Meet the Wonders of Your World...
Location: Asia
Status: UN Country
Capital: Seoul (Soul)
Main Cities: Pusan, Taegu, Inchon
Population: 44.843.000
Area: (sq.Km) 99.020
Currency: won
Language: Korean
An independent Korean state or collection of states has existed almost continuously for several millennia. Between its initial unification in the 7th century - from three predecessor Korean states - until the 20th century, Korea existed as a single independent country. In 1905, following the Russo-Japanese War, Korea became a protectorate of imperial Japan, and in 1910 it was annexed as a colony. Korea regained its independence following Japan's surrender to the United States in 1945. After World War II, a Republic of Korea (ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in the north (the DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and UN forces fought alongside soldiers from the ROK to defend South Korea from DPRK attacks supported by China and the Soviet Union. An armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income rising to roughly 14 times the level of North Korea. In 1993, KIM Young-sam became South Korea's first civilian president following 32 years of military rule. South Korea today is a fully functioning modern democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took place between the South's President KIM Dae-jung and the North's leader KIM Jong Il. In October 2007, a second North-South summit took place between the South's President ROH Moo-hyun and the North Korean leader. Harsh rhetoric and unwillingness by North Korea to engage with President LEE Myung-bak following his February 2008 inauguration has strained inter-Korean relations.
Geography ::KOREA, SOUTH
Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea
37 00 N, 127 30 E
Area:
total: 99,720 sq km
country comparison to the world: 108
land: 96,920 sq km
water: 2,800 sq km
slightly larger than Indiana
total: 238 km
border countries: North Korea 238 km
2,413 km
territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: not specified
temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter
mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south
lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m
coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential
arable land: 16.58%
permanent crops: 2.01%
other: 81.41% (2005)
8,780 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
69.7 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 18.59 cu km/yr (36%/16%/48%)
per capita: 389 cu m/yr (2000)
occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest
air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
strategic location on Korea Strait
People ::KOREA, SOUTH
48,636,068 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
0-14 years: 16.2% (male 4,126,324/female 3,768,509)
15-64 years: 72.7% (male 18,039,672/female 17,309,819)
65 years and over: 11.1% (male 2,171,498/female 3,220,246) (2010 est.)
total: 37.9 years
male: 36.5 years
female: 39.1 years (2010 est.)
0.258% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175
8.72 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 214
6.15 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
urban population: 81% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
total: 4.24 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 203
male: 4.46 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
total population: 78.81 years
country comparison to the world: 41
male: 75.56 years
female: 82.28 years (2010 est.)
1.22 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 218
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
13,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
fewer than 500 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean
homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)
Christian 26.3% (Protestant 19.7%, Roman Catholic 6.6%), Buddhist 23.2%, other or unknown 1.3%, none 49.3% (1995 census)
Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.9%
male: 99.2%
female: 96.6% (2002)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 17 years
male: 18 years
female: 15 years (2007)
4.6% of GDP (2004)
country comparison to the world: 84
Government ::KOREA, SOUTH
conventional long form: Republic of Korea
conventional short form: South Korea
local long form: Taehan-min'guk
local short form: Han'guk
abbreviation: ROK
republic
name: Seoul
geographic coordinates: 37 33 N, 126 59 E
time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7 metropolitan cities (gwangyoksi, singular and plural)
provinces: Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto (North Cholla), Cholla-namdo (South Cholla), Ch'ungch'ong-bukto (North Ch'ungch'ong), Ch'ungch'ong-namdo (South Ch'ungch'ong), Kangwon-do, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto (North Kyongsang), Kyongsang-namdo (South Kyongsang)
metropolitan cities: Inch'on-gwangyoksi, Kwangju-gwangyoksi, Pusan-gwangyoksi, Soul-t'ukpyolsi, Taegu-gwangyoksi, Taejon-gwangyoksi, Ulsan-gwangyoksi
15 August 1945 (from Japan)
Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)
17 July 1948; note - amended or rewritten many times; current constitution approved on 29 October 1987
combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
19 years of age; universal
chief of state: President LEE Myung-bak (since 25 February 2008)
head of government: Prime Minister CHUNG Un-chan (since 30 September 2009)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation
elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held on 19 December 2007 (next to be held in December 2012); prime minister appointed by president with consent of National Assembly
election results: LEE Myung-bak elected president on 19 December 2007; percent of vote - LEE Myung-bak (GNP) 48.7%; CHUNG Dong-young (UNDP) 26.1%); LEE Hoi-chang (independent) 15.1; others 10.1%
unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats; 245 members elected in single-seat constituencies, 54 elected by proportional representation; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 9 April 2008 (next to be held in April 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GNP 172, UDP 83, LFP 20, Pro-Park Alliance 8, DLP 5, CKP 1, independents 9
Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president with consent of National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices appointed by the president based partly on nominations by National Assembly and Chief Justice of the court)
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party or DP [CHUNG Sye-kyun] (formerly the United Democratic Party or UDP); Democratic Labor Party or DLP [KANG Ki-kap]; Grand National Party or GNP [CHUNG Mong-joon]; Liberty Forward Party or LFP [LEE Hoi-chang]; New Progressive Party or NPP [ROH Hoe-chan]; Pro-Park Alliance or PPA [SUH Choung-won]; Renewal Korea Party or RKP [SONG Yong-o]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean Trade Unions; Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National Council of Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans' Association; National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic Alliance of Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National Federation of Student Associations
International organization participation:
ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CICA, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA, MIGA, MINURSO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador HAN Duck-soo
chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600
FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205
consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kathleen STEPHENS
embassy: 32 Sejongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710
mailing address: US Embassy Seoul, APO AP 96205-5550
telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114
FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845
white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field
Economy ::KOREA, SOUTH
Since the 1960s, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth and global integration to become a high-tech industrialized economy. Four decades ago, GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. In 2004, South Korea joined the trillion dollar club of world economies, and currently is among the world's twenty largest economies. Initially, a system of close government and business ties, including directed credit and import restrictions, made this success possible. The government promoted the import of raw materials and technology at the expense of consumer goods, and encouraged savings and investment over consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-98 exposed longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model including high debt/equity ratios and massive short-term foreign borrowing. GDP plunged by 6.9% in 1998, and then recovered by 9% in 1999-2000. Korea adopted numerous economic reforms following the crisis, including greater openness to foreign investment and imports. Growth moderated to about 4-5% annually between 2003 and 2007. With the global economic downturn in late 2008, South Korean GDP growth slowed to 2.2% in 2008 and declined 0.2% in 2009. In the third quarter of 2009, the economy began to recover, in large part due to export growth, low interest rates, and an expansionary fiscal policy. The South Korean economy's long term challenges include a rapidly aging population, inflexible labor market, and overdependence on manufacturing exports to drive economic growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.356 trillion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
$1.353 trillion (2008 est.)
$1.324 trillion (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars
$809.7 billion (2009 est.)
0.2% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
2.2% (2008 est.)
5.1% (2007 est.)
$28,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
$28,000 (2008 est.)
$27,400 (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars
agriculture: 3%
industry: 39.4%
services: 57.6% (2008 est.)
24.37 million (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25
agriculture: 7.2%
industry: 25.1%
services: 67.7% (2007 est.)
4.1% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
3.2% (2008 est.)
Population below poverty line:
15% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.7%
highest 10%: 24.2% (2007)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
31.3 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 104
35.8 (2000)
28.2% of GDP (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
revenues: $191.5 billion
expenditures: $227.2 billion (2009 est.)
28% of GDP (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
24.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.8% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
4.7% (2008 est.)
1.75% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 127
3.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.17% (31 December 2008)
$80.66 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 17
$92.59 billion (31 December 2007)
$478 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 10
$541.7 billion (31 December 2007)
$937 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 13
$1.061 trillion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$494.6 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 14
$1.124 trillion (31 December 2007)
$835.2 billion (31 December 2006)
rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish
electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel
Industrial production growth rate:
-7.5% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
440 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
385.1 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
0 kWh (2008 est.)
0 kWh (2008 est.)
30,440 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
2.175 million bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
800,000 bbl/day
country comparison to the world: 21
note: exports consist of oil derivatives (gasoline, light oil, and diesel), not crude oil (2008 est.)
2.982 million bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5
0 bbl
country comparison to the world: 186
443 million cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
34.76 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81
36.21 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
Natural gas - proved reserves:
50 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
$30.38 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
-$6.349 billion (2008 est.)
$355.1 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
$433.5 billion (2008 est.)
semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment, motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals
China 21.5%, US 10.9%, Japan 6.6%, Hong Kong 4.6% (2008)
$313.4 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
$427.4 billion (2008 est.)
machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics
China 17.7%, Japan 14%, US 8.9%, Saudi Arabia 7.8%, UAE 4.4%, Australia 4.1% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$245.9 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
$201.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
$333.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23
$381.1 billion (31 December 2008)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$86 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
$124.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA (31 December 2009)
$74.6 billion (30 June 2008)
South Korean won (KRW) per US dollar - 1,296.88 (2009), 1,101.7 (2008), 929.2 (2007), 954.8 (2006), 1,024.1 (2005)
Communications ::KOREA, SOUTH
Telephones - main lines in use:
21.325 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 13
45.607 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 24
general assessment: excellent domestic and international services featuring rapid incorporation of new technologies
domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular services widely available with a combined telephone subscribership of roughly 140 per 100 persons; rapid assimilation of a full range of telecommunications technologies leading to a boom in e-commerce
international: country code - 82; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 66
AM 96, FM 322, shortwave 1 (2008)
Television broadcast stations:
57 (plus 103 cable operators and 119 relay cable operators) (2008)
.kr
301,270 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 54
37.476 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 10
Transportation ::KOREA, SOUTH
116 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 53
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 72
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 22
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 22 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 44
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 42 (2009)
516 (2009)
gas 1,423 km; refined products 827 km (2009)
total: 3,381 km
country comparison to the world: 51
standard gauge: 3,381 km 1.435-m gauge (1,843 km electrified) (2008)
total: 103,029 km
country comparison to the world: 40
paved: 80,642 km (includes 3,367 km of expressways)
unpaved: 22,387 km (2008)
1,608 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2008)
country comparison to the world: 50
total: 812
country comparison to the world: 14
by type: bulk carrier 212, cargo 226, carrier 2, chemical tanker 133, container 80, liquefied gas 33, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 26, petroleum tanker 61, refrigerated cargo 16, roll on/roll off 9, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 5
foreign-owned: 31 (China 1, Japan 20, Norway 2, UK 1, US 7)
registered in other countries: 363 (Belize 1, Cambodia 22, China 1, Cyprus 1, Honduras 6, Hong Kong 3, Kiribati 2, Liberia 3, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 10, Mongolia 1, Netherlands 1, Panama 303, Russia 1, Singapore 3, Tuvalu 1, unknown 2) (2008)
Inch'on, P'ohang, Pusan, Ulsan
Military ::KOREA, SOUTH
Republic of Korea Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
20-30 years of age for compulsory military service, with middle school education required; conscript service obligation - less than 22 months (Army, Marines), approx. 25 months (Air Force) (to be reduced to 18 months beginning 2016); 18-26 years of age for voluntary military service; women, in service since 1950, admitted to 7 service branches, including infantry, but excluded from artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps; some 4,000 women serve as commissioned and noncommissioned officers, approx. 2.3% of all officers (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 13,274,442
females age 16-49: 12,542,699 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 10,929,625
females age 16-49: 10,264,608 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 370,645
female: 321,765 (2010 est.)
2.7% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 53
Transnational Issues ::KOREA, SOUTH
Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents with North Korea in the Yellow Sea over the Northern Limiting Line, which South Korea claims as a maritime boundary; South Korea and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by South Korea since 1954
note: the two rocky islets of Tok-do have become a South Korean tourist destination - over 132,000 people visited them in 2009, most by ship but also a substantial number by helicopter
Source: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ar.html
South KOREA
WFW 2013
Official Representative
SOUTH KOREA
FIJI
Yeojin Bae infuses each of her collections with an edgy elegance and razor sharp tailoring that reflects fashion at its chicest.
The Korean-born designer has gained a cult following for her stylish pieces distinct for their street glamour and innovative prints.
Most intriguing is how Bae’s sensibilities are grounded in an artisan’s approach. She has built her career with the patience of a perfectionist.
In 2007 she was awarded the LMFF Designer Award presented by Tiffany and Co, one of the most prestigious awards for young designers. It would prove a seminal year with Bae also invited to design a unique capsule collection for Target Australia in October 2007.
Her breakthrough status was cemented further when she was nominated in 2009 for the Prix de Marie Claire Designer of the Year Award.
So coveted is her signature style that Bae’s unique designs are now found in the world’s most desired shopping destinations including Barneys New York, Matches in London and Harvey Nichols in Dubai.
Introduction: SOUTH KOREA
