Republic of Korea
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South Korea (Template:Audio), officially the Republic of Korea (Template:Korean, Template:Audio; lit. The Republic of Great Han; ROK), and commonly referred to as Korea, is a sovereign state in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula.<ref name="CIA">Template:CIA World Factbook</ref> The name Korea is derived from the ancient Kingdom of Goguryeo, also known as Koryŏ. It shares land borders with North Korea to the north, and oversea borders with Japan to the east and China to the west. Roughly half of the country's 51 million people reside in the Seoul Capital Area, the second largest in the world<ref name=forstall>R.L. Forstall, R.P. Greene, and J.B. Pick, Which are the largest? Why lists of major urban areas vary so greatly, Tijdschrift voor economische en sociale geografie 100, 277 (2009), Table 4</ref> with over 25 million residents.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Inhabited half a million years ago,<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> the Korean civilization began with Gojoseon, with the earliest Korean pottery dating to 8000 BC.<ref name="Choe and Bale">Chong Pil Choe, Martin T. Bale, "Current Perspectives on Settlement, Subsistence, and Cultivation in Prehistoric Korea", (2002), Arctic Anthropology, 39: 1-2, pp. 95-121.</ref> Around 1st century BC, three Korean kingdoms emerged, the largest being Goguryeo that ruled Northeast China, parts of Russia's Primorsky Krai and Inner Mongolia under Gwanggaeto the Great. Since their unification into Silla and Balhae in the 7th century, Korea enjoyed over a millennium of relative tranquility under dynasties lasting for centuries with innovations such as Hangul, the Korean alphabet promulgated by Sejong the Great that enabled anyone to easily learn how to read and write.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its strategic and central location in East Asia led to annexation by Imperial Japan in 1910, after whose surrender in 1945, Korea was divided into Soviet and U.S. occupation zones, with the latter becoming the Republic of Korea in 1948. An invasion from North Korea in 1950 lead to the Korean War that ended in 1953 with an armistice. Despite minor incidents with the North, peace has since continued with the two agreeing to reunify peacefully and the South dominating inter-Korean politics as a regional power with the world's 10th largest defence budget.
Between 1962 and 1994, South Korea's tiger economy soared at an average of 10% annually, fueled by annual export growth of 20%,<ref name="worldbank.org">Template:Cite web</ref> in a period called the Miracle on the Han River that rapidly and successfully transformed it into a high-income advanced economy and the world's 11th largest economy by 1995, providing valuable development models that are benefiting developing countries today.<ref>https://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2015/09/25/0200000000AEN20150925003557315.html</ref> South Korea is presently the world's fifth largest exporter and seventh largest importer and a G-20 and OECD DAC member.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Since the first free election in 1987, South Koreans have enjoyed high civil liberties and one of the world's most developed democracies,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> with all fundamental rights protected by a highly effective rule of law system that is rated best in East Asia by World Justice Project. Its pop culture has considerable influence in Asia, and is expanding globally as a phenomenon often called the Korean Wave.<ref>*****o</ref> Due to a recent multicultural policy, immigration to South Korea is rising quickly, with over 220,000 accepted in 2014.<ref name="index.go.kr"/>
South Korea is East Asia's most developed country in the Human Development Index. Koreans are among the richest in the world, enjoying Asia's highest median income<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and average wage.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is a top global performer in education, quality of healthcare and ease of doing business. It leads OECD countries in student skills<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> with the highest percentage of ***** adults holding a tertiary education degree and Korean women receiving the world's third longest education. Driven by high-tech chaebols such as Samsung, the world's largest technology company,<ref>By 2014 revenue.</ref> Hyundai-Kia and LG, South Korea was named the world's most innovative country in the Bloomberg Innovation Index,<ref>*****o</ref> ranking first in research and development spent per GDP and patents filed per GDP. It is notable for being the world's largest shipbuilder and having the world's fastest Internet speed, ranking first in e-Government,<ref>https://unpan3.un.org/egovkb/en-us/Reports/UN-E-Government-Survey-2014</ref> 4G LTE coverage, IoT devices online and second in ICT Development Index and smartphone usage.
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Etymology
The name Korea derives from Goryeo, itself referring to the ancient kingdom of Goguryeo, the first Korean dynasty visited by Persian merchants who referred to Koryŏ (Goryeo; 고려) as Korea.<ref>Bombus<ref name="xeps-dnock">Template:Citation</ref></ref> The term Koryŏ also widely became used to refer to Goguryeo, which renamed itself Koryŏ in the 5th century.<ref name="UDN">Korea原名Corea？ 美國改的名. United Daily News website. July 5, 2008. Retrieved March 28, 2014. Template:Zh icon</ref> (The modern spelling, "Korea", first appeared in late 17th century in the travel writings of the Dutch East India Company's Hendrick Hamel.<ref name="UDN"/>). Despite the coexistence of the spellings Corea and Korea in 19th century publications, some Koreans believe that Japan, around the time of the Japanese occupation, intentionally standardised the spelling on Korea, making Japan appear first alphabetically.<ref name="Boston Globe">Demick, Barbara. "Breaking the occupation spell: Some Koreans see putdown in letter change in name." Boston Globe. September 18, 2003. Retrieved September 2, 2013.</ref><ref name=https://www.monster-island.net>Template:Cite web</ref>
After Goryeo was replaced by Joseon in 1392, Joseon became the official name for the entire territory, though it was not universally accepted. The new official name has its origin in the ancient country of Gojoseon (Old Joseon). In 1897, the Joseon dynasty changed the official name of the country from Joseon to Daehan Jeguk (Korean Empire). The name Daehan, which means "great Han" literally, derives from Samhan (Three Hans). However, the name Joseon was still widely used by Koreans to refer to their country, though it was no longer the official name. Under Japanese rule, the two names Han and Joseon coexisted. There were several groups who fought for independence, the most notable being the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea (대한민국 임시정부/大韓民國臨時政府).
Following the surrender of Japan, in 1945, the Republic of Korea (대한민국/大韓民國) was adopted as the legal name for the new country. Since the government only controlled the southern part of the Korean Peninsula, the informal term South Korea was coined, becoming increasingly common in the Western world. While South Koreans use Han (or Hanguk) to refer to the entire country, North Koreans use Joseon as the name of the country.
History
Before the division
Template:Main History of Korea begins with the founding of Joseon (often known as "Gojoseon" to prevent confusion with another dynasty founded in the 13th century; the prefix Go- means 'older,' 'before,' or 'earlier') in 2333 BC by Dangun, according to Korean foundation mythology.<ref name="koreashistory">Template:Cite web</ref> Gojoseon expanded until it controlled northern Korean Peninsula and some parts of Manchuria. The Gija Joseon was purportedly founded in 12th century BC, and its existence and role have been controversial in the modern era.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In the 2nd century BC, Wiman Joseon which fell to the Han China near the end of the century. Later the Han Dynasty defeated the Wiman Joseon and set up Four Commanderies of Han in 108 BC. There was a significant Chinese presence in northern parts of the Korean peninsula during the next century, and the Lelang Commandery persisted for about 400 years until it was conquered by Goguryeo.<ref name="Gojoseon">Early Korea. Shsu.edu. Retrieved on April 17, 2015.</ref> After many conflicts with the Chinese Han Dynasty, Gojoseon disintegrated, leading to the Proto–Three Kingdoms of Korea period.
In the early centuries AD, Buyeo, Okjeo, Dongye, and the Samhan confederacy occupied the peninsula and southern Manchuria. Of the various states, Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla grew to control the peninsula as Three Kingdoms of Korea. The unification of the Three Kingdoms by Silla in 676 led to the North South States Period, in which much of the Korean Peninsula was controlled by Unified Silla, while Balhae succeeded to have the control of northern parts of Goguryeo.
In Unified Silla, poetry and art was encouraged, and Buddhist culture thrived. Relationships between Korea and China remained relatively peaceful during this time. However, Unified Silla weakened under internal strife, and surrendered to Goryeo in 935. Balhae, Silla's neighbor to the north, was formed as a successor state to Goguryeo. During its height, Balhae controlled most of Manchuria and parts of Russian Far East. It fell to the Khitan in 926.
The peninsula was united by King Taejo of Goryeo in 936. Like Silla, Goryeo was a highly cultural state and created the Jikji in 1377, using the world's oldest movable metal type printing press.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Mongol invasions in the 13th century greatly weakened Goryeo. After nearly 30 years of war, Goryeo continued to rule Korea, though as a tributary ally to the Mongols. After the Mongolian Empire collapsed, severe political strife followed and the Goryeo Dynasty was replaced by the Joseon Dynasty in 1392, following a rebellion by General Yi Seong-gye.
King Taejo declared the new name of Korea as "Joseon" in reference to Gojoseon, and moved the capital to Hanseong (old name of Seoul). The first 200 years of the Joseon Dynasty were marked by relative peace and saw the creation of Hangul by King Sejong the Great in the 15th century and the rise in influence of Confucianism in the country.
Between 1592 and 1598, Japan invaded Korea. Toyotomi Hideyoshi led the Japanese forces, but his advance was halted by Korean forces (most notably the Joseon Navy)<ref name="Turnbull 17">Template:Cite book "His naval victories were to prove decisive in the Japanese defeat, although Yi was to die during his final battle in 1598."</ref><ref name="Perez 2013 140">Template:Cite encyclopedia"Just as a complete Japanese victory appeared imminent, Admiral Yi entered the war and quickly turned the tide."</ref><ref name="Perez 2013 140–141">Template:Cite encyclopedia"Yi's successes gave Korea complete control of the sea lanes around the peninsula, and the Korean navy was able to intercept most of the supplies and communications between Japan and Korea"</ref><ref name="Elisonas, Jurgis 1991. pp. 278">Elisonas, Jurgis. "The inseperable trinity: Japan's relations with China and Korea." The Cambridge History of Japan. Vol. 4. Ed. John Whitney Hall. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1991. pp. 278</ref><ref name="Lee, Ki-baik 1984. pp. 212">Lee, Ki-baik. A New History of Korea. Trans. Edward W. Wagner and Edward J. Schultz. Seoul: Ilchokak, 1984. pp. 212</ref> with assistance from Righteous army militias formed by Korean civilians and Ming Dynasty Chinese troops. Through a series of successful battles of attrition, the Japanese forces were eventually forced to withdraw, and relations between all parties became normalized. This war also saw the rise of Admiral Yi Sun-sin and his renowned "turtle ship". In the 1620s and 1630s, Joseon suffered from invasions by the Manchu which eventually extended to China as well.
After another series of wars against Manchuria, Joseon experienced a nearly 200-year period of peace. King Yeongjo and King Jeongjo particularly led a new renaissance of the Joseon Dynasty.
However, the latter years of the Joseon Dynasty were marked by isolation from the outside world. During the 19th century, Korea's isolationist policy earned it the name the "Hermit Kingdom". The Joseon Dynasty tried to protect itself against Western imperialism, but was eventually forced to open trade. After the First Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War, Korea was occupied by Japan (1910–45). At the end of World War II, the Japanese surrendered to Soviet and U.S. forces who occupied the northern and southern halves of Korea, respectively.
After the division
Despite the initial plan of a reunified Korea in the 1943 Cairo Declaration, escalating Cold War antagonism between the Soviet Union and the United States eventually led to the establishment of separate governments, each with its own ideology, leading to the division of Korea into two political entities in 1948: North Korea and South Korea.
In the South Syngman Rhee, an opponent of communism, who had been backed and appointed by the United States as head of the provisional government, won the first presidential elections of the newly declared Republic of Korea in May. In the North, a former anti-Japanese guerrilla and communist activist, Kim Il-sung was appointed premier of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in September. In October the Soviet Union declared Kim Il-sung's government as sovereign over both parts. The UN declared Rhee's government as "a lawful government having effective control and jurisdiction over that part of Korea where the UN Temporary Commission on Korea was able to observe and consult" and the Government "based on elections which was observed by the Temporary Commission" in addition to a statement that "this is the only such government in Korea."<ref name="UN195">"195 (III) The problem of the independence of Korea", December 12, 1948, Resolutions Adopted by the General Assembly During its Third Session, p. 25.</ref> Both leaders began an authoritarian repression of their political opponents inside their region, seeking for a unification of Korea under their control. While South Korea's request for military support was denied by the United States, North Korea's military was heavily reinforced by the Soviet Union.
On June 25, 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea, sparking the Korean War, the Cold War's first major conflict that continued until 1953. At the time, the Soviet Union had boycotted the United Nations (UN), thus forfeiting their veto rights. This allowed the UN to intervene in a civil war when it became apparent that the superior North Korean forces would unify the entire country. The Soviet Union and China backed North Korea, with the later participation of millions of Chinese troops. After an ebb and flow that saw both sides almost pushed to the brink of extinction, and massive losses among Korean civilians in both the north and the south, 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. No peace treaty was ever signed, resulting in the two countries remaining technically at war. Over 1.2 million people died during the Korean war.<ref>Bethany Lacina and Nils Petter Gleditsch, Monitoring Trends in Global Combat: A New Dataset of Battle Deaths, European Journal of Population (2005) 21: 145–166.</ref>
In 1960, a student uprising (the "April 19 Revolution") led to the resignation of the autocratic, corrupt President Syngman Rhee. A period of political instability followed, broken by General Park Chung-hee's May 16 coup 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 implementing political repression. Park was heavily criticised as a ruthless military dictator, who in 1972 extended his rule by creating a new constitution, which gave the president sweeping (almost dictatorial) powers and permitted him to run for an unlimited number of six-year terms. However the Korean economy developed significantly during Park's tenure and the government developed the nationwide expressway system, the Seoul subway system, and laid the foundation for economic development during his 17-year tenure.
The years after Park's assassination were marked again by political turmoil, as the previously suppressed opposition leaders all campaigned to run for president in the sudden political void. In 1979 there came the Coup d'état of December Twelfth led by General Chun Doo-hwan. Following the Coup d'état, Chun Doo-hwan planned to rise to power through several measures. On May 17, Chun Doo-hwan forced the Cabinet to expand martial law to the whole nation, which had previously not applied to the island of Jeju-do. The expanded martial law closed universities, banned political activities and further curtailed the press. Chun's assumption of the presidency in the events of May 17, triggered nationwide protests demanding democracy, in particular in the city of Gwangju, to which Chun sent special forces to violently suppress the Gwangju Democratization Movement.<ref>Flashback: The Kwangju massacre, May 17, 2000.</ref>
Chun subsequently created the National Defense Emergency Policy Committee and took the presidency according to his political plan. Chun and his government held South Korea under a despotic rule until 1987, when a Seoul National University student, Park Jong-chul, was tortured to death.<ref>"20 years later, father still seeks truth in son's death", The Hankyoreh, January 15, 2007. Retrieved July 15, 2010.</ref> On June 10, the Catholic Priests Association for Justice revealed the incident, igniting the June Democracy Movement around the country. Eventually, Chun's party, the Democratic Justice Party, and its leader, Roh Tae-woo announced the 6.29 Declaration, which included the direct election of the president. Roh went on to win the election by a narrow margin against the two main opposition leaders, Kim Dae-Jung and Kim *****-Sam.
In 1988, Seoul hosted the 1988 Summer Olympics. It became a member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 1996.<ref>"About Korea". Paris: OECD.</ref> It was adversely affected by the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. However, the country recovered and continued its economic growth, albeit at a slower pace.
In June 2000, as part of president Kim Dae-jung's "Sunshine Policy" of engagement, a North–South summit took place in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. Later that year, 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."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, because of discontent among the population for fruitless approaches to the North under the previous administrations and, amid North Korean provocations, a conservative government was elected in 2007 led by President Lee Myung-bak, former mayor of Seoul. More recently, Park Geun-hye won the South Korean presidential election, 2012.
In 2002, South Korea and Japan jointly co-hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup. However, South Korean and Japanese relations later soured because of conflicting claims of sovereignty over the Liancourt Rocks ("Dokdo" in Korea), in what became known as the Liancourt Rocks dispute.
Geography, climate and environment
Geography
South Korea occupies the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula, which extends some Template:Convert from the Asian mainland. This mountainous peninsula is flanked by the Yellow Sea to the west, and Sea of Japan (East Sea) to the east. Its southern tip lies on the Korea Strait and the East China Sea.
The country, including all its islands, lies between latitudes 33° and 39°N, and longitudes 124° and 130°E. Its total area is Template:Convert.<ref>The estimated area rises steadily from year to year, possibly because of land reclamation. Template:Cite web</ref>
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.<ref name="korea geo">Geography of Korea, Asia Info Organization</ref>
South Korea's terrain is mostly mountainous, most of which is not arable. Lowlands, located primarily in the west and southeast, make up only 30% of the total land area.
About three thousand islands, mostly small and uninhabited, lie off the western and southern coasts of South Korea. Jeju-do is about 100 kilometres (about 60 mi) off the southern coast of South Korea. It is the country's largest island, with an area of Template:Convert. Jeju is also the site of South Korea's highest point: Hallasan, an extinct volcano, reaches 1,950 meters (6,398 ft) above sea level. The easternmost islands of South Korea include Ulleungdo and Liancourt Rocks (Dokdo), while Marado and Socotra Rock are the southernmost islands of South Korea.<ref name="korea geo" />
South Korea has 20 national parks and popular nature places like the Boseong Tea Fields, Suncheon Bay Ecological Park, and the first national park of Jirisan.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Climate
Template:Main Template:Climate chart South Korea tends to have a humid continental climate and a humid subtropical climate, and is affected by the East Asian monsoon, with precipitation heavier in summer during a short rainy season called jangma (장마), which begins end of June through the end of July. Winters can be extremely cold with the minimum temperature dropping below Template:Convert in the inland region of the country: in Seoul, the average January temperature range is Template:Convert, and the average August temperature range is Template:Convert. Winter temperatures are higher along the southern coast and considerably lower in the mountainous interior.<ref>South Korea climate, U.S. Library of Congress, Country studies</ref> Summer can be uncomfortably hot and humid, with temperatures exceeding Template:Convert in most parts of the country. South Korea has four distinct seasons; spring, summer, autumn and winter. Spring usually lasts from late-March to early- May, summer from mid-May to early-September, autumn from mid-September to early-November, and winter from mid-November to mid-March.
Rainfall is concentrated in the summer months of June through September. The southern coast is subject to late summer typhoons that bring strong winds and heavy rains. The average annual precipitation varies from Template:Convert in Seoul to Template:Convert in Busan. There are occasional typhoons that bring high winds and floods.
Environment
During the first 20 years of South Korea's growth surge, little effort was made to preserve the environment.<ref name="google.com">Template:Cite web</ref> Unchecked industrialization and urban development have resulted in deforestation and the ongoing destruction of wetlands such as the Songdo Tidal Flat.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, there have been recent efforts to balance these problems, including a government run $84 billion five-year green growth project that aims to boost energy efficiency and green technology.<ref name="uk.news.yahoo.com">UK.news.yahoo.com Template:Wayback</ref><ref>Greentechmedia.com Template:Wayback</ref>
The green-based economic strategy is a comprehensive overhaul of South Korea's economy, utilizing nearly two percent of the national GDP.<ref name="uk.news.yahoo.com" /> The greening initiative includes such efforts as a nationwide bike network, solar and wind energy, lowering oil dependent vehicles, backing daylight savings and extensive usage of environmentally friendly technologies such as LEDs in electronics and lighting.<ref name="South Korea's green new deal">*****o</ref> The country – already the world's most wired – plans to build a nationwide next-generation network which will be 10 times faster than broadband facilities in order to reduce energy usage.<ref name="South Korea's green new deal" />
The renewable portfolio standard program with renewable energy certificates runs from 2012 to 2022.<ref>R&D status and prospects on fuel cells in Korea. fuelcellseminar.com</ref>
Quota systems favor large, vertically integrated generators and multinational electric utilities, if only because certificates are generally denominated in units of one megawatt-hour. They are also more difficult to design and implement than an a Feed-in tariff.<ref name="wind-works.org">Renewable Energy Policy Mechanisms by Paul Gipe(1.3MB)
Lauber, V. (2004). "REFIT and RPS: Options for a harmonized Community framework," Energy Policy, Vol. 32, Issue 12, pp.1405–1414.
Lauber, V. (2008). "Certificate Trading – Part of the Solution or Part of the Problem?"
Ljubljana Conference on the Future of GHG Emissions Trading in the EU, March 2008. Salzburg, Austria: University of Salzburg. Retrieved March 16, 2009 at: www.uni-salzburg.at/politikwissenschaft/lauber
</ref> Around 350 residential micro combined heat and power units were installed in 2012.<ref>The fuel cell industry review 2012. fuelcelltoday.com.</ref>
Seoul's tap water recently became safe to drink, with city officials branding it "Arisu" in a bid to convince the public.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Efforts have also been made with afforestation projects. Another multibillion-dollar project was the restoration of Cheonggyecheon, a stream running through downtown Seoul that had earlier been paved over by a motorway.<ref>Seoul Metropolitan Government – "A Clean, Attractive & Global City, Seoul!" Template:Wayback</ref> One major challenge is air quality, with acid rain, sulfur oxides, and annual yellow dust storms being particular problems.<ref name="google.com" /> It is acknowledged that many of these difficulties are a result of South Korea's proximity to China, which is a major air polluter.<ref name="google.com" />
South Korea is a member of the Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity Treaty, Kyoto Protocol (forming the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG), regarding UNFCCC,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> with Mexico and Switzerland), Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (not into force), Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, and Whaling.<ref name="CIA" />
Government
Under its current constitution the state is sometimes referred to as the Sixth Republic of South Korea. Like many democratic states,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> South Korea has a government divided into three branches: executive, judicial, and legislative. The executive and legislative branches operate primarily at the national level, although various ministries in the executive branch also carry out local functions. Local governments are semi-autonomous, and contain executive and legislative bodies of their own. The judicial branch operates at both the national and local levels. South Korea is a constitutional democracy.
The South Korean government's structure is determined by the Constitution of the Republic of Korea. This document has been revised several times since its first promulgation in 1948 at independence. However, it has retained many broad characteristics and with the exception of the short-lived Second Republic of South Korea, the country has always had a presidential system with an independent chief executive.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The first direct election was also held in 1948. Although South Korea experienced a series of military dictatorships from the 1960s up until the 1980s, it has since developed into a successful liberal democracy. Today, the CIA World Factbook describes South Korea's democracy as a "fully functioning modern democracy".<ref name="ciawfb">Template:Cite web</ref>
Administrative divisions
The major administrative divisions in South Korea are eight provinces, one special self-governing province, six metropolitan cities (self-governing cities that are not part of any province), one special city and one metropolitan autonomous city.
Demographics
In 2015, South Korea's population was estimated to be around 50.6 million by National Statistical Office, with continuing decline of working age population and total fertility rate.<ref name="Kostat2015"/><ref name="KOSIS2015"/> The country is noted for its population density, which was an estimated 505 per square kilometer in 2015,<ref name="Kostat2015"/> more than 10 times the global average. Most South Koreans live in urban areas, because of rapid migration from the countryside during the country's quick economic expansion in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The capital city of Seoul is also the country's largest city and chief industrial center. According to the 2005 census, Seoul had a population of 10 million inhabitants. The Seoul National Capital Area has 24.5 million inhabitants (about half of South Korea's entire population) making it the world's second largest metropolitan area and easily the most densely populated city in the OECD. Other major cities include Busan (3.5 million), Incheon (2.5 million), Daegu (2.5 million), Daejeon (1.4 million), Gwangju (1.4 million) and Ulsan (1.1 million).<ref>Populations for all cities as of 2005, Template:Cite web</ref>
The population has also been shaped by international migration. After World War II and the division of the Korean Peninsula, about four million people from North Korea crossed the border to South Korea. This trend of net entry reversed over the next 40 years because of emigration, especially to the United States and Canada. South Korea's total population in 1955 was 21.5 million,<ref>"South Korea – Population Trends". Library of Congress Country Studies.</ref> and has more than doubled, to 50 million, by 2010.<ref name="chosun1">Template:Cite web</ref>
South Korea is one of the most ethnically homogeneous societies in the world, with more than 99% of inhabitants having Korean ethnicity.<ref>South Korea. CIA – The World Factbook.</ref>
The percentage of foreign nationals has been growing rapidly.<ref>Choe Sang-Hun (November 1, 2009). "South Koreans Struggle With Race". The New York Times.</ref> Template:As of, South Korea had 1,106,884 foreign residents, 2.7% of the population; however, more than half of them are ethnic Koreans with a foreign citizenship. For example, migrants from China (PRC) make up 56.5% of foreign nationals, but approximately 30% of the Chinese citizens in Korea are Joseonjok (조선족 in Korean), PRC citizens of Korean ethnicity.<ref name="ChosunIlbo20090806">*****o</ref> Regardless of the ethnicity, there are 28,500 US military personnel serving in South Korea, most serving a one-year unaccompanied tour (though approximately 10% serve longer tours accompanied by family), according to the Korea National Statistical Office.<ref>Kostat.go.kr, 대한민국 통계청</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In addition, about 43,000 English teachers from English-speaking countries reside temporarily in Korea.<ref>*****o</ref> Currently, South Korea has one of the highest rate of growth of foreign born population, with about 30,000 foreign born residences obtaining South Korean citizenship every year since 2010.
South Korea's birthrate was the world's lowest in 2009.<ref>*****o</ref> If this continues, its population is expected to decrease by 13% to 42.3 million in 2050.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> South Korea's annual birthrate is approximately 9 births per 1000 people.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, the birthrate has increased by 5.7% in 2010 and Korea no longer has the world's lowest birthrate.<ref>"*****births in S. Korea grow 5.7 pct in 2010". Yonhap News Agency. August 24, 2011.</ref> According to a 2011 report from Chosun Ilbo, South Korea's total fertility rate (1.23 *****ren born per woman) is higher than those of Taiwan (1.15) and Japan (1.21).<ref>"Korea's Total Fertility Rate Still Near the Bottom of the World". The Chosun Ilbo. November 17, 2011.</ref> The average life expectancy in 2008 was 79.10 years,<ref>CIA – The World Factbook 2008 – Rank Order – Life expectancy at birth</ref> which is 34th in the world.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> South Korea has the steepest decline in working age population of the OECD nations.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2015, National Statistical Office estimated that the population of the country would reach its peak by 2030.<ref name="Kostat2015"/><ref name="KOSIS2015"/>
Template:Largest cities of South Korea
Education
Education in South Korea is a serious matter in South Korean life and highly valued in the national culture and is regarded as crucial to socioeconomic success in South Korean society. Widely known around the world as an academic achievement oriented society, educational success within the South Korean paradigm is the primary determinant of socioeconomic status in South Korea earmarked by the promise of prestige white collar professional jobs with a large corporate chaebol such as LG or Samsung or within the public sector such as the South Korean government. South Koreans view education as the main propeller of social mobility for themselves and their family as a gateway to the South Korean educated middle class. Graduating from a top university is the ultimate marker of high status and the pressure to succeed academically is deeply ingrained at an early age. South Korea is highly ranked in education, although the rigor of its educational system has been criticized.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>*****o</ref> Much pressure for Korean students is held within the annual college entrance exam, where one's entire life and future is determined by it. The college entrance examination is critical in the life of South Korean families where gaining entry to one of the three most prestigious “SKY” universities (Seoul National, Korea and Yonsei) will basically determine socioeconomic status for the rest of their lives and enhance the chances secure a highly-paid job in one of the South Korean chaebols (private sector conglomerates) or with the public sector such as the South Korean government.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="WeAreTeachers Staff">Template:Cite web</ref>
Academic success within the South Korea education system is often a source of pride for families and within South Korean society at large. Socioeconomic status, marriage prospects, employment prospects is determined by where one goes to college. Competition for top marks and studying hard to be the top student in every class is deeply ingrained in the psyche of South Korean students at a ***** age.<ref name="WeAreTeachers Staff"/> Competition is consequently fierce, especially when applying for elite high schools and universities throughout the country with many participating in intense outside tutoring to supplement classes to gain a competitive academic edge over their peers. In 2012, South Korea scored fifth in reading and mathematics and seventh in science on the PISA 2012 Tests.<ref>CB Online Staff. "PR scores low on global report card", Caribbean Business, September 26, 2014. Retrieved on January 3, 2015.</ref> South Korea's education system is technologically advanced and it is the world's first country to bring high-speed fibre-optic broadband internet access to every primary and secondary school nationwide. Using this infrastructure, the country has developed the first digital textbooks in the world, which will be distributed for free to every primary and secondary school nationwide by 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The South Korean education system has been praised for various reasons, including its comparatively high results and its major role in ushering Korea's economic development. Many international political leaders such as the U.S. President Barack Obama have praised South Korea for its rigorous education system, where more than 85 percent of South Korean high school graduates go on to college thus establishing a highly motivated and well educated populace. In addition, 65 percent of South Koreans aged 25–34 hold at least a bachelor's degree, the most in the OECD, while the global OECD average is 39 percent.<ref name="pri.org">Template:Cite web</ref>
A centralized administration in South Korea oversees the process for the education of *****ren from kindergarten to the third and final year of high school. South Korea has adopted a new educational program to increase the number of their foreign students through 2010. According to Ministry of Education, Science and Technology estimate, by that time, the number of scholarships for foreign students in South Korea will be doubled, and the number of foreign students will reach 100,000.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The school year is divided into two semesters, the first of which begins in the beginning of March and ends in mid-July, the second of which begins in late August and ends in mid-February. The schedules are not uniformly standardized and vary from school to school. Most South Korean middle schools and high schools have school uniforms, modeled on western-style uniforms. Boys' uniforms usually consists of trousers and white shirts, and girls wear skirts and white shirts (this only applies in middle schools and high schools).
Religion
Template:As of, just under half of the South Korean population expressed no religious preference.<ref name="koreastats">According to figures compiled by the South Korean National Statistical Office. Template:Cite web</ref> Of the rest, most are Buddhist or Christian. According to the 2007 census, 29.2% of the population at that time was Christian (18.3% identified themselves as Protestants, 10.9% as Roman Catholics), and 22.8% were Buddhist.<ref name="korea.net">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Other religions include Islam and various new religious movements such as Jeungsanism, Cheondoism and Wonbuddhism. The earliest religion practiced was Korean shamanism.<ref>Religion in Korea, Asia Info Organization</ref> Today, freedom of religion is guaranteed by the constitution, and there is no state religion.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Ironically, there are 628 Jehovah's Witnesses currently imprisoned in South Korea with the average of 40 newly imprisoned every month.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>*****o</ref> The UN Human Rights Committee has condemned the government of South Korea for the arbitrary detention of conscientious objectors and for violating the right of Witnesses to freedom of conscience.
Christianity is South Korea's largest religion, accounting for more than half of all South Korean religious adherents. There are approximately 13.7 million Christians in South Korea today; about 63% of Korean Christians belong to Protestant churches, while 37% belong to the Roman Catholic Church.<ref name="2008 한국의 종교현황">Template:Cite press release</ref> The number of Protestant Christians has slightly decreased since the 1990s, while the number of Roman Catholics has rapidly increased since the 1980s.<ref name="2008 한국의 종교현황"/><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Presbyterian denominations are the biggest Christian denominations in South Korea. About nine million people belong to one of the 100 different Presbyterian churches; among the biggest denominations are the HapDong Presbyterian Church, TongHap Presbyterian Church, the Koshin Presbyterian Church. For more information see Presbyterianism in South Korea.<ref>https://www.crcna.org/news-and-views/touched-devotion-south-korea www.crcna.org/news-and-views/touched-devotion-south-korea</ref> South Korea is also the second-largest missionary-sending nation, after the United States.<ref>*****o</ref>
Buddhism was introduced to Korea in the year 372.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> According to the national census as of 2005, South Korea has over 10.7 million Buddhists.<ref name="AFP religion">*****o</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Today, about 90% of Korean Buddhists belong to Jogye Order. Most of the National Treasures of South Korea are Buddhist artifacts. Buddhism became the state religion in some of Korean kingdoms since the Three Kingdoms Period, when Goguryeo adopted it as the state religion in 372, followed by Baekche (528). Buddhism had been the state religion of Unified Korea from North South States Period (not to be confused with the modern division of Korea) to Goryeo before suppression under the Joseon dynasty in favor of Neo-Confucianism.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Fewer than 30,000 South Koreans are thought to be Muslims, but the country has some 100,000 resident foreign workers from Islamic countries, Bangladesh and Pakistan.<ref>*****o</ref>
Korean shamanism, today known as Muism (religion of the mu [shamans]) or Sinism (religion of the gods) encompasses a variety of indigenous religious beliefs and practices of the Korean people and the Korean sphere.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In contemporary South Korea, the most used term is Muism and a shaman is known as a mudang (무당{{#if:| {{#if:Template:Lang/도움말 고리|[[[Template:Lang/도움말 고리|*]]]}}|}}Template:일반 기타, 巫堂{{#if:| {{#if:Template:Lang/도움말 고리|[[[Template:Lang/도움말 고리|*]]]}}|}}Template:일반 기타) or Tangol (당골). Since the early 2000s, this religion has regained popularity among Koreans.<ref>*****o</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>*****o</ref><ref>*****o</ref>
Public health and safety
Template:Main Although life expectancy has increased significantly since 1950, South Korea faces a number of important health-care issues. Foremost is the impact of environmental pollution on an increasingly urbanized population. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, chronic diseases account for the majority of diseases in South Korea, a condition exacerbated by the health care system's focus on treatment rather than prevention. The incidence of chronic disease in South Korea hovers around 24 percent. Approximately 33 percent of all adults smoke. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) rate of prevalence at the end of 2003 was less than 0.1 percent. In 2001 central government expenditures on health care accounted for about 6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).<ref name="*****">South Korea country profile. Library of Congress Federal Research Division (May 2005). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.</ref> The suicide rate in the nation was 26 per 100,000 in 2008, the highest in the industrialized world.<ref>Suicide rate 2009, OECD; *****o; Suicide in South Korea. The Economist (London). July 8, 2010. Retrieved July 15, 2010.</ref>
***** South Korean males were found to be the tallest in all of East Asia, resulting from healthy living conditions, economic development and changes in food culture.<ref>Schwekendiek, Daniel; Jun Seong-ho, ""From the Poorest to the Tallest in East Asia: The Secular Trend in Height of South Koreans", in: Korea Journal, 50(3), pp. 151-175.</ref>
Based on the Asia-Pacific Advisory Committee on Influenza (APACI), South Korea ranked the highest of influenza vaccination in Asia with 311 vaccines per 1,000 people.<ref>*****o</ref>
Foreign relations
Template:Main South Korea maintains diplomatic relations with more than 188 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. On January 1, 2007, South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon assumed the post of UN Secretary-General. It has also developed links with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as both a member of ASEAN Plus three, a body of observers, and the East Asia Summit (EAS).
In 2010, South Korea and the European Union concluded a free trade agreement (FTA) to reduce trade barriers. South Korea is also negotiating a Free Trade Agreement with Canada,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and another with New Zealand.<ref>*****o</ref> In November 2009 South Korea joined the OECD Development Assistance Committee, marking the first time a former aid recipient country joined the group as a donor member. South Korea hosted the G-20 Summit in Seoul in November 2010.
China
Template:Main Historically, Korea has had close relations with China. Before the formation of South Korea, Korean independence fighters worked with Chinese soldiers during the Japanese occupation. However, after World War II, the People's Republic of China embraced Maoism while South Korea sought close relations with the United States. The PRC assisted North Korea with manpower and supplies during the Korean War, and in its aftermath the diplomatic relationship between South Korea and the PRC almost completely ceased. Relations thawed gradually and South Korea and the PRC re-established formal diplomatic relations on August 24, 1992. The two countries sought to improve bilateral relations and lifted the forty-year-old trade embargo,<ref name="autogenerated2">*****o</ref> and South Korean–Chinese relations have improved steadily since 1992.<ref name="autogenerated2" /> The Republic of Korea broke off official relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan) upon gaining official relations with the People's Republic of China, which doesn't recognise Taiwan's sovereignty.<ref>*****o</ref>
European Union
Template:Main The European Union (EU) and South Korea are important trading partners, having negotiated a free trade agreement for many years since South Korea was designated as a priority FTA partner in 2006. The free trade agreement was approved in September 2010, and took effect on July 1, 2011.<ref>*****o</ref> South Korea is the EU's eighth largest trade partner, and the EU has become South Korea's second largest export destination. EU trade with South Korea exceeded €65 billion in 2008 and has enjoyed an annual average growth rate of 7.5% between 2004 and 2008.<ref name="EU">Template:Cite web</ref>
The EU has been the single largest foreign investor in South Korea since 1962, and accounted for almost 45% of all FDI inflows into Korea in 2006. Nevertheless, EU companies have significant problems accessing and operating in the South Korean market because of stringent standards and testing requirements for products and services often creating barriers to trade. Both in its regular bilateral contacts with South Korea and through its FTA with Korea, the EU is seeking to improve this situation.<ref name="EU" />
Japan
Although there were no formal diplomatic ties between South Korea and Japan after the end of World War II, South Korea and Japan signed the Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea in 1965 to establish diplomatic ties. There is heavy anti-Japanese sentiment in South Korea because of a number of unsettled Japanese-Korean disputes, many of which stem from the period of Japanese occupation after the Japanese annexation of Korea. During World War II, more than 100,000 Koreans served in the Imperial Japanese Army.<ref>A Brief History of the US-Korea Relations Prior to 1945. "While less than 100 Koreans in America enlisted in the US military during World War II, more than 100,000 Koreans served in the Japanese army as officers and soldiers. There were two Korean Lt. Generals in the Japanese Army: a Chosun prince, whose rank was honorary and who commanded no troops; and Lt. Gen. Hong Sa-Ik, who was a professional military man from the old Chosun army."</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Korean women were forced to the war front to serve the Imperial Japanese Army as *****ual slaves, called comfort women.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Longstanding issues such as Japanese war crimes against Korean civilians, visits by Japanese politicians to the Yasukuni Shrine honoring Japanese soldiers killed at war (including some class A war criminals), the negationist re-writing of Japanese textbooks relating Japanese atrocities during World War II, and the territorial disputes over Liancourt Rocks, known in South Korea as "Dokdo",<ref>Professor from Japan Discovers Map Proving Dokdo Island is Korean Territory. dynamic-korea.com. February 22, 2008.</ref> continue to trouble Korean-Japanese relations. Although Dokdo is claimed by both South Korea and Japan, the islets are administered by South Korea, which had its coast guard stationed there.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="globalsecurity">"Liancourt Rocks / Takeshima / Dokdo / Tokto", Globalsecurity</ref>
In response to then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's repeated visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, former President Roh Moo-hyun suspended all summit talks between South Korea and Japan in 2009.<ref>*****o</ref>
North Korea
Template:Main Both North and South Korea continue to officially claim sovereignty over the entire peninsula and any outlying islands. Despite the animosity, reconciliation efforts have been present from the very beginning of the separation between North and South Korea. Political figures such as Kim Koo worked to reconcile the two governments even after the Korean War.<ref>modern korean history - Home. Modernkoreanhistory.weebly.com. Retrieved on April 17, 2015.</ref> With longstanding animosity following the Korean War from 1950 to 1953, North Korea and South Korea signed an agreement to pursue peace.<ref name="autogenerated4">*****o</ref> On October 4, 2007, Roh Moo-Hyun and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il signed an eight-point 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.<ref name="autogenerated4" />
Despite the Sunshine Policy and efforts at reconciliation, the progress was complicated by North Korean missile tests in 1993, 1998, 2006, 2009, and 2013. Template:As of, relationships between North and South Korea were very tense; North Korea had been reported to have deployed missiles,<ref>*****o</ref> ended its former agreements with South Korea,<ref>*****o</ref> and threatened South Korea and the United States not to interfere with a satellite launch it had planned.<ref>*****o</ref> North and South Korea are still technically at war (having never signed a peace treaty after the Korean War) and share the world's most heavily fortified border.<ref name="border">*****o</ref> On May 27, 2009, North Korean media declared that the Armistice is no longer valid because of the South Korean government's pledge to "definitely join" the Proliferation Security Initiative.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> To further complicate and intensify strains between the two nations, the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan in March 2010, is affirmed by the South Korean government<ref>*****o</ref> to have been caused by a North Korean tor*****, which the North denies. President Lee Myung-bak declared in May 2010 that Seoul would cut all trade with North Korea as part of measures primarily aimed at striking back at North Korea diplomatically and financially, except for the joint Kaesong Industrial Project, and humanitarian aid.<ref name="kaesong">*****o</ref> North Korea initially threatened to sever all ties, to completely abrogate the previous pact of non-aggression, and to expel all South Koreans from a joint industrial zone in Kaesong, but backtracked on its threats and decided to continue its ties with South Korea. Despite the continuing ties, Kaesong industrial zone has seen a large decrease in investment and manpower as a result of this military conflict.
United States
The United States engaged in the decolonization of Korea (mainly in the South, with the Soviet Union engaged in North Korea) from Japan after World War II. After three years of military administration by the United States, the South Korean government was established. Upon the onset of the Korean War, U.S. forces were sent to defend against an invasion from North Korea of the South. Following the Armistice, South Korea and the U.S. agreed to a "Mutual Defense Treaty", under which an attack on either party in the Pacific area would summon a response from both.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1967, South Korea obliged the mutual defense treaty, by sending a large combat troop contingent to support the United States in the Vietnam War. The U.S. Eighth Army, Seventh Air Force, and U.S. Naval Forces Korea are stationed in South Korea. The two nations have strong economic, diplomatic, and military ties, although they have at times disagreed with regard to policies towards North Korea, and with regard to some of South Korea's industrial activities that involve usage of rocket or nuclear technology. There had also been strong anti-American sentiment during certain periods, which has largely moderated in the modern day.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> In 2007, a free trade agreement known as the Republic of Korea-United States Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) was signed between South Korea and the United States, but its formal implementation was repeatedly delayed, pending approval by the legislative bodies of the two countries. On October 12, 2011, the U.S. Congress passed the long-stalled trade agreement with South Korea.<ref>*****o</ref> It went into effect on March 15, 2012.<ref>*****o</ref>
Military
Template:Main Template:Update A long history of invasions by neighbors and the unresolved tension with North Korea have prompted South Korea to allocate 2.6% of its GDP and 15% of all government spending to its military (Government share of GDP: 14.967%), while maintaining compulsory conscription for men.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Consequently, South Korea has the world's sixth largest number of active troops (650,000 in 2011),<ref name="South Korea">*****o</ref> the world's second-largest number of reserve troops (3,200,000 in 2011)<ref name="South Korea" /> and the eleventh largest defense budget. The Republic of Korea, with both regular and reserve military force numbering 3.7 million regular personnel among a total national population of 50 million people, has the second highest number of soldiers per capita in the world,<ref name="South Korea" /> after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.<ref>Bermudez (2001), p. 1.</ref>
The South Korean military consists of the Army (ROKA), the Navy (ROKN), the Air Force (ROKAF), and the Marine Corps (ROKMC), and reserve forces.<ref>GlobalSecurity on Military of Republic of Korea, Globalsecurity.org</ref> Many of these forces are concentrated near the Korean Demilitarized Zone. All South Korean males are constitutionally required to serve in the military, typically 21 months. Previously, Koreans of mixed race were exempt from military duty but no exception from 2011.<ref>*****o</ref>
In addition to male conscription in South Korea's sovereign military, 1,800 Korean males are selected every year to serve 21 months in the KATUSA Program to further augment the United States Forces Korea (USFK).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2010, South Korea was spending ₩1.68 trillion in a cost-sharing agreement with the US to provide budgetary support to the US forces in Korea, on top of the ₩29.6 trillion budget for its own military.
The South Korean army has 2,500 tanks in operation, including the K1A1 and K2 Black Panther, which form the backbone of the South Korean army's mechanized armor and infantry forces. A sizable arsenal of many artillery systems, including 1,700 self-propelled K55 and K9 Thunder howitzers and 680 helicopters and UAVs of numerous types, are assembled to provide additional fire, reconnaissance, and logistics support. South Korea's smaller but more advanced artillery force and wide range of airborne reconnaissance platforms are pivotal in the counter-battery suppression of North Korea's large artillery force, which operates more than 13,000 artillery systems deployed in various state of fortification and mobility.<ref name="South Korea" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The South Korean navy has made its first major transformation into a blue-water navy through the formation of the Strategic Mobile Fleet, which includes a battle group of Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin class destroyers, Dokdo class amphibious assault ship, AIP-driven Type 214 submarines, and King Sejong the Great class destroyers, which is equipped with the latest baseline of Aegis fleet-defense system that allows the ships to track and destroy multiple cruise missiles and ballistic missiles simultaneously, forming an integral part of South Korea's indigenous missile defense umbrella against the North Korean military's missile threat.<ref>*****o</ref>
The South Korean air force operates 840 aircraft, making it world's ninth largest air force, including several types of advanced fighters like F-15K, heavily modified KF-16C/D,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the indigenous F/A-50,<ref>JPG image. imageshack.us</ref><ref>JPG image. imageshack.us</ref> supported by well-maintained fleets of older fighters such as F-4E and KF-5E/F that still effectively serve the air force alongside the more modern aircraft. In an attempt to gain strength in terms of not just numbers but also modernity, the commissioning of four Boeing 737 AEW&C aircraft, under Project Peace Eye for centralized intelligence gathering and analysis on a modern battlefield, will enhance the fighters' and other support aircraft's ability to perform their missions with awareness and precision.
In May 2011, Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd., South Korea's largest plane maker, signed a $400 million deal to sell 16 T-50 Golden Eagle trainer jets to Indonesia, making South Korea the first country in Asia to export supersonic jets.<ref>Bomi Lim (May 26, 2011). "Korea Aerospace Signs Deal to Sell Trainer Jets to Indonesia". The Jakarta Globe.</ref>
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 325,517 troops to fight alongside American, Australian, Filipino, New Zealand and South Vietnamese soldiers in the Vietnam War, with a peak strength of 50,000.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2004, South Korea sent 3,300 troops of the Zaytun Division to help re-building in northern Iraq, and was the third largest contributor in the coalition forces after only the US and Britain.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref> Beginning in 2001, South Korea had so far deployed 24,000 troops in the Middle East region to support the War on Terrorism. A further 1,800 were deployed since 2007 to reinforce UN peacekeeping forces in Lebanon.
The United States have stationed a substantial contingent of troops in South Korea since the Korean War to defend South Korea in case of East Asian military crises. There are approximately 28,500 U.S. Military personnel stationed in Korea,<ref>*****o</ref> most of them serving one year of unaccompanied tours. The American troops, which are primarily ground and air units, are assigned to USFK and mainly assigned to the Eighth United States Army of the US Army & Seventh Air Force of the US Air Force. They are stationed in installations at Osan, Kunsan, Yongsan, Dongducheon, Sungbuk, Camp Humphreys, and Daegu, as well as at Camp Bonifas in the DMZ Joint Security Area . A still functioning UN Command is technically the top of the chain of command of all forces in South Korea, including the US forces and the entire South Korean military – if a sudden escalation of war between North and South Korea were to occur the United States would assume control of the South Korean armed forces in all military and paramilitary moves. However, in September 2006, the Presidents of the United States and the Republic of Korea agreed that South Korea should assume the lead for its own defense. In early 2007, the U.S. Secretary of Defense and ROK Minister of National Defense determined that South Korea will assume wartime operational control of its forces on December 1, 2015. USFK will transform into a new joint-warfighting command, provisionally described as Korea Command (KORCOM).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Economy
South Korea's market economy ranks 13th in the world by both nominal and purchasing power parity GDP, identifying it as one of the G-20 major economies. It is a developed country with a high-income economy and is the most industrialized member country of the OECD.
South Korea's economy was one of the world's fastest-growing from the early 1960s to the late 1990s, and South Korea is still one of the fastest-growing developed countries in the 2000s, along with Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan, the other three Asian Tigers.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> South Koreans refer to this growth as the Miracle on the Han River.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The South Korean economy is heavily dependent on international trade, and in 2014, South Korea was the 5th largest exporter and 7th largest importer in the world.
South Korea hosted the fifth G20 summit in its capital city, Seoul, in November 2010. The two-day summit was expected to boost South Korea's economy by 31 trillion won, or 4% of South Korea's 2010 GDP, in economic effects, and create over 160,000 jobs in South Korea. It may also help improve the country's sovereign credit rating.<ref>*****o</ref>
Despite the South Korean economy's high growth potential and apparent structural stability, the country suffers damage to its credit rating in the stock market because of the belligerence of North Korea in times of deep military crises, which has an adverse effect on South Korean financial markets.<ref name="kcredit">*****o</ref><ref>*****o</ref> The International Monetary Fund compliments the resilience of the South Korean economy against various economic crises, citing low state debt and high fiscal reserves that can quickly be mobilized to address financial emergencies.<ref>*****o</ref> Although it was severely harmed by the Asian economic crisis of the late 1990s, the South Korean economy managed a rapid recovery and subsequently tripled its GDP.<ref>*****o</ref>
Furthermore, South Korea was one of the few developed countries that were able to avoid a recession during the global financial crisis.<ref>*****o</ref> Its economic growth rate reached 6.2 percent in 2010 (the fastest growth for eight years after significant growth by 7.2 percent in 2002),<ref>*****o</ref> a sharp recovery from economic growth rates of 2.3% in 2008 and 0.2% in 2009, when the global financial crisis hit. The unemployment rate in South Korea also remained low in 2009, at 3.6%.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The following list includes the largest South Korean companies by revenue in 2013 who are all listed as part of the Fortune Global 500:
| Rank<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | Name | Headquarters | Revenue (Mil. $) |
Profit (Mil. $) |
Assets (Mil. $) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:01. | Samsung Electronics | Suwon | 208,938 | 27,245 | 202,876 |
| Template:02. | SK Holdings | Seoul | 102,122 | 258.2 | 87,716 |
| Template:03. | Hyundai Motor | Seoul | 79,766 | 7,804 | 126,441 |
| Template:04. | POSCO | Pohang | 56,520 | 1,257 | 80,037 |
| Template:05. | LG Electronics | Seoul | 53,118 | 161.5 | 33,669 |
| Template:06. | Hyundai Heavy Industries | Ulsan | 49,507 | 254.6 | 50,421 |
| Template:07. | Korea Electric Power | Naju | 49,072 | 54.8 | 147,391 |
| Template:08. | Kia Motors | Seoul | 43,486 | 3,487 | 34,289 |
| Template:09. | GS Caltex | Seoul | 41,715 | 341.4 | 21,119 |
| Template:010. | Hanwha | Seoul | 35,379 | 118.8 | 107,394 |
| Template:011. | Korea Gas | Daegu | 34,774 | -183.4 | 41,382 |
| Template:012. | Hyundai Mobis | Seoul | 31,244 | 3,126 | 32,629 |
| Template:013. | S-Oil | Seoul | 28,467 | 264.6 | 11,297 |
| Template:014. | Samsung Life Insurance | Seoul | 26,167 | 832.6 | 182,855 |
| Template:015. | Samsung C&T | Seoul | 25,977 | 221.5 | 24,133 |
| Template:016. | Lotte Shopping | Seoul | 25,774 | 720.3 | 36,933 |
| Template:017. | LG Display | Seoul | 24,697 | 389.3 | 20,579 |
Transportation, energy and infrastructure
South Korea has a technologically advanced transport network consisting of high-speed railways, highways, bus routes, ferry services, and air routes that criss-cross the country. Korea Expressway Corporation operates the toll highways and service amenities en route.
Korail provides frequent train services to all major South Korean cities. Two rail lines, Gyeongui and Donghae Bukbu Line, to North Korea are now being reconnected. The Korean high-speed rail system, KTX, provides high-speed service along Gyeongbu and Honam Line. Major cities including Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Daegu, Daejeon and Gwangju have urban rapid transit systems.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Express bus terminals are available in most cities.<ref>Express bus terminal guide, Korea Express Bus Lines Association.</ref>
South Korea's largest airport, Incheon International Airport, was completed in 2001. By 2007, it was serving 30 million passengers a year.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> Other international airports include Gimpo, Busan and Jeju. There are also seven domestic airports, and a large number of heliports.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Korean Air, founded in 1962, served 21,640,000 passengers, including 12,490,000 international passengers in 2008.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A second carrier, Asiana Airlines, established in 1988, also serves domestic and international traffic. Combined, South Korean airlines serve 297 international routes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Smaller airlines, such as Jeju Air, provide domestic service with lower fares.<ref>Lee Eun-joo (July 2, 2010). "If you're looking for a ticket to Jeju, leave late". Joongang Daily (Seoul). Retrieved July 15, 2010.</ref>
South Korea is the world's fifth-largest nuclear power producer and the second-largest in Asia as of 2010.<ref name="koreanuke">*****o</ref> Nuclear power in South Korea supplies 45% of electricity production, and research is very active with investigation into a variety of advanced reactors, including a small modular reactor, a liquid-metal fast/transmutation reactor and a high-temperature hydrogen generation design. Fuel production and waste handling technologies have also been developed locally. It is also a member of the ITER project.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
South Korea is an emerging exporter of nuclear reactors, having concluded agreements with the UAE to build and maintain four advanced nuclear reactors,<ref>*****o</ref> with Jordan for a research nuclear reactor,<ref>*****o</ref><ref>*****o</ref> and with Argentina for construction and repair of heavy-water nuclear reactors.<ref>*****o</ref><ref name="argentinanuke">*****o</ref> As of 2010, South Korea and Turkey are in negotiations regarding construction of two nuclear reactors.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> South Korea is also preparing to bid on construction of a light-water nuclear reactor for Argentina.<ref name="argentinanuke" />
South Korea is not allowed to enrich uranium or develop traditional uranium enrichment technology on its own, because of US political pressure,<ref>*****o</ref> unlike most major nuclear powers such as Japan, Germany, and France, competitors of South Korea in the international nuclear market. This impediment to South Korea's indigenous nuclear industrial undertaking has sparked occasional diplomatic rows between the two allies. While South Korea is successful in exporting its electricity-generating nuclear technology and nuclear reactors, it cannot capitalize on the market for nuclear enrichment facilities and refineries, preventing it from further expanding its export niche. South Korea has sought unique technologies such as pyroprocessing to circumvent these obstacles and seek a more advantageous competition.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The US has recently been wary of South Korea's burgeoning nuclear program, which South Korea insists will be for civilian use only.<ref name="koreanuke" />
South Korea is the third highest ranked Asian country in the World Economic Forum's Network Readiness Index (NRI) after Singapore and Hong Kong respectively – an indicator for determining the development level of a country’s information and communication technologies. South Korea ranked number 10 overall in the 2014 NRI ranking, up from 11 in 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Tourism
In 2012, 11.1 million foreign tourists visited South Korea, making it the 20th most visited country in the world,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> up from 8.5 million in 2010.<ref>*****o</ref> Due to Hallyu, South Korea welcomed more than 12 million visitors in 2013 with 6 million tourists coming from China alone.<ref>Hallyu fuels foreign investment in Korea. Koreatimes.co.kr (August 31, 2014). Retrieved on April 17, 2015.</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> With rising tourist prospects, especially from foreign countries outside of Asia, the South Korean government has set a target of attracting 20 million foreign tourists a year by 2017.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Hallyu's positive effects of the nation's entertainment industry are not limited to within its culture industry, according to a study by the Hyundai Research Institute. The Hyundai Research Institute reported that the Korean Wave has a direct impact in encouraging direct foreign investment back into the country through demand for products, and the tourism industry.<ref name="Korea Times">Template:Cite web</ref> Among Asian countries, China was the most receptive, investing 1.4 billion in South Korea, with much of the investment within its service sector, a sevenfold increase from 2001. According to economist, Han Sang-Wan, shown an analysis that a 1 percent increase of exports of Korean cultural content pushes consumer goods exports up 0.083 percent while a 1 percent increase in Korean pop content exports to a country produces a 0.019 percent bump in tourism.<ref name="Korea Times"/>
Science and technology
Cyber security
Following cyberattacks in the first half of 2013, whereby government, news-media, television station, and bank websites were compromised, the national government committed to the training of 5,000 new cybersecurity experts by 2017. The South Korean government blamed its northern counterpart for these attacks, as well as incidents that occurred in 2009, 2011 and 2012, but Pyongyang denies the accusations.<ref name="Jun">*****o</ref>
In late September 2013, a computer-security competition jointly sponsored by the defense ministry and the National Intelligence Service was announced. The winners will be announced on September 29, 2013 and will share a total prize pool of 80 million won (US$74,000).<ref name="Jun" />
Aerospace research
South Korea has sent up 10 satellites from 1992, all using foreign rockets and overseas launch pads, notably Arirang-1 in 1999, and Arirang-2 in 2006 as part of its space partnership with Russia.<ref>*****o</ref> Arirang-1 was lost in space in 2008, after nine years in service.<ref>South Korea Confirms Contact With Satellite Lost, Space Daily, January 7, 2008. Retrieved July 15, 2010.</ref>
In April 2008, Yi So-yeon became the first Korean to fly in space, aboard the Russian Soyuz TMA-12.<ref>"Scientist Yi So Yeon becomes first Korean astronaut", The Times (London), April 9, 2008</ref><ref>"First S Korean astronaut launches". BBC News (April 8, 2008). Retrieved on April 17, 2015.</ref>
In June 2009, the first spaceport of South Korea, Naro Space Center, was completed at Goheung, Jeollanam-do.<ref>"S. Korea Completes Work on Naro Space Center", Korea Times (Seoul), June 10, 2009. Retrieved July 15, 2010.</ref> The launch of Naro-1 in August 2009 resulted in a failure.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The second attempt in June 2010 was also unsuccessful.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However the third launch of the Naro 1 in January 2013 was successful.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The government plans to develop Naro-2 by the year 2018.<ref>"Naro-1 explodes after takeoff", Joongang Daily (Seoul), June 11, 2010. Retrieved July 15, 2010.</ref>
South Korea's efforts to build an indigenous space launch vehicle is marred because of persistent political pressure of the United States, who had for many decades hindered South Korea's indigenous rocket and missile development programs<ref>*****o</ref> in fear of their possible connection to clandestine military ballistic missile programs, which Korea many times insisted did not violate the research and development guidelines stipulated by US-Korea agreements on restriction of South Korean rocket technology research and development.<ref>*****o</ref> South Korea has sought the assistance of foreign countries such as Russia through MTCR commitments to supplement its restricted domestic rocket technology. The two failed KSLV-I launch vehicles were based on the Universal Rocket Module, the first stage of the Russian Angara rocket, combined with a solid-fueled second stage built by South Korea.
Robotics
Robotics has been included in the list of main national R&D projects in Korea since 2003.<ref>Special Report: [Business Opportunities] R&D. Ministry of Knowledge Economy, September 3, 2007. Retrieved July 15, 2009.</ref> In 2009, the government announced plans to build robot-themed parks in Incheon and Masan with a mix of public and private funding.<ref>"Robot parks, a world first". JoongAng Daily, February 13, 2009. Retrieved July 15, 2009.</ref>
In 2005, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) developed the world's second walking humanoid robot, HUBO. A team in the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology developed the first Korean android, EveR-1 in May 2006.<ref>Android Has Human-Like Skin and Expressions, Live Science, May 8, 2006. Retrieved July 15, 2009.</ref> EveR-1 has been succeeded by more complex models with improved movement and vision.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Plans of creating English-teaching robot assistants to compensate for the shortage of teachers were announced in February 2010, with the robots being deployed to most preschools and kindergartens by 2013.<ref>South Korean Robot English Teachers Are Go, Popular Science, February 24, 2010. Retrieved July 15, 2010.</ref> Robotics are also incorporated in the entertainment sector as well; the Korean Robot Game Festival has been held every year since 2004 to promote science and robot technology.<ref>Korean Robot Game Festival, Official Site</ref>
Biotechnology
Since the 1980s, the Korean government has invested in the development of a domestic biotechnology industry, and the sector is projected to grow to $6.5 billion by 2010.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The medical sector accounts for a large part of the production, including production of hepatitis vaccines and antibiotics.
Recently, research and development in genetics and cloning has received increasing attention, with the first successful cloning of a dog, Snuppy (in 2005), and the cloning of two females of an endangered species of wolvesTemplate:Which by the Seoul National University in 2007.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The rapid growth of the industry has resulted in significant voids in regulation of ethics, as was highlighted by the scientific misconduct case involving Hwang Woo-Suk.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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. Historically, while the culture of Korea has been heavily influenced by that of neighboring China, it has nevertheless managed to develop a unique cultural identity that is distinct from its larger neighbor.<ref name="Fairbank et al.">Template:Cite book</ref> The South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism actively encourages the traditional arts, as well as modern forms, through funding and education programs.<ref>Template:Cite web See also Template:Cite web</ref>
The industrialization and urbanization of South Korea have brought many changes to the way Korean people live. Changing economics and lifestyles have led to a concentration of population in major cities, especially the capital Seoul, with multi-generational households separating into nuclear family living arrangements. A 2014 Euromonitor study found that South Koreans drink the most alcohol on a weekly basis compared to the rest of the world. South Koreans drink 13.7 shots of liquor per week on average and, of the 44 other countries analyzed, Russia, the Philippines, and Thailand follow.<ref>*****o</ref>
Art
Korean art has been highly influenced by Buddhism and Confucianism, which can be seen in the many traditional paintings, sculptures, ceramics and the performing arts.<ref>Korean painting, Asia Art</ref> Korean pottery and porcelain, such as Joseon's baekja and buncheong, and Goryeo's celadon are well known throughout the world.<ref>Korean Pottery and Celadon, Asian Relocation Management Korea</ref> The Korean tea ceremony, pansori, talchum and buchaechum are also notable Korean performing arts.
Post-war modern Korean art started to flourish in the 1960s and 1970s, when South Korean artists took interest in geometrical shapes and intangible subjects. Establishing a harmony between man and nature was also a favorite of this time. Because of social instability, social issues appeared as main subjects in the 1980s. Art was influenced by various international events and exhibits in Korea, and with it brought more diversity.<ref>Contemporary Korean Art in 1990s, apexart, 1999</ref> The Olympic Sculpture Garden in 1988, the transposition of the 1993 edition of the Whitney Biennial to Seoul,<ref>Template:Ko icon Whitney Biennal to come to Seoul again, Seoul News, March 26, 2010. Retrieved July 13, 2010.</ref> the creation of the Gwangju Biennale<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 1995<ref>Korean Pavilion, La Biennale di Venezia.</ref> were notable events.
Architecture
Because of South Korea's tumultuous history, construction and destruction has been repeated endlessly, resulting in an interesting melange of architectural styles and designs.<ref>Korean architecture, Asian Info Organization</ref>
Korean traditional architecture is characterized by its harmony with nature. Ancient architects adopted the bracket system characterized by thatched roofs and heated floors called ondol.<ref>Chung Ah-***** (March 31, 2010). "Exhibit Focuses on Traditional Architecture", Korea Times; Photos of traditional Korean shelters</ref> People of the upper classes built bigger houses with elegantly curved tiled roofs with lifting eaves. Traditional architecture can be seen in the palaces and temples, preserved old houses called hanok,<ref>List of traditional Korean houses, Asian Tradition in Architecture</ref> and special sites like Hahoe Folk Village, Yangdong Village of Gyeongju and Korean Folk Village. Traditional architecture may also be seen at the nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites in South Korea.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Western architecture was first introduced to Korea at the end of the 19th century. Churches, offices for foreign legislation, schools and university buildings were built in new styles. With the annexation of Korea by Japan in 1910 the colonial regime intervened in Korea's architectural heritage, and Japanese-style modern architecture was imposed. The anti-Japanese sentiment, and the Korean War, led to the destruction of most buildings constructed during that time.<ref>Brief Review of Korea Modern Architecture, Prof. Park Kil-ryong (Kukmin University), modified by Architectural Design Lab, GSNU.</ref>
Korean architecture entered a new phase of development during the post-Korean War reconstruction, incorporating modern architectural trends and styles. Stimulated by the economic growth in the 1970s and 1980s, active redevelopment saw new horizons in architectural design. In the aftermath of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, South Korea has witnessed a wide variation of styles in its architectural landscape due, in large part, to the opening up of the market to foreign architects.<ref>Contemporary Korean architecture, Asian Info Organization</ref> Contemporary architectural efforts have been constantly trying to balance the traditional philosophy of "harmony with nature" and the fast-paced urbanization that the country has been going through in recent years.<ref>"Korean buildings that captivate world", Asia News, January 15, 2010; Lee Hoo-nam (April 16, 2009)."Still, slow waters of Korean architecture", Joongang Daily (Seoul). Retrieved July 10, 2010.</ref>
Cuisine
Korean cuisine, hanguk yori (한국요리; 韓國料理), or hansik (한식; 韓食), has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Ingredients and dishes vary by province. There are many significant regional dishes that have proliferated in different variations across the country in the present day. The Korean royal court cuisine once brought all of the unique regional specialties together for the royal family. Meals consumed both by the royal family and ordinary Korean citizens have been regulated by a unique culture of etiquette.
Korean cuisine is largely based on rice, noodles, tofu, vegetables, fish and meats. Traditional Korean meals are noted for the number of side dishes, banchan (반찬), which accompany steam-cooked short-grain rice. Every meal is accompanied by numerous banchan. Kimchi (김치), a fermented, usually spicy vegetable dish is commonly served at every meal and is one of the best known Korean dishes. Korean cuisine usually involves heavy seasoning with sesame oil, doenjang (된장), a type of fermented soybean paste, soy sauce, salt, garlic, ginger, and gochujang (고추장), a hot pepper paste. Other well-known dishes are Bulgogi (불고기), grilled marinated beef, Gimbap (김밥), and Tteokbokki (떡볶이), a spicy snack consisting of rice cake seasoned with gochujang or a spicy chili paste.
Soups are also a common part of a Korean meal and are served as part of the main course rather than at the beginning or the end of the meal. Soups known as guk (국) are often made with meats, shellfish and vegetables. Similar to guk, tang (탕; 湯) has less water, and is more often served in restaurants. Another type is jjigae (찌개), a stew that is typically heavily seasoned with chili pepper and served boiling hot.
South Korean snack companies, such as Lotte, are famous for making a wide range of Korean or other Asian-inspired snacks. One example is Pepero, a snack similar to Pocky, which originates from Japan. Pepero is manufactured by Lotte Confectionery.
Popular Korean alcoholic beverages include Soju, Makgeolli and Bokbunja ju.
Contemporary music, film and television
Template:Main In addition to domestic consumption, South Korean mainstream culture, including televised drama, films, and popular music, also generates significant exports to various parts of the world. This phenomenon, often called "Hallyu" or the "Korean Wave", has swept many countries in Asia and other parts of the world.<ref name="Kwave">*****o</ref>
Until the 1990s, trot and ballads dominated Korean popular music. The emergence of the rap group Seo Taiji and Boys in 1992 marked a turning point for Korean popular music, also known as K-pop, as the group incorporated elements of popular musical genres of rap, rock, and techno into its music.<ref>Seo Taiji, KBS World</ref> Hip hop, dance and ballad oriented acts have become dominant in the Korean popular music scene, though trot is still popular among older Koreans. Many K-pop stars and groups are also well known abroad, especially in other parts of Asia. A solo artist known as Psy has recently topped charts around the world with his hit "Gangnam Style".
Since the success of the film Shiri in 1999, Korean film has begun to gain recognition internationally. Domestic film has a dominant share of the market, partly because of the existence of screen quotas requiring cinemas to show Korean films at least 73 days a year.<ref>"S.Korea's Screen Quota Hinders Market Access", KBS World, July 16, 2010.</ref>
Korean television shows have become popular outside of Korea. Dramas have tended to have a romantic focus, such as Princess Hours, You're Beautiful, Playful Kiss, My Name is Kim Sam Soon, Boys Over Flowers, Winter Sonata, Autumn in My Heart, Full House, City Hunter, All About Eve, Secret Garden, I Can Hear Your Voice, Master's Sun, and My Love from the Star. Historical dramas have included Faith, Dae Jang Geum, The Legend, Dong Yi, Moon Embracing the Sun, and Sungkyunkwan Scandal.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Holidays
Template:Main There are many official public holidays in South Korea. Korean New Year's Day, or "Seollal," is celebrated on the first day of the Korean lunar calendar. Korean Independence Day falls on March 1, and commemorates the March 1 Movement of 1919. Memorial Day is celebrated on June 6, and its purpose is to honor the men and women who died in South Korea's independence movement. Constitution Day is on July 17, and it celebrates the promulgation of Constitution of the Republic of Korea. Liberation Day, on August 15, celebrates Korea's liberation from the Empire of Japan in 1945. Every 15th day of the 8th lunar month, Koreans celebrate the Midautumn Festival, in which Koreans visit their ancestral hometowns and eat a variety of traditional Korean foods. On October 1, Armed Forces day is celebrated, honoring the military forces of South Korea. October 3 is National Foundation Day. Hangul Day, on October 9 commemorates the invention of hangul, the native alphabet of the Korean language. There are also unofficial holidays celebrated in Korea, such as Pepero Day, a day to celebrate the Korean snack of Pepero.
Technology culture
South Korean corporations Samsung and LG were ranked first and third largest mobile phone companies in the world in the first quarter of 2012, respectively.<ref>Samsung number One in the World, International Data Corporation, January 29, 2010. Retrieved July 7, 2010.</ref> An estimated 90% of South Koreans own a mobile phone.<ref>"Koreans love their mobile phones", Joongang Daily, January 28, 2009. Retrieved July 7, 2010.</ref> Aside from placing/receiving calls and text messaging, mobile phones in the country are widely used for watching Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) or viewing websites.<ref>Cho Jin-seo (February 12, 2006). "Terrestrial-DMB adds color to Korean lifestyle", The Korea Times (Seoul). "Facts from 'Digital Korea'", CNN Asia, October 16, 2007. Retrieved July 7, 2010.</ref> Over one million DMB phones have been sold and the three major wireless communications providers SK Telecom, KT, and LG U+ provide coverage in all major cities and other areas. South Korea has the fastest Internet download speeds in the world, with an average download speed of 25.3 Mbit/s.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Sports
The martial art taekwondo originated in Korea. In the 1950s and 1960s, modern rules were standardized, with taekwondo becoming an official Olympic sport in 2000.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Other Korean martial arts include taekkyeon, hapkido, Tang Soo Do, Kuk Sool Won, kumdo and subak.<ref>Template:Ko icon Korea Martial Arts Federation</ref>
Football has traditionally been regarded as the most popular sport in Korea.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Recent polling indicates that a majority, 41% of South Korean sports fans continue to self-identify as football fans, with baseball ranked 2nd at 25% of respondents. However, the polling did not indicate the extent to which respondents follow both sports.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The national football team became the first team in the Asian Football Confederation to reach the FIFA World Cup semi-finals in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by South Korea and Japan. The Korea Republic national team (as it is known) has qualified for every World Cup since Mexico 1986, and has broken out of the group stage twice: first in 2002, and again in 2010, when it was defeated by eventual semi-finalist Uruguay in the Round of 16. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, South Korea won the Bronze Medal for football.
Baseball was first introduced to Korea in 1905 and has since become increasingly popular, with some sources claiming it has surpassed football as the most popular sport in the country.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Trading Markets.com. "S. Korean Game Developer NCsoft Interested in Pro Baseball." December 21, 2010. Accessed December 26, 2010.</ref><ref>Min-sik, Yoon. "Baseball comes roaring back to Seoul." The Korea Herald. October 25, 2013. Accessed November 9, 2013. https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20131025000840</ref> Recent years have been characterized by increasing attendance and ticket prices for professional baseball games.<ref>Kim Yang-hee (April 21, 2011). "Professional baseball rising in popularity." The Hankyoreh. Accessed April 21, 2011.</ref><ref>나라지표-프로스포츠 관중현황</ref> The Korea Professional Baseball league, a 10-team circuit, was established in 1982. The South Korea national team finished third in the 2006 World Baseball Classic and second in the 2009 tournament. The team's 2009 final game against Japan was widely watched in Korea, with a large screen at Gwanghwamun crossing in Seoul broadcasting the game live.<ref>Wakabayashi, Daisuke; Park Sungha (March 24, 2009). "Japan beats South Korea to be Baseball Champions." The Wall Street Journal (New York). November 20, 2010.</ref> In the 2008 Summer Olympics, South Korea won the gold medal in baseball.<ref>"South Korea takes Olympics baseball gold". Los Angeles Times (blog). August 23, 2008. Retrieved July 7, 2010.</ref> Also in 1982, at the Baseball Worldcup, Korea won the gold medal. At the 2010 Asian Games, the Korean National Baseball team won the gold medal. Three notable Korean baseball players are Chan Ho Park, Shin-Soo Choo, and Hyun-Jin Ryu.
Basketball is a popular sport in the country as well. South Korea has traditionally had one of the top basketball teams in Asia and one of the continent's strongest basketball divisions. Seoul hosted the 1967 and 1995 Asian Basketball Championship. The Korea national basketball team has won a record number of 23 medals at the event to date.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
South Korea hosted the Asian Games in 1986 (Seoul), 2002 (Busan) and 2014 (Incheon). It also hosted the Winter Universiade in 1997, the Asian Winter Games in 1999 and the Summer Universiade in 2003, 2015. In 1988, South Korea hosted the Summer Olympics in Seoul, coming fourth with 12 gold medals, 10 silver medals and 11 bronze medals. South Korea regularly performs well in archery, shooting, table tennis, badminton, short track speed skating, handball, hockey, freestyle wrestling, Greco-Roman wrestling, baseball, judo, taekwondo, speed skating, figure Skating, and weightlifting. The Seoul Olympic Museum is a museum in Seoul, South Korea, dedicated to the 1988 Summer Olympics. On July 6, 2011 Pyeongchang was chosen by the IOC to host the 2018 Winter Olympics.
South Korea has won more medals in the Winter Olympics than any other Asian country with a total of 45 medals (23 gold, 14 silver, and 8 bronze). At the 2010 Winter Olympics, South Korea ranked fifth in the overall medal rankings. South Korea is especially strong in short track speed skating. However, speed skating and figure skating are very popular, too, and ice hockey is an emerging sport with Anyang Halla winning their first ever Asia League Ice Hockey title in March 2010.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Seoul hosted a professional triathlon race, which is part of the International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Championship Series in May 2010.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2011, the South Korean city of Daegu hosted the 2011 IAAF World Championships in Athletics.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In October 2010, South Korea hosted its first Formula One race at the Korea International Circuit in Yeongam, about Template:Convert south of Seoul.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Korean Grand Prix was held from 2010 to 2013, but was not placed on the 2014 F1 calendar.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Domestic horse racing events are also followed by South Koreans and Seoul Race Park in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do is located closest to Seoul out of the country's three tracks.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Electronic sports, also called eSports or competitive gaming, has become a staple of South Korea in recent years. It has become something of a career for many ***** people. This is managed by the Korean e-Sports Association (KeSPA for short), and top players can make large sums of money. The two most popular games are League of Legends and StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm. Some high end players in Starcraft II and its standalone expansions can end up making six figure salaries.
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See also
Template:Portal Template:Wikipedia books
- Index of South Korea-related articles
- International rankings of South Korea
- List of companies of South Korea
- List of South Korean tourist attractions
- Outline of South Korea
- North Korea
References
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<references group=""></references>Further reading
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- Lew, Yong Ick. The Making of the First Korean President: Syngman Rhee's Quest for Independence (University of Hawai'i Press; 2013); scholarly biography; 576 pages;
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External links
- The official website of the Republic of Korea (Korea.net)
- The Official Korea Tourism Guide Site
- Korea National Statistical Office
- Video on South Korea-US Relations from the Dean Peter Krogh Foreign Affairs Digital Archives
- Template:CIA World Factbook link
- A Country Study: South Korea in the Library of Congress
- Template:Dmoz
- South Korea from UCB Libraries GovPubs
- Korea OECD
- South Korea profile from the BBC News
- South Korea Encyclopædia Britannica entry
- The War Memorial of Korea
- Key Development Forecasts for South Korea from International Futures
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