2001 Edition

Administrative divisions

9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7 metropolitan cities* (gwangyoksi, singular and plural); Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto, Cholla-namdo, Ch'ungch'ong-bukto, Ch'ungch'ong-namdo, Inch'on-gwangyoksi*, Kangwon-do, Kwangju-gwangyoksi*, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto, Kyongsang-namdo, Pusan-gwangyoksi*, Soul-t'ukpyolsi*, Taegu-gwangyoksi*, Taejon-gwangyoksi*, Ulsan-gwangyoksi*

Age structure

0-14 years: 21.59% (male 5,475,453; female 4,864,918) 15-64 years: 71.14% (male 17,291,202; female 16,789,380) 65 years and over: 7.27% (male 1,352,312; female 2,131,105) (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products

rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish

Airports

102 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 68 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 21 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 32 (2000 est.)

Area

total: 98,480 sq km land: 98,190 sq km water: 290 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Indiana

Background

After World War II, a republic was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a communist-style government was installed in the north. The Korean War (1950-53) had US and other UN forces intervene to defend South Korea from North Korean attacks supported by the Chinese. An armistice was signed in 1953 splitting the peninsula at the 38th parallel known as the DMZ. Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth, with per capita income rising to 13 times the level of North Korea. In 1997, the nation suffered a severe financial crisis from which it continues to make a solid recovery. South Korea has also maintained its commitment to democratize its political processes. In June 2000, a historic first south-north summit took place between the south's President KIM Dae-jung and the north's leader KIM Chong-il. In December 2000, President KIM Dae-jung won the Noble Peace Prize for his lifeling committment to democracy and human rights in Asia. He is the first Korean to win a Nobel Prize. Korea, South Geography

Birth rate

14.85 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Budget

revenues: $81.8 billion expenditures: $94.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $6.1 billion (1999)

Capital

Seoul

Climate

temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Coastline

2,413 km

Constitution

25 February 1988

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Korea conventional short form: South Korea local long form: Taehan-min'guk local short form: none note: the South Koreans generally use the term "Han-guk" to refer to their country abbreviation: ROK

Currency

South Korean won (KRW)

Currency code

KRW

Death rate

5.93 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Debt - external

$137 billion (November 2000)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) embassy: 82 Sejong-ro, Chongro-ku, Seoul 110-710 mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-0001 telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador YANG Song-chol chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600

Disputes - international

Demarcation Line with North Korea; Liancourt Rocks (Takeshima/Tokdo) disputed with Japan

Economic aid - recipient

$NA

Economy - overview

As one of the Four Dragons of East Asia, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth. Three decades ago GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. Today its GDP per capita is seven times India's, 16 times North Korea's, and comparable to the lesser economies of the European Union. This success through the late 1980s was achieved by a system of close government/business ties, including directed credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of specific industries, and a strong labor effort. The government promoted the import of raw materials and technology at the expense of consumer goods and encouraged savings and investment over consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-99 exposed certain longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model, including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an undisciplined financial sector. By 1999 GDP growth had recovered, reversing the substantial decline of 1998. Seoul has pressed the country's largest business groups to restructure and to strengthen their financial base. Growth in 2001 likely will be a more sustainable rate of 5%.

Electricity - consumption

232.767 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - production

250.287 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 59.22% hydro: 1.64% nuclear: 39.12% other: 0.02% (1999)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m

Environment - current issues

air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing

Environment - international agreements

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Korea, South People

Ethnic groups

homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

Exchange rates

South Korean won per US dollar - 1,271.89 (January 2001), 1,130.96 (2000), 1,188.82 (1999), 1,401.44 (1998), 951.29 (1997), 804.45 (1996)

Executive branch

chief of state: President KIM Dae-jung (since 25 February 1998) head of government: Prime Minister YI Han-tong (since 23 May 2000) cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 18 December 1997 (next to be held by 18 December 2002); prime minister appointed by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation election results: KIM Dae-jung elected president; percent of vote - KIM Dae-jung (NCNP) 40.3% (with ULD partnership), YI Hoe-chang (GNP) 38.7%, YI In-che (NPP) 19.2%

Exports

$172.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities

electronic products, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, steel, ships; textiles, clothing, footwear; fish

Exports - partners

US 20.5%, Japan 11%, China 9.5%, Hong Kong 6.3%, Taiwan 4.4% (1999)

FAX

[1] (202) 387-0205 consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle consulate(s): Hagatna (Guam)

[82] (2) 738-8845

Fiscal year

calendar year Korea, South Communications

Flag description

white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field Korea, South Economy

GDP

purchasing power parity - $764.6 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 5.6% industry: 41.4% services: 53% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $16,100 (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

9% (2000 est.)

Geographic coordinates

37 00 N, 127 30 E

Government type

republic

Heliports

203 (2000 est.) Korea, South Military

Highways

total: 87,534 km paved: 65,388 km (including 1,996 km of expressways) unpaved: 22,146 km (1999)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

180 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

3,800 (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 24.3% (1993)

Imports

$160.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities

machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, textiles, organic chemicals, grains

Imports - partners

US 20.8%, Japan 20.2%, China 7.4%, Saudi Arabia 4.7%, Australia 3.9% (1999)

Independence

15 August 1945 (from Japan)

Industrial production growth rate

17% (2000)

Industries

electronics, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel, textiles, clothing, footwear, food processing

Infant mortality rate

7.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.3% (2000)

International organization participation

AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Internet country code

.kr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

11 (2000)

Internet users

15.3 million (2000) Korea, South Transportation

Irrigated land

13,350 sq km (1993 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (justices are appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly)

Labor force

22 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation

services 68%, industry 20%, agriculture 12% (1999)

Land boundaries

total: 238 km border countries: North Korea 238 km

Land use

arable land: 19% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 65% other: 13% (1993 est.)

Languages

Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school

Legal system

combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (273 seats total - 227 elected by direct, popular vote; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 13 April 2000 (next to be held NA April 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - GNP 133, MDP 115, ULD 17, other 8

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.65 years male: 70.97 years female: 78.74 years (2001 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 99.3% female: 96.7% (1995 est.) Korea, South Government

Location

Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 NM continental shelf: not specified exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM; between 3 NM and 12 NM in the Korea Strait

Merchant marine

total: 496 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,421,993 GRT/8,757,034 DWT ships by type: bulk 105, cargo 168, chemical tanker 38, combination bulk 5, container 49, liquefied gas 16, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 70, refrigerated cargo 27, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 5 (2000 est.)

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Maritime Police (Coast Guard)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$12 billion (2000)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

3.2% (FY98/99) Korea, South Transnational Issues

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 14,148,552 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 8,979,778 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 394,397 (2001 est.)

National holiday

Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

Nationality

noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean

Natural hazards

occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest

Natural resources

coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Pipelines

petroleum products 455 km; note - additionally, there is a parallel petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) pipeline being completed

Political parties and leaders

Grand National Party or GNP [YI Hoe-chang, president]; Millennium Democratic Party or MDP [KIM Dae-jung, president]; United Liberal Democrats or ULD [KIM Chong-p'il, honorary chairman, KIM Chong-ho, acting president] note: on 20 January 2000, the National Congress for New Politics or NCNP was renamed the Millennium Democratic Party or MDP

Political pressure groups and leaders

Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean Trade Unions; Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National Council of Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans' Association; National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic Alliance of Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National Federation of Student Associations

Population

47,904,370 (July 2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

0.89% (2001 est.)

Ports and harbors

Chinhae, Inch'on, Kunsan, Masan, Mokp'o, P'ohang, Pusan, Tonghae-hang, Ulsan, Yosu

Radio broadcast stations

AM 106, FM 97, shortwave 6 (1999)

Radios

47.5 million (1997)

Railways

total: 6,240 km standard gauge: 6,240 km 1.435-m gauge (525 km electrified) (1998 est.)

Religions

Christian 49%, Buddhist 47%, Confucianist 3%, Shamanist, Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way), and other 1%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.11 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal

Telephone system

general assessment: excellent domestic and international services domestic: NA international: fiber-optic submarine cable to China; the Russia-Korea-Japan submarine cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)

Telephones - main lines in use

24 million (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular

27 million (June 2000)

Television broadcast stations

121 (plus 850 repeater stations and the eight-channel American Forces Korea Network) (1999)

Televisions

15.9 million (1997)

Terrain

mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south

Total fertility rate

1.72 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate

4.1% (2000 est.)

Waterways

1,609 km note: restricted to small native craft