driver in the establishment and initial sustainment of the South Korean government before and after the Korean War. The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the The two nations have enjoyed both strong economic and diplomatic ties after the Korean War, although they have often been at odds with regard to their policies towards North Korea during former president Kim Dae Jung and No Moo-Hyun's terms. The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, There was a spike of anti-American sentiment, although US-Korea relations have steadily improved since the election of current president Lee Myung Bak. ^[26] In April 2007, Korea concluded a Free Trade Agreement with the United States, but that agreement still awaits ratification by the legislatures of both countries. The US-Korea Free Trade Agreement (also known as KORUS FTA) is a trade agreement between the United States and the Republic of Korea. The Economy of the United States is the largest national economy in the world

China

Historically, Korea had relatively close relations with China. Before the formation of South Korea, Korean independence fighters also worked with Chinese soldiers during the period of Japanese occupation. However, after World War II, the Chinese embraced communism while South Korea became a representative democracy with the help of the United Nations and the United States. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Communism is a Socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless Society based Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of the people's representatives The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The People's Republic of China assisted North Korea with manpower and supplies during the Korean War, and in its aftermath the diplomatic relationship between South Korea and China almost completely ceased. The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the Relations thawed gradually however, and South Korea and China established formal diplomatic relations on August 24, 1992. Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar 's General Gaius Scribonius Curio is defeated in the Second Battle of the Bagradas River Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) The two countries sought to improve bilateral relations and lifted the forty-year old trade embargo, and^[27] Korea-China relations have improved steadily since 1992. ^[28]

Japan

Although there were no formal diplomatic ties between South Korea and Japan after the Korean War, South Korea and Japan signed the Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea in 1965 to establish diplomatic ties. The Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea ( Japanese:; Korean: ko-Hang 한일기본조약 ko-Hant 韓日基本條約 Hanil Gibon There is still heavy anti-Japanese sentiment in South Korea due to a number of unsettled Japanese-Korean disputes, many of which stem from the period of Japanese occupation. Anti-Japanese sentiment involves Hatred, grievance distrust Dehumanization, Intimidation, Fear, Hostility, and/or general dislike Korea under Japanese rule refers to the period between 1910 and 1945 when Korea was forcibly annexed by the Japanese Empire. During World War II, more than 100,000 Koreans were forced to serve in the Imperial Japanese Army. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Imperial Japanese Army ( IJA) ( Kyūjitai: 大日本帝國陸軍 Shinjitai: ja 大日本帝国陸軍 Romaji: Dai-Nippon Teikoku ^[29] Longstanding issues such as Japanese war crimes against Korean civilians, the visits by Japanese politicians to the Yasukuni Shrine honoring Japanese soldiers killed at war, including class A war criminals like Hideki Tojo, the re-writing of Japanese textbooks to overlook Japanese aggression during World War II, and the territorial disputes over Liancourt Rocks continue to trouble Korean-Japanese relations. Japanese war crimes occurred during the period of Japanese imperialism. is a Shinto shrine located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is dedicated to the Kami (spirits of Soldiers The Japanese history textbook controversies are about Government -approved History Textbooks used in the Secondary education ( Junior high In response to then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's repeated visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, President Roh Moo-hyun suspended all summit talks between South Korea and Japan. The is the usual English-language term used for the Head of government of Japan, although the literal translation of the Japanese name for the office is Prime is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2001 to 2006 The President of the Republic of Korea is according to the Constitution head of state chief executive of the government and commander-in-chief of the armed forces ^[30] Presently, South Korea and Japan's political relations are unstable but thawing progressively, and the newly-elected President of Korea, Lee Myung-Bak, held a summit meeting with Yasuo Fukuda, the current Prime Minister of Japan. He has also said that Japan does not have to apologize any more, and both countries should work together.

North Korea

Both North and South Korea continue to officially claim sovereignty over the entire peninsula and any outlying islands. North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, With longstanding animosity following the Korean War from 1950 to 1953, North Korea and South Korea signed an agreement to pursue peace. The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the ^[31] On October 4, 2007, Roh Moo-Hyun and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il signed an eight-point peace agreement on issues of permanent peace, high-level talks, economic cooperation, renewal of train services, highway and air travel, and a joint Olympic cheering squad. Events 610 - Heraclius arrives by ship from Africa at Constantinople, overthrows Byzantine Emperor Phocas Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Kim Jong-il (also written as Kim Jong Il) (born 16 February 1941 Vyatskoye, Soviet Union; official biographies state 16 February 1942 Baekdu ^[32]

Despite the Sunshine Policy and efforts at reconciliation, the progress was complicated by North Korean missile tests in 1993, 1998, and again in 2006. A North Korean missile test occurred on May 29 and 30 of 1993. A North Korean missile test occurred on August 31, 1998. North Korea tested the Taepodong-1 missile The 2006 North Korean nuclear test was the detonation of a nuclear device conducted on October 9, 2006 by the Democratic People's Republic Recently, North Korea agreed to temporarily suspend its pursuit of a nuclear weapons program for economic and diplomatic support, although some Korean and American officials criticized the North for not being fully cooperative in its temporary suspension of a nuclear weapons program. ^[33]

Other nations

South Korea maintains diplomatic relations with approximately 170 countries. The country has also been a member of the United Nations since 1991, when it became a member state at the same time as North Korea. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security On January 1, 2007, South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon assumed the post of UN Secretary-General. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Ban Ki-moon (born 13 June 1944 Korean: 반기문 Hanja: 潘基文 is the current Secretary-General of the United Nations. The Secretary-General of the United Nations is the head of the Secretariat, one of the principal organs of the United Nations. It has also developed links with Association of Southeast Asian Nations as both a member of ASEAN Plus three, a body of observers, and the East Asia Summit (EAS). The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly referred to as ASEAN, ˈɑːsiːɑːn AH-see-ahn in English (the Official language The East Asia Summit (EAS is a forum held annually by leaders of 16 countries in the East Asian region

There is an ongoing effort at negotiating a Free Trade Agreement with the European Union, the second largest importer of Korean goods. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in ^[34] South Korea is also negotiating a Free Trade Agreement with Canada. ^[35]

Military

Main article: Military of South Korea

The South Korean military is composed of the Army (ROKA), the Navy (ROKN), the Air Force (ROKAF), and the Marine Corps (ROKMC), together with reserve forces. The Republic of Korea Army ( ROK Army, ROKA, Korean: 대한민국 육군 Hanja: 大韓民國 陸軍 is by far the largest of the military branches The Republic of Korea Navy ( Hangul: 대한민국 해군 Hanja: 大韓民國 海軍 Revised Romanization: Dae-han-min-guk Hae-gun) or The Republic of Korea Air Force ( ROK Air Force, ROKAF, Hanglul: 대한민국 공군 Hanja: 大韓民國 空軍 is the Air force The Republic of Korea Marine Corps (aka ROK Marine Corps / ROK Marines, ROKMC, Korean Hangul: 대한민국 ^[36] Many of these forces are concentrated near the border with North Korea, near the demilitarized zone. All South Korean males are constitutionally required to serve in the military, typically for a period of two years. However, there has been debates about shortening the length of the military services, and even dismissing the mandatory service itself. The government recently allowed some male students who were in the process of earning a university bachelor's degree and master's degree to dismiss the military requirements to let them to further study and research on their fields.

From time to time, South Korea has sent its troops overseas to assist American forces. It has participated in most major conflicts that the United States has been involved in the past 50 years. South Korea dispatched 320,000 troops to fight alongside American, Australian and South Vietnamese soldiers in the Vietnam War, with a peak strength of 50,000. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. "RVN" redirects here RVN is also the former callsign of a TV station in Wagga Wagga New South Wales Australia The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia Most recently, South Korea sent 3,300 troops of the Zaytun Division to help re-building in northern Iraq, and was the 3rd largest contributor in the coalition forces after only the US and Britain. The Zaytun Division is a contingent of Republic of Korea Army troops currently operating in Northern Iraq, carrying out peacekeeping and reconstruction tasks For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Multi-National Force - Iraq (MNF-I, is a military command, led by the United States that is fighting the Iraq War against Iraqi insurgents or resistants ^[37]

The United States has stationed a substantial contingent of troops in South Korea since the Korean War to defend South Korea in case of a North Korean attack. A troop is a Military unit, originally a small force of Cavalry, subordinate to a Squadron and headed by the troop leader There are also approximately 29,000 US military stationed in Korea,^[38] most of them serving one year of unaccompanied tours. United States Forces Korea ( USFK) refers to the ground air and naval divisions of the United States Armed Forces stationed in South Korea. The American Troops, which primarily are assigned to the Eighth United States Army are stationed in installations at Osan, Youngsan, Dongducheon, Sungbok,and Daegu, of which most are camps, which are considered camps not for their lack of buildings or support structure but to make a political and military statement representing a lack of permanence. Osan is a city in Gyeonggi Province South Korea, approximately 35 km south of Seoul. Tongducheon is a city in Gyeonggi Province South Korea. The city located in the north of Seoul is strategically important for the defence Daegu (pronounced) also spelled Taegu (pronounced) officially called Daegu Metropolitan City, is the fourth largest city in South Korea after

A still functioning UN Command controls all forces in South Korea, including the US forces and the entire Korean military. The United Nations Command (Korea is the unified command structure for the multinational military forces supporting the Republic of Korea (South Korea or ROK during and after

Currently, the South Korean navy is working towards being a blue-water navy. The term blue-water navy is a Colloquialism used to describe a maritime force capable of operating across the deep waters of open oceans It has recently acquired its first Aegis combat system-enabled destroyer, the King Sejong the Great class destroyer. The Aegis combat system is an integrated weapons system used by the United States Navy. Background The ship features the Aegis combat system (Baseline 7 Phase 1 combined with AN/SPY-1D multi-function radar antennae South Korea is the fifth country to begin operating an Aegis Combat System-enabled surface ship. ^[39]

Administrative divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of South Korea

See also Special cities of Korea and Provinces of Korea

	Namea	hangul	hanja
Special cities (Teukbyeolsi)a
1	Seoul (National Capital)	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 (Northern Chungcheong)	충청북도	忠淸北道
11	Chungcheongnam-do (Southern Chungcheong)	충청남도	忠淸南道
12	Jeollabuk-do (Northern Jeolla)	전라북도	全羅北道
13	Jeollanam-do (Southern Jeolla)	전라남도	全羅南道
14	Gyeongsangbuk-do (Northern Gyeongsang)	경상북도	慶尙北道
15	Gyeongsangnam-do (Southern Gyeongsang)	경상남도	慶尙南道
Special self-governing province (Teukbyeoljachi-do)a
16	Jeju-do	제주특별자치도	濟州特別自治道

^a Revised Romanization. Seoul ( soʊl is the Capital and largest City of South Korea. Daegu (pronounced) also spelled Taegu (pronounced) officially called Daegu Metropolitan City, is the fourth largest city in South Korea after Incheon is a metropolitan city and a major seaport on the west coast of South Korea, near Seoul. Gwangju Metropolitan City is the sixth largest city in South Korea. Daejeon ( is a capital city of Chungcheongnamdo Province and metropolitan city in the center of South Korea. Ulsan is a metropolitan city in the south-east of South Korea, facing the East Sea Gyeonggi-do is the most populous province in South Korea. The provincial capital is located at Suwon. Gangwon-do is a province of South Korea, with its capital at Chuncheon. Chungcheongbuk-do (North Chungcheong is a province in the centre of South Korea. Chungcheongnam-do (South Chungcheong is a province in the west of South Korea. Jeollabuk-do (North Jeolla is a province in the southwest of South Korea. Jeollanam-do (South Jeolla is a province in the southwest of South Korea. Gyeongsangbuk-do (North Gyeongsang is a province in eastern South Korea. Gyeongsangnam-do (South Gyeongsang is a province in the southeast of South Korea. Jeju-do ( transliterated Korean for Jeju Province, short form of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province) is the only special self-governing province The Revised Romanization of Korean is the official Korean language Romanization system in South Korea.

Geography and climate

Main article: Geography 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. South Korea is located in East Asia, on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula jutting out from the far east of the Asian land mass Physical geography See also Geography of North Korea, Geography of South Korea Mountains cover 70 percent of the Korean Peninsula and arable plains are This mountainous peninsula is flanked by the Yellow Sea to the west, and the Sea of Japan (East Sea) to the east. The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a Marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. The Sea of Japan is a Marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, bordered by Japan, Korea, North Korea and Russia Its southern tip lies on the Korea Strait and the East China Sea. The Korea Strait is a sea passage between South Korea and Japan, connecting the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan (East Sea in The East China Sea is a Marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1249000 km²

The country's total area is 38,462. 49 square miles (99,617. 39 km²). ^[40]

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. A coastal plain is an area of flat low-lying land adjacent to a seacoast and separated from the interior by other features A drainage basin is an extent of Land where Water from Rain or Snow melt drains downhill into a body of water such as a River, The Nakdong River ( Rakdong in North Korean is the longest River in South Korea, and passes through major cities such as Daegu and

South Korea's land is mostly mountainous, most of which is not arable. In Geography, arable land (from Latin arare, to Plough) is an agricultural term meaning land that can be used for Lowlands, located primarily in the west and southeast, constitute only 30% of the total land area. In physical Geography, a lowland is any broad expanse of land with a general low level

About three thousand islands, mostly small and uninhabited, lie off the western and southern coasts of South Korea. Jeju-do is located about 100 kilometers (about 60 mi) off the southern coast of South Korea. Jeju-do ( transliterated Korean for Jeju Province, short form of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province) is the only special self-governing province 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: Hallasan, an extinct volcano, reaches 1,950 metres (6,398 ft) above sea level. Hallasan is a Shield volcano on Jeju Island of South Korea. Hallasan is the highest Mountain of South Korea Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the The most eastern islands of South Korea include Ulleungdo and Dokdo, while Marado and Ieodo are the southernmost islands of South Korea. Ulleungdo (also spelled Ulreungdo) is a South Korean island in the Sea of Japan (East Sea Mara-do is a tiny treeless island 11 km off the south coast of Jeju, in southernmost South Korea, having an area of 0 You may be looking for Socotra in the Indian Ocean Socotra Rock ( is a submerged rock 4

Climate

Climate chart for South Korea
J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
23   1 -7	25   3 -5	47   10 0	94   17 7	92   23 13	134   26 17	369   29 22	294   30 22	169   26 17	50   20 10	53   11 3	21   4 -4
temperatures in °C • precipitation totals in mm source: climate-charts.com
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     0. 9   33 19     1   37 23     1. 9   50 32     3. 7   63 45     3. 6   73 55     5. 3   79 63     14. 5   84 72     11. 6   86 72     6. 7   79 63     2   68 50     2. 1   52 37     0. 8   39 25 temperatures in °F • precipitation totals in inches

The local climate is relatively temperate, with precipitation heavier in summer during a short rainy season called jangma (장마), and winters that can be bitterly cold. Climate encompasses the temperatures humidity rainfall atmospheric particle count and numerous other meteorogical factors in a given region over long periods of In Meteorology, precipitation (also known as one class of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric The East Asian monsoon is a Monsoonal flow that carries moist air from the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean to East Asia. 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). Seoul ( soʊl is the Capital and largest City of South Korea. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 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. A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a low pressure center and numerous Thunderstorms that produce strong winds and Flooding The average annual precipitation varies from 1,370 millimeters (54 inches) in Seoul to 1,470 millimeters (58 inches) in Busan. In Meteorology, precipitation (also known as one class of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. There are occasional typhoons that bring high winds and floods. The government is concerned of the impact of global warming on the natural disasters.

Environment

In urban areas there are problems associated with air pollution as well as water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents. Air pollution is the human introduction into the atmosphere of Chemicals Particulate matter, or Biological materials that cause harm or discomfort Water pollution is the contamination of Water bodies such as Lakes Rivers Oceans and Groundwater caused by human activities Sewage is the mainly liquid Waste containing some solids produced by humans which typically consists of washing water Feces, Urine, laundry waste and other Cheonggyecheon is one of the recent attempts at restoring the flow of the clean water in South Korea. Cheonggyecheon ( Hangul: 청계천 is a nearly 6km long modern public recreation space in downtown Seoul, South Korea. ^[41]

South Korea is a member of numerous international environmental organizations with specific regards to Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution (MARPOL 73/78), Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, and Whaling. Marpol 73/78 is the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships 1973 as modified by the Protocol of 1978. ^[42]

Economy

Main article: Economy of South Korea

South Korea is a major global economic power, having the 12th largest economy^[43] in the world and the third largest^[44] in Asia, forming the "Big Three" economies in Asia along with China and Japan. PLEASE NO RANDOM FIGURES THERE ARE NO FIGURES BASED ON NATIONAL STATISTICS IN THIS ARTICLE China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Its largest trading partner and export market today is China. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES ^[45] South Korea has achieved rapid economic growth through exports of manufactured goods, and was one of the Four Asian Tigers. The term Four Asian Tigers or East Asian Tigers refers to the Economies of South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore Major industries in South Korea today are automobiles, semiconductors, electronics, shipbuilding, and steel. A semiconductor' is a Solid material that has Electrical conductivity in between a conductor and an insulator; it can vary over that Electronics refers to the flow of charge (moving Electrons through Nonmetal conductors (mainly Semiconductors, whereas electrical See also Shipbuilding (song. Shipbuilding is the construction of Ships It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0

In the 1950s, South Korea became one of the poorest countries in Asia when its infrastructure and resources severely exploited during the Japanese occupation and completely destroyed by the Korean War. Korea under Japanese rule refers to the period between 1910 and 1945 when Korea was forcibly annexed by the Japanese Empire. The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the However, following the military coup led by General Park Chung-hee in 1962, South Korea experiences one of the fastest growing economies in the world's history for four straight decades, completely transforming from a farming and fishing based economy into one of the world's most high-tech and leading industrial powers of today. Park Chung-hee ( November 14, 1917 – October 26, 1979) was a former ROK Army general and the autocratic dictator of the Republic

Park Chung-hee embarked a series of ambitious five-year plans for economic development similar to the macro-economic schemes of the Soviet Union. Park Chung-hee ( November 14, 1917 – October 26, 1979) was a former ROK Army general and the autocratic dictator of the Republic ^[46] Emphasis shifted to foreign trade with the normalization of relations with Japan in 1965, which resulted in a boom in trade and investment. The Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea ( Japanese:; Korean: ko-Hang 한일기본조약 ko-Hant 韓日基本條約 Hanil Gibon Rapid expansion, first into light and then heavy industries, so in 1973 Korea became the 34th wealthiest country in the world. ^[47] Park's government plans for economic development greatly boosted the Korean economy.

This 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. " Miracle on the Han River " ( is a phrase used to describe the period of rapid economic growth that took place in South Korea from the 1961 coup of General Han River is in South Korea is the confluence of the Namhan River (South Han River which originates in Mount Daedeok, and the Bukhan River Seoul ( soʊl is the Capital and largest City of South Korea. 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, steel and, later, high-technology products such as digital monitors, mobile phones, and semiconductors. Electronics refers to the flow of charge (moving Electrons through Nonmetal conductors (mainly Semiconductors, whereas electrical See also Shipbuilding (song. Shipbuilding is the construction of Ships It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0 A visual display unit, often called simply a monitor or display, is a piece of Electrical equipment which displays images generated from the Video A semiconductor' is a Solid material that has Electrical conductivity in between a conductor and an insulator; it can vary over that

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. A conglomerate is a large Company that consists of seemingly unrelated Business sections These companies, known as chaebol, flourished under the support of the Park regime. Chaebol (alternatively Jaebol, Jaebeol) refers to a South Korean form of business conglomerate. ^[48] Some such as Hyundai, Samsung, LG and SK Company became global corporations. The Hyundai Motor Company, a division of the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group, is South Korea ’s largest and the world’s fifth largest automaker in terms of units The Samsung Group ( Korean:, Samsung Guerup) is South Korea 's largest company or Chaebol and the world's largest conglomerate SK Group ( Hangul: SK그룹 에스케이그룹 is the 3rd largest conglomerate ( Chaebol) in South Korea.

Since the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis the corporate landscape has changed considerably as a result of massive bankruptcies and government reforms. The Asian Financial Crisis was a period of Financial crisis that gripped much of Asia beginning in July 1997 and raised fears of a worldwide economic meltdown ( The crisis exposed longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's economy, including high debt-to-equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an undisciplined financial sector. This led to two rounds of financial and industrial restructuring; once in 1997 and again following the collapse of Daewoo in 1999. This article is about the Chaebol Daewoo Group For the Korean auto company Daewoo Motors that is associated with Chevrolet, see GM Daewoo. ^[49] Daewoo's collapse has been recorded as one of the largest bankruptcies in world history. ^[50] By 2003, just over one-half of the 30 largest chaebol from 1995 remained. ^[51]

Between 2003 and 2005, economic growth had slowed to about 4% per year. ^[52] A downturn in consumer spending, attributed to massive personal credit card debt, was offset by rapid export growth, primarily to China. Credit card debt is an example of unsecured Consumer debt, accessed through ISO 7810 plastic Credit cards Debt results when a client of a credit card 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. ^[53] In 2006, South Korean economy has recovered its growth rate to 5. 1%.

The South Korean economy is characterized by moderate inflation, low unemployment, an export surplus, and fairly equal distribution of income. ^[54][55][56]

Today, there are several strong South Korean industries. South Korea's largest automaker, Hyundai Motor Company and its subsidiary Kia Motors are the fifth largest car group in the world. The Hyundai Motor Company, a division of the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group, is South Korea ’s largest and the world’s fifth largest automaker in terms of units Kia Motors, a subsidiary of Hyundai Kia Automotive Group, is South Korea 's 2nd largest automobile manufacturer with headquarters in Seoul, ^[57] Korean carmakers are planning to increase their exports even more when Korea finishes its FTA with the European Union. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in ^[58]

South Korea's shipbuilding industry is the largest in the world. See also Shipbuilding (song. Shipbuilding is the construction of Ships It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a It became the largest after overtaking Japan in 2004. ^[59] South Korean shipbuilding is efficient enough that a new $80 million vessel is produced every four working days. In 2006, approximately one in every three new vessels was constructed in Korea. Hyundai Heavy Industries built ships totaling 10. 6 million compensated gross tons (CGTs), or 34. 6 percent, becoming the first nation to breach the 10 million CGT mark. ^[60] Other Korean shipbuilding companies are Samsung Heavy Industries and Daewoo Marine Engineering & Construction.

Although South Korean shipmakers are leading in terms of ship orders and production, they are wary of Chinese shipmakers. China is planning to become the world's leader in shipbuilding by 2015. However, South Korean shipbuilders have advantage over Chinese counterparts in terms of advanced value-added shipbuilding technology. ^[61]

Transportation

Main article: Transportation in South Korea

Transportation in South Korea is provided by an extensive network of railways, highways, bus routes, ferry services, and air routes. Transportation in South Korea is provided by extensive networks of railways highways bus routes ferry services and air routes that criss-cross the country Incheon International Airport (IIA (인천국제공항 is the largest Airport in South Korea, and one of the largest and busiest in Asia. Buses, taxis, subways, and trains provide comfortable and cheap methods of travel around South Korea. Major cities have subway systems, including the popular Seoul Subway. The Seoul Metropolitan Subway is one of the most heavily used Rapid transit systems in the world with well over 8 million trips daily on the system's ten lines (total figures It has eight different systems which are separated by different colors and busan, gyoung ju, daegu,and daejun also have new subway system. Korail commuter lines are already linked with Seoul's subway system and several commuter lines connected with Busan and Daegu subway systems are under construction. They have intercity and intracity bus systems. Metropolitan Cities have express bus terminals.

Highways in South Korea are classified into highways (expressways/motorways), national highways, and various classifications below the national level. Korea Highway Corporation operates the toll highways and service amenities en route. Korea Expressway Corporation is a South Korean expressway corporation South Korea has about 3,000 kilometers of national highways.

Korail provides frequent train service to all major South Korean cities. Korail is the national railroad operator in South Korea. Korail operates passenger and freight trains throughout South Korea Two rail lines, Gyeongui and Donghae Bukbu Line, to North Korea are now being reconnected. The Gyeongui Line is one of the oldest railway lines in Korea. The Donghae Bukbu Line is a former railway line that connected the present-day city of Anbyon in South Hamgyong Province North Korea, with Yangyang North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, The Korean high-speed rail system, KTX, provides high-speed service along Gyeongbu and Honam Line. The Korea Train eXpress ( KTX) is South Korea 's High-speed rail system The Gyeongbu Line ( Gyeongbuseon) is the most important Railway line in South Korea and one of the oldest constructed by Japan in 1905 connecting The Honam Line is a major railway line serving the Honam region ( North and South Jeolla Provinces in South Korea. KTX had been built with France and Japan's technological cooperation, but government intentionally had made it non-public. The Korea Train eXpress ( KTX) is South Korea 's High-speed rail system

The main international airport is Incheon International Airport. An airport is a location where Aircraft such as airplanes, Helicopters and blimps take off and land Incheon International Airport (IIA (인천국제공항 is the largest Airport in South Korea, and one of the largest and busiest in Asia. South Korea has eight international airports and seven domestic airports. South Korea's major international air carriers are Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. Korean Air Lines Co Ltd ( Operating as Korean Air, is the national and largest Airline of South Korea; its global headquarters Asiana Airlines (; formerly Seoul Airlines) is an Airline based in Seoul, South Korea and is one of South Korea 's two major About 71 international passenger and cargo airlines operate frequent flight services between Korea and all over the world.

Modern Industries

South Korea also leads the world in the shipbuilding industry, headed by chaebols such as the Hyundai Heavy Industries, Samsung Heavy Industry and POSCO. Chaebol (alternatively Jaebol, Jaebeol) refers to a South Korean form of business conglomerate. Hyundai Heavy Industries Co Ltd (HHI is the world's largest shipbuilder company headquartered in Ulsan, South Korea. The Samsung Group ( Korean:, Samsung Guerup) is South Korea 's largest company or Chaebol and the world's largest conglomerate The Pohang Iron and Steel Company, or POSCO ( ( ( ( based in Pohang, South Korea, is the third largest Steel producer in the world South Korea also exports radioactive isotope production equipment for medical and industrial use to countries such as Russia, Japan, Turkey and others. ^[62]

Science and technology

Main article: Ministry of Science and Technology (South Korea)

Space programs

Main article: Korea Aerospace Research Institute

Korea has a space partnership with Russia^[63] and has launched the Arirang-1 and Arirang-2 which both have surveillance cameras equipped. The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST is a ministry of the Government of South Korea which coordinates science and technology activities in the country Arirang-1 or Arirang I is an unmanned artificial Satellite created by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute and launched by a US rocket on December Arirang-2, also known as KOMPSAT-2, is a South Korean multipurpose Satellite.

Naro Space Center, the first spaceport of South Korea, is scheduled to be completed by 2008 at Goheung, Jeollanam-do. Naro Space Center is the first Spaceport of the South Korea, built in Goheung County, South Jeolla. A spaceport or cosmodrome is a site for launching Spacecraft, by analogy with Seaport for Ships or Airport for Aircraft Goheung County ( Goheung-gun) is a county in South Jeolla Province South Korea. Jeollanam-do (South Jeolla is a province in the southwest of South Korea. Korea Space Center is expected to send a Korea Space Launch Vehicle into space in 2008. The Korea Space Launch Vehicle (KSLV will be the first space launcher of South Korea. ^[64] The spaceport will be controlled by the state-run Korea Aerospace Research Institute and will contain features necessary for spaceflight operation having a launch tower, a control tower, rocket assembly, test facilities and space simulators. ^[65] The South Korean government has named Yi So-yeon as its first person to go to space after replacing its initial choice Ko San, at the request of the Russian Federal Space Agency, on March 10, 2008. Yi So-yeon (born June 2 1978) is a South Korean Scientist and Ph Ko San (b October 19, 1976) is a South Korean researcher at the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology. The Russian Federal Space Agency ( Russian: Федеральное космическое агентство России Federal'noe kosmicheskoe agentstvo Rossii Events 241 BC - First Punic War: Battle of the Aegates Islands - The Romans sink the Carthaginian fleet bringing 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[66]

On 8 April 2008, Yi So-yeon became the first South Korean in space, aboard Soyuz TMA-12. Events 217 - Roman Emperor Caracalla is Assassinated (and succeeded by his Praetorian 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Soyuz TMA-12 is a current Soyuz mission to the International Space Station (ISS which was launched by a Soyuz FG rocket at 1116 UTC on 8 April

Robotics

In robotics, KAIST developed humanoid robot, HUBO. See also Robot Robotics is the science and technology of Robots and their design manufacture and application KAIST (formerly known as Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) is a research university located in Daedeok Science Town, Daejeon A Humanoid Robot is a Robot with its overall appearance based on that of the Human body. HUBO (휴보 KHR-3 is a walking Humanoid robot, head mounted on a life-size walking Bipedal frame developed by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Honda's ASIMO and KAIST's HUBO lines are the two of very few humanoid robots that can walk. is a Humanoid robot created by Honda Motor Company. Standing at 130 Centimeters (4 feet 3 Inches) and weighing 54 Kilograms (119 ^[67] The first HUBO was developed within a span of 3 years and cost 1 million USD. ^[68]

Energy

In renewable energy, South Korean scientists at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology in cooperation with the University of California, Santa Barbara successfully developed an organic solar cell with energy efficiency of 6. Renewable energy is Energy generated from Natural resources mdashsuch as Sunlight, Wind, Rain, tides and geothermal The University of California Santa Barbara ( UCSB) is a selective research-oriented public university located on the Pacific Ocean in Santa Barbara County California A solar cell or photovoltaic cell is a device that converts Solar energy into Electricity by the photovoltaic effect. 5 percent. ^[69]

Education

Main article: Education in South Korea

Education in South Korea is regarded essential to success and competition is consequently very tense. A centralized administration in South Korea oversees the process for the education of children from kindergarten to third grade high school. Mathematics, science, Korean, social studies, and English are generally considered to be the most important subjects and are considered compulsory. South Korea was the first country in the world to provide high-speed internet access to every primary, junior, and high school. The Programme for International Student Assessment, coordinated by the OECD, currently ranks South Korea's education as the 11th best in the world, being significantly higher than the OECD average. ^[70]

The school year is divided into two semesters. The first begins in the beginning of March and ends in mid-July; the second begins in late August and ends in mid-February. The schedules are not uniformly standardized and vary from school to school.

There is a strong emphasis of English as a second language education in South Korea, and English is taught in most of Korean K–12 schools. Despite enormous sums of both public and private money being spent on English education, South Korea lags behind in English competency. The educational regime, which focuses more on test results and grammar rather than comprehension and fluency, may be part of the problem. The government is presently considering reforms, such as teaching English classes at public schools in English only. The aim is to reduce dependence on private English schools, which eat into household incomes.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of South Korea

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. Nationality noun South Korean(s adjective: South Korean Statistics Age structure 0-14 ^[71] The capital city of Seoul is also the country's largest city and chief industrial center. Seoul ( soʊl is the Capital and largest City of South Korea. It had 10. 3 million inhabitants in 2006, making Seoul one of the most populated single cities in the world. ^[72] Other major cities include Busan (3. 65 million), Incheon (2. Incheon is a metropolitan city and a major seaport on the west coast of South Korea, near Seoul. 63 million), Daegu (2. Daegu (pronounced) also spelled Taegu (pronounced) officially called Daegu Metropolitan City, is the fourth largest city in South Korea after 53 million), Daejeon (1. Daejeon ( is a capital city of Chungcheongnamdo Province and metropolitan city in the center of South Korea. 46 million), Gwangju (1. Gwangju Metropolitan City is the sixth largest city in South Korea. 41 million) and Ulsan (1. Ulsan is a metropolitan city in the south-east of South Korea, facing the East Sea 10 million). ^[73]

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. The division of Korea into North Korea and South Korea stems from the 1945 Allied victory in World War II, ending Japan This trend of net entry reversed over the next forty years due to emigration, especially to the United States and Canada. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page However, South Korea's burgeoning economy and democracy in the early and mid-1990s slowed the high emigration rates typical of the previous decades. The current population of South Korea is roughly 48,850,000.

Although small, the percentage of non-Koreans has been increasing. Officially, as of the summer of 2007, there are just over 1 million foreigners living in Korea. That number includes foreign residents, students, tourists and illegal aliens. Among them, 104,749 people were married to Koreans, 404,051 were working in Korea and 225,273 were illegal aliens. ^[74]

Korean farmers have a hard time finding a wife, as few women want to live in the countryside. Farmers are forced to look abroad to find their wife, most from the much poorer Southeast Asia, and increasingly Eastern Europe. Eastern Europe is a general term that refers to the Geopolitical region encompassing the easternmost part of the European continent. For the year 2006, 41% of the marriages amongst the farmers were to foreign nationals. ^[75]

There are 31,000 US military personnel. United States Forces Korea ( USFK) refers to the ground air and naval divisions of the United States Armed Forces stationed in South Korea. ^[76]

Religion

South Korea religiosity
religion			percent
Christianity			29. 3%
Buddhism			22. 8%
Won Buddhism			0. 3%
Confucianism			0. 2%
Cheondoism			0. 1%
No religion			46. 5%

Main article: Religion in South Korea

As of 2005, approximately 46. Religion in South Korea is dominated by the traditional Buddhist faith and a large and growing Christian population Yoido Full Gospel Church is a Christian church on Yeouido Island in Seoul, South Korea. 5% of the South Korean population express no religious preference. ^[77]

Of the religious people, 29. 3% are Christian (of which 18. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings 3% (on total) profess to be Protestants and 10. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. 9% to be Catholics), 22. 8% are Buddhist, and the rest adheres to various new religious movements including Jeungism, Daesunism, Cheondoism and Wonbuddhism. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices A new religious movement or NRM is a term used to refer to a religious faith or an ethical spiritual or philosophical movement of recent origin that is not part Jeung San Do or Jeungism (in Korean Hangul 증산도 "teaching of the mountain maturity" "teaching of maturity" is a new Cheondoism or Chondoism (in Korean Hangul 천도교 Cheondogyo, " Religion of the Heavenly Way" is a 20th-century

The largest Christian church in South Korea, Yoido Full Gospel Church, is located in Seoul and has approximately 780,000 members (2003 estimate). Yoido Full Gospel Church is a Christian church on Yeouido Island in Seoul, South Korea. Seoul ( soʊl is the Capital and largest City of South Korea. Including Yoido Full Gospel, 11 of the world's 12 largest churches are located in Seoul (see Christianity in Korea). The practice of Christianity in Korea has a relatively short history but after a difficult beginning it has seen significant growth and success South Korea is also the second largest missionary sending nation on earth, after the US. ^[78] Islam in Korea is estimated to be at 45,000 in addition to some 100,000 foreign workers from Muslim countries. In South Korea, the Muslim population has been steadily increasing since the introduction of the Islamic faith shortly after the Korean War. ^[79]

A growing number of South Koreans adhere to new religious movements. A new religious movement or NRM is a term used to refer to a religious faith or an ethical spiritual or philosophical movement of recent origin that is not part Among these are Cheondoism (0. Cheondoism or Chondoism (in Korean Hangul 천도교 Cheondogyo, " Religion of the Heavenly Way" is a 20th-century 1%), Jeungism (0. Jeung San Do or Jeungism (in Korean Hangul 증산도 "teaching of the mountain maturity" "teaching of maturity" is a new 07%) and Daesunjinrihoe. ^[77] These religions have developed as a reaction to the influence of Christianity and Western culture in Korean society. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings This article is about the traditional culture of Korea. For the modern culture see Culture of North Korea and Culture of South Korea The exact figures of the amount of followers of these new religions remain controversial.

Culture & Entertainment

Main articles: Culture of Korea and South Korean culture

South Korea shares its traditional culture with North Korea, but the two Koreas have developed distinct contemporary forms of culture since the peninsula was divided in 1945. This article is about the traditional culture of Korea. For the modern culture see Culture of North Korea and Culture of South Korea The contemporary culture of South Korea developed from the traditional Culture of Korea, but since the 1948 Division of Korea, it has developed separately North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, The South Korean Ministry of Culture and Tourism actively encourages the traditional arts, as well as modern forms, through funding and education programs. ^[80]

Korean forms of metalwork, sculpture, painting, and ceramics flourished throughout the Korean Peninsula. Physical geography See also Geography of North Korea, Geography of South Korea Mountains cover 70 percent of the Korean Peninsula and arable plains are In modern times, Western and particularly the US influences have been strongest. In the aftermath of Japanese occupation all Japanese cultural exports were banned from Korea until 1999. However, trading between the two countries has grown, although there is still strong anti-Japanese sentiment in South Korea.

Recently, Korean pop culture has become popular in Asia and beyond, earning the name Hallyu or "Korean wave". The Korean wave refers to the recent surge of popularity of South Korean popular culture in other countries especially in Asian countries In Japan and other Asian countries, Korean boyband TVXQ and television drama like Winter Sonata have found success. TVXQ (often stylized TVXQ!) an acronym for Tong Vfang Xien Qi (東方神起 is a Quintet South Korean Boy band formed under Winter Sonata (aka Winter Ballad / Winter Love Story, Korean: 겨울연가) was the second part of the KBS TV drama series ^[81], while Rain is widely acknowledged in Asia and begins to set his foot on American market. Rain ( Real name: Jeong Ji-hoon ', born 25 June 1982) is a male Korean pop singer dancer model and actor Recent Korean films such as Oldboy and Oasis have also received international acclaim. Korean cinema encompasses the motion picture industries of North Korea and South Korea. Oldboy ( Hangul: 올드보이 the phonetic Transliteration of "old boy" is a 2003 South Korean film directed by Park Oasis ( Hangul: 오아시스 ( 2002) is South Korea Lee Chang-dong 's third feature film and the last one he directed before his stint ^[82]

The contemporary culture of South Korea is heavily dominated by technology, including feature-rich cell phones and pervasive online games. Seoul Broadcasting System ( SBS) is one of four major national South Korean television and radio networks. Online games are games played over some form of computer network. South Korea today has the high penetration of high-speed internet access to households. ^[83] In South Korea, computer games take on a sport-like presentation. The professional leagues are televised with announcers, professional players and major corporate sponsors.

South Korea retains centuries-old customs and traditions, such as its cuisine, ancestor worship, and Confucius ideals. Kimchi, also spelled gimchi or kimchee, is a traditional Korean fermented dish made of vegetables with varied seasonings most commonly referring to Banchan also spelled panchan, refers to small Side dishes served along with cooked rice in Korean cuisine. Galbi or kalbi generally refers to a variety of Gui or Grilled dishes in Korean cuisine that is made with Korean cuisine as a national Cuisine known today has evolved through centuries of social and political change Confucius ( lit " Master Kung " September 28, 551 BC - 479 BC) was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher Foods like Steamed Rice(밥), Bulgogi (불고기, Korean style beef BBQ), Kimbap (김밥, rice roll wrapped in seaweed), Mandu (만두, dumplings), Doenjang jjigae (된장찌개, fermented soybean paste), Japchae (잡채, Boiled sweet potato starch noodles mixed with fried vegetables), Tteokbokki (떡볶이, a broiled dish made with sliced rice cake, seasoned beef, fish cakes and vegetables), Bibimbap (비빔밥, mixed rice with vegetables, beef, egg and chili pepper paste) and Kimchi (김치, fermented vegetables) are staples of the Korean diet. Bulgogi (pulɡoɡi in Korean Barbecued Beef, is one of the most popular ways of cooking beef in Korea. Gimbap or kimbap is a popular Korean "fast" food made from steamed white rice ( bap) and various other ingredients Mandu are Dumplings in Korean cuisine. They are similar to what are called Pelmeni and Pierogi in some Slavic cultures Japchae (also spelled jabchae or chapchae) is a Korean dish made from Cellophane noodles (called dangmyeon Tteokbokki is a popular Korean snack food which is commonly purchased from street vendors Bibimbap is a popular Korean dish. The word literally means "stirred/mixed Rice " or "stirred/mixed meal Kimchi, also spelled gimchi or kimchee, is a traditional Korean fermented dish made of vegetables with varied seasonings most commonly referring to Especially well-known throughout the world is the kimchi (김치), a spicy dish made of chinese cabbage and other seasonings. Kimchi, also spelled gimchi or kimchee, is a traditional Korean fermented dish made of vegetables with varied seasonings most commonly referring to

StarCraft is a popular online game in Korea. StarCraft is a Military science fiction Real-time strategy Video game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. Its fanbase exceeds five million, and has two Korean-based channels dedicated to its broadcast. Professional StarCraft player Lim Yo-Hwan (SlayerS `BoxeR`) earned over $300,000 during the peak of his career. Lim Yo-Hwan (born 4 September 1980) known by the pseudonym SlayerS_`BoxeR` (usually shortened to Boxer) is one of the most successful players

Sports

Main article: Sport in South Korea

Taekwondo, a popular martial art, originated in Korea. South Korea has traditional sports of its own but sports imported from the West are predominant Taekwondo (Korean태권도thɛʔkwʌndo Englishˈteɪˈkwɒnˈdoʊ is a Korean Martial art and the National sport of South Korea Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for Combat. In the 1950s and 60's, modern rules were standardized, and Taekwondo became an official Olympic sport in 2000. The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games Taekwondo in the military is an integral part in the Korean land forces. Other Korean martial arts include subak and taekkyeon. Soobak redirects here For the song by K'naan, see Soobax. Subak, Soobak or Soo Bak-Gi is an ancient Korean Taekkyeon is a traditional Korean martial art with a dance-like appearance probably stemming from Subak.

Baseball was first introduced to Korea in 1905 and has since become the most popular spectator sport in South Korea. Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each ^[84] The first South Korean professional sports league was the Korea Baseball Organization, established in 1982. The Korea Baseball Organization ( KBO) of South Korea is the country's Professional baseball league During the 2006 World Baseball Classic, South Korea reached the semi-finals. The 2006 World Baseball Classic was the inaugural tournament between national baseball teams that included players from The World Baseball Classic, sometimes abbreviated WBC, is an international Baseball tournament first held in March 2006.

In 1988, South Korea hosted the Summer Olympics in Seoul. The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event staged in 1988 in South Korea's Olympic teams have performed strongly in archery, shooting, table tennis, short track speed skating, handball, freestyle wrestling, judo, taekwondo, and football. Archery is the practice of using a bow or Crossbow to shoot Arrows Archery has historically been used in Hunting and Combat and has Shooting is the act or process of firing Rifles Shotguns or other projectile Weapons such as bows or Crossbows Even the firing of Short track speed skating (also Shorttrack speedskating) is a form of competitive ice Speed skating. Handball (also known as team handball, European handball, or Olympic handball) is a Team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six Freestyle wrestling is a style of Amateur wrestling that is practiced throughout the world meaning "gentle way" is a modern Japanese martial art ( Gendai budō) and Combat sport, that originated in Japan in the late Taekwondo (Korean태권도thɛʔkwʌndo Englishˈteɪˈkwɒnˈdoʊ is a Korean Martial art and the National sport of South Korea Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered South Korea has also hosted the Asian Games in 1986 and 2002. The Asian Games, also called the Asiad, is a Multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. Recently, Pyeongchang County was a finalist for both the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics, but lost to Vancouver, Canada and Sochi, Russia, respectively. Pyeongchang County ( Pyeongchang-gun) is a county in Gangwon Province, South Korea and the third largest county in the country Vancouver (vænˈkuːvɚ is a coastal Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Sochi (Сочи ˈsotɕɪ is a Russian Resort city, situated in Krasnodar Krai just north of the southern Russian border Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending

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. The 2002 FIFA World Cup, the 17th staging of the World Cup, was held in South Korea and Japan from May 31 to June 30. The Korea Republic national football team represents the Republic of Korea in international football competitions The 46 member Asian Football Confederation ( AFC) is the governing body of football in Asia, excluding Cyprus and Israel, and including The football team, also known as the "Taeguk Warriors", played in the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany for their sixth consecutive World Cup. The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th instance of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe.

In 2007, South Korea hosted a cycling competition called Tour de Korea. Tour de Korea (officially named " Hyundai Capital Invitational Tour de Korea is a Cycling competition in South Korea and part of the UCI Asia It was the first international cycling competition in South Korea in 10 years. In 2010 South Korea will host their first Formula One race to be staged at Korean International Circuit in Yeongam about 240 miles (390 km) south of Seoul. The Korean International Circuit will be a 545 km (339 mile race circuit located in Yeongam County (400 kilometres south of Seoul at a cost of $264 million joint venture Yeongam County ( Yeongam-gun) is a county in South Jeolla Province South Korea. Seoul ( soʊl is the Capital and largest City of South Korea.

Haidong kumdo is another traditional martial art. Students spar with swords or perform numbered solo forms to advance through various belt levels. At one time only found in Korea, the sport has become very popular in Australia as well as having a small presence in the United States.

International rankings

Organization	Title	Ranking
OECD, Programme for International Student Assessment	Mathematics, Science, Reading, and Problem solving	1 out of 38[85]
OECD	Annual work hours	1 out of 27
Clarkson PLC	Ranking in the global shipbuilding industry	1 out of 15[86]
Economist Intelligence Unit	IT Industry Competitiveness Index (2007)	3 out of 64[87]
WIPO	Number of International Patent Filings (2007)	4 out of 138[88]
OICA	Automobile Production	5 out of 53
UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs	UN E-Government Survey 2008	6 out of 192[89]
The Global Information Technology Report	Networked Readiness Index 2008	9 out of 127[90]
International Monetary Fund	Gross Domestic Product (PPP)	12 out of 227
World Economic Forum	Global Competiveness	11 out of 131[91]
International Monetary Fund/World Bank	Gross Domestic Product (nominal)	13 out of 183
World Bank	Ease of Doing Business	30 out of 177
United Nations Development Programme	Human Development Index	26 out of 177
The Economist	Global Peace Rating	29 out of 121
Economist Intelligence Unit	Quality of Life	30 out of 155
Heritage Foundation/The Wall Street Journal	Index of Economic Freedom	36 out of 157[92]
Reporters Without Borders	Worldwide press freedom index	39 out of 169
Transparency International	Corruption Perceptions Index	42 out of 180
Freedom House	Civil Liberties and Political Rights	Top tier country†

†Complete Civil and Political freedom. Working time refers to the period of time that an individual spends at paid occupational labor See also Shipbuilding (song. Shipbuilding is the construction of Ships It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a The Economist Intelligence Unit ( EIU) is part of The Economist Group. The World Intellectual Property Organization ( WIPO) is one of the 16 specialized agencies of the United Nations. The Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles ( English: International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers) commonly called the This is a list of countries by automobile production in 2007 based on OICA accessed in April 2008 The International Monetary Fund ( IMF) is an International organization that oversees the Global financial system by following the Macroeconomic There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation The World Economic Forum (WEF is a Geneva -based Non-profit foundation best known for its Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland The Global Competitiveness Report is a yearly report published by the World Economic Forum. The International Monetary Fund ( IMF) is an International organization that oversees the Global financial system by following the Macroeconomic The World Bank is an internationally supported Bank that provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries for development programs (e PLEASE NO RANDOM FIGURES THERE ARE NO FIGURES BASED ON NATIONAL STATISTICS IN THIS ARTICLE The World Bank is an internationally supported Bank that provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries for development programs (e The Ease of Doing Business Index is an index created by the World Bank. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 The Economist is an English-language weekly news and International affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd and edited in London The Global Peace Index is an attempt to measure the relative position of nations’ and regions’ peacefulness The Economist Intelligence Unit ( EIU) is part of The Economist Group. The Economist Intelligence Unit ’s quality of life index is based on a unique methodology that links the results of Subjective life-satisfaction surveys to the The Heritage Foundation is an American conservative Think tank. The Index of Economic Freedom is a series of 10 economic measurements created by the Wall Street Journal and The Heritage Foundation to measure the degree of Economic freedom Transparency International ( TI) is a leading international Non-governmental organization addressing corruption Since 1995, Transparency International has published an annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI ordering the countries of the world according to "the degree Freedom House is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Democracy, political Freedom in the World is a yearly report by US-based Freedom House that attempts to measure the degree of Democracy and political freedom

See also

References

External links

• Korea.net: Gateway to Korea
• Korea National Statistical Office
• South Korea in Encyclopædia Britannica
• South Korea entry at The World Factbook
• A Country Study: South Korea in the Library of Congress
• South Korea at the Open Directory Project
• South Korea at the Yahoo! Directory
• Main cities of South Korea, satellite views and geographical coordinates

The Encyclopædia Britannica is a general English-language encyclopaedia published by Encyclopædia Britannica Inc The Library of Congress is the De facto National library of the United States and the research arm of the United States Congress The Open Directory Project ( ODP) also known as dmoz (from directory The Yahoo! Directory is a Web directory which rivals the Open Directory Project in size

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