2007 Edition

Administrative divisions

9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7 metropolitan cities (gwangyoksi, singular and plural)

metropolitan cities

Inch'on-gwangyoksi (Inch'on), Kwangju-gwangyoksi (Kwangju), Pusan-gwangyoksi (Pusan), Soul-t'ukpyolsi (Seoul), Taegu-gwangyoksi (Taegu), Taejon-gwangyoksi (Taejon), Ulsan-gwangyoksi (Ulsan)

provinces

Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto (North Cholla), Cholla-namdo (South Cholla), Ch'ungch'ong-bukto (North Ch'ungch'ong), Ch'ungch'ong-namdo (South Ch'ungch'ong), Kangwon-do, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto (North Kyongsang), Kyongsang-namdo (South Kyongsang)

Age structure

0-14 years: 18.9% (male 4,844,083/female 4,368,139) 15-64 years: 71.9% (male 17,886,148/female 17,250,862) 65 years and over: 9.2% (male 1,818,677/female 2,678,914) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

107 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 21 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 11

total

69

under 914 m

20 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

38 914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m

35 (2006)

Area

land

98,190 sq km

total

98,480 sq km

water

290 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Indiana

Background

An independent Korean state or collection of states has existed almost continuously for several millennia. Between its initial unification in the 7th century - from three predecessor Korean states - until the 20th century, Korea existed as a single independent country. In 1905, following the Russo-Japanese War, Korea became a protectorate of imperial Japan, and in 1910 it was annexed as a colony. Korea regained its independence following Japan's surrender to the United States in 1945. After World War II, a Republic of Korea (ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in the north (the DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and UN forces fought alongside soldiers from the ROK to defend South Korea from DPRK attacks supported by China and the Soviet Union. An armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income rising to roughly 14 times the level of North Korea. In 1993, KIM Yo'ng-sam became South Korea's first civilian president following 32 years of military rule. South Korea today is a fully functioning modern democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took place between the South's President KIM Tae-chung and the North's leader KIM Jong Il. Geography Korea, South

Birth rate

10 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$209.5 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)

revenues

$218 billion

Capital

geographic coordinates

37 34 N, 127 00 E

name

Seoul

time difference

UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Coastline

2,413 km

Constitution

29 October 1987

Country name

abbreviation

ROK

conventional long form

Republic of Korea

conventional short form

South Korea

local long form

Taehan-min'guk

local short form

Han'guk

Currency (code)

South Korean won (KRW)

Currency code

KRW

Current account balance

$6.741 billion (2006 est.)

Death rate

5.85 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$229.3 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Alexander VERSHBOW

embassy

32 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710

mailing address

US Embassy Seoul, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-5550

telephone

[82] (2) 397-4114

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador LEE Tae-sik

telephone

[1] (202) 939-5600

Disputes - international

Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic maritime disputes with North Korea over the Northern Limit Line; South Korea and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by South Korea since 1954 This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Distribution of family income - Gini index

35.8 (2000)

Economic aid - donor

ODA, $423.3 million (2004)

Economy - overview

Since the 1960s, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth and integration into the high-tech modern world economy. Four decades ago, GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. In 2004, South Korea joined the trillion dollar club of world economies. Today its GDP per capita is equal to the lesser economies of the EU. This success 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 longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model, including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an undisciplined financial sector. GDP plunged by 6.9% in 1998, then recovered 9.5% in 1999 and 8.5% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.3% in 2001 because of the slowing global economy, falling exports, and the perception that much-needed corporate and financial reforms had stalled. Led by consumer spending and exports, growth in 2002 was an impressive 7%, despite anemic global growth. Between 2003 and 2006, growth moderated to about 4-5%. A downturn in consumer spending was offset by rapid export growth. Moderate inflation, low unemployment, an export surplus, and fairly equal distribution of income characterize this solid economy.

Electricity - consumption

321 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

345.2 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

62.4%

hydro

0.8%

nuclear

36.6%

other

0.2% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Halla-san 1,950 m

lowest point

Sea of Japan 0 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

Exchange rates

South Korean won per US dollar - 952 (2006), 1,024.1 (2005), 1,145.3 (2004), 1,191.6 (2003), 1,251.1 (2002)

Executive branch

cabinet

State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation

chief of state

President ROH Moo-hyun (since 25 February 2003)

election results

ROH Moo-hyun elected president; percent of vote - ROH Moo-hyun (MDP) 48.9%; LEE Hoi-chang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 19 December 2002 (next to be held on 19 December 2007); prime minister appointed by president with consent of National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by president on prime minister's recommendation

head of government

Prime Minister HAN Myeong-sook (since 20 April 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers KIM Woo-sik (since 10 February 2006); KWON O-kyu (since 18 July 2006); KIM Shin-il (since 20 September 2006)

Exports

$327.9 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment, motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals

Exports - partners

China 21.8%, US 14.6%, Japan 8.5%, Hong Kong 5.5% (2005)

FAX

[1] (202) 387-0205

[82] (2) 738-8845

consulate(s) general

Agana (Guam), Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Korea, South

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 Economy Korea, South

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

3.3%

industry

40.7%

services

56% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$24,200 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.1% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$768.5 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.18 trillion (2006 est.)

Geographic coordinates

37 00 N, 127 30 E

Geography - note

strategic location on Korea Strait People Korea, South

Government type

republic

Heliports

540 (2006)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

8,300 (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

25% (2005 est.)

lowest 10%

2.9%

Imports

$300.4 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics

Imports - partners

Japan 18.5%, China 14.8%, US 11.8%, Saudi Arabia 6.2% (2005)

Independence

15 August 1945 (from Japan)

Industrial production growth rate

10% (2006 est.)

Industries

electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel

Infant mortality rate

female

5.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

6.54 deaths/1,000 live births

total

6.16 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3% (2006 est.)

International organization participation

AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA, MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Internet country code

.kr

Internet hosts

5,433,591 (2005)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

11 (2000)

Internet users

33.9 million (2005) Transportation Korea, South

Investment (gross fixed)

29.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Irrigated land

8,780 sq km (2003)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (justices appointed by president with consent of National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices appointed by president based partly on nominations by National Assembly and Chief Justice of the court)

Labor force

23.88 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

6.4%

industry

26.4%

services

67.2% (2005 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

North Korea 238 km

total

238 km

Land use

arable land

16.58%

other

81.41% (2005)

permanent crops

2.01%

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 (299 seats - members elected for four-year terms; 243 in single-seat constituencies, 56 by proportional representation)

election results

percent of vote by party - Uri 51%, GNP 41%, DLP 3%, DP 3%, others 2%; seats by party - Uri 141, GNP 127, DP 12, DLP 9, PFP 5, independents 5

elections

last held 15 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2008; byelections held to fill vacant seats)

note

percent of vote is for 2004 general election; seats by party reflect results of 2005 and 2006 byelections; MDP became DP in May 2005; United Liberal Democrats (ULD) merged with GNP in February 2006

Life expectancy at birth

female

80.75 years (2006 est.)

male

73.61 years

total population

77.04 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

96.6% (2002) Government Korea, South

male

99.2%

total population

97.9%

Location

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

Manpower available for military service

females age 20-49

12,014,462 (2005 est.)

males age 20-49

12,483,677

Manpower fit for military service

females age 20-49

9,721,914 (2005 est.)

males age 20-49

10,115,817

Manpower reaching military service age annually

females age 20-49

312,720 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

344,943

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

Median age

female

36.3 years (2006 est.)

male

34.2 years

total

35.2 years

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 157, cargo 193, chemical tanker 98, container 81, liquefied gas 22, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 24, petroleum tanker 57, refrigerated cargo 17, roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 6

foreign-owned

22 (France 12, Japan 1, UK 2, US 7)

registered in other countries

365 (Belize 4, Cambodia 23, China 2, Cyprus 1, Georgia 1, Honduras 6, Hong Kong 6, Indonesia 1, Liberia 3, Malaysia 1, Malta 6, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 291, Singapore 17, unknown 2) (2006)

total

669 ships (1000 GRT or over) 8,634,188 GRT/13,733,624 DWT

Military branches

Army, Navy, Republic of Korea Air Force (Han-guk Kong Goon), Marine Corps, National Maritime Police (coast guard) (2006)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$21.06 billion FY05 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.6% FY05 (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Korea, South

Military service age and obligation

20-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 24-28 months, depending on the military branch involved; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; some 4,000 women serve as commissioned and noncommissioned officers, approx. 2.3% of all officers; women, in service since 1950, are admitted to seven service branches, including infantry, but excluded from artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps (2005)

National holiday

Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

Nationality

adjective

Korean

noun

Korean(s)

Natural gas - consumption

27.84 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports

28.93 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

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 (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

2.149 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - exports

645,200 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports

2.263 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - production

7,378 bbl/day (2004)

Pipelines

gas 1,482 km; refined products 827 km (2006)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Labor Party or DLP [MOON Seong-hyun]; Democratic Party or DP [HAHN Hwa-kap]; Grand National Party or GNP [KANG Jae-sup]; People-First Party or PFP [SHIN Kook-hwan and SIM Dae-pyung]; Uri Party [KIM Geun-tae]

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

48,846,823 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

15% (2003 est.)

Population growth rate

0.42% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Inch'on, Masan, P'ohang, Pusan, Ulsan Military Korea, South

Public debt

21.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 61, FM 150, shortwave 2 (2005)

Radios

47.5 million (2000)

Railways

standard gauge

3,472 km 1.435-m gauge (1,361 km electrified) (2005)

total

3,472 km

Religions

no affiliation 46%, Christian 26%, Buddhist 26%, Confucianist 1%, other 1%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$235 billion (2006 est.)

Roadways

paved

87,032 km (including 3,060 km of expressways)

total

100,279 km

unpaved

13,247 km (2004)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.08 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.11 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

Suffrage

19 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

NA

general assessment

excellent domestic and international services

international

country code - 82; 10 fiber-optic submarine cables - 1 Korea-Russia-Japan, 1 Korea-Japan-Hong Kong, 3 Korea-Japan-China, 1 Korea-Japan-China-Europe, 1 Korea-Japan-China-US-Taiwan, 1 Korea-Japan-China, 1 Korea-Japan-Hong Kong-Taiwan, 1 Korea-Japan; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 3 Inmarsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

23.745 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

38.342 million (2005)

Television broadcast stations

terrestrial stations 43; cable operators 59; relay cable operators 190 (2005)

Televisions

15.9 million (1997)

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

1.27 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

3.6% (2006 est.)

Waterways

1,608 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2006)