2008 Edition

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 Young-sam became South Korea's first civilian president following 32 years of military rule. South Korea today is a fully functioning modern democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took place between the South's President KIM Dae-jung and the North's leader KIM Jong Il. In October 2007, a second North-South summit took place between the South's President ROH Moo-hyun and the North Korean leader.

Area

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

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Indiana

Climate

temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Coastline

2,413 km

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, 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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 18.59 cu km/yr (36%/16%/48%) per capita: 389 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

37 00 N, 127 30 E

Geography - note

strategic location on Korea Strait

Irrigated land

8,780 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 238 km border countries: North Korea 238 km

Land use

arable land: 16.58% permanent crops: 2.01% other: 81.41% (2005)

Location

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

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

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

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

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

69.7 cu km (1999)

Age structure

0-14 years: 17.4% (male 4,431,315/female 4,004,810) 15-64 years: 72% (male 17,760,975/female 17,095,436) 65 years and over: 10.5% (male 2,030,931/female 3,055,925) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

9.09 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

5.73 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

4.6% of GDP (2004)

Ethnic groups

homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

8,300 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.52 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages

Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.64 years male: 75.34 years female: 82.17 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.9% male: 99.2% female: 96.6% (2002)

Median age

total: 36.7 years male: 35.5 years female: 37.9 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean

Net migration rate

NA (2008 est.)

Population

48,379,392 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

0.269% (2008 est.)

Religions

Christian 26.3% (Protestant 19.7%, Roman Catholic 6.6%), Buddhist 23.2%, other or unknown 1.3%, none 49.3% (1995 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 17 years male: 18 years female: 15 years (2007)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.2 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

name: Seoul geographic coordinates: 37 33 N, 126 59 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

17 July 1948; note - amended or rewritten nine times; current constitution approved on 29 October 1987

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Korea conventional short form: South Korea local long form: Taehan-min'guk local short form: Han'guk abbreviation: ROK

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Kathleen STEPHENS embassy: 32 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710 mailing address: US Embassy Seoul, APO AP 96205-5550 telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

Executive branch

chief of state: President LEE Myung-bak (since 25 February 2008) head of government: Prime Minister HAN Seung-soo (since 29 February 2008) 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 19 December 2007 (next to be held on in December 2012); prime minister appointed by president with consent of National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by president on prime minister's recommendation election results: ROH Moo-hyun elected president on 19 December 2002; percent of vote - ROH Moo-hyun (MDP) 48.9%; LEE Hoi-chang (GNP) 46.6%; others 4.5%; LEE Myung-bak elected president on 19 December 2007; percent of vote - LEE Myung-bak (GNP) 48.7%; CHUNG Dong-young (UNDP) 26.1%); LEE Hoi-chang (independent) 15.1; others 10.1%

FAX

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

[82] (2) 738-8845

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

Government type

republic

Independence

15 August 1945 (from Japan)

International organization participation

ADB, AfDB (nonregional members), APEC, APT, ARF, 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, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA, MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats; 243 members elected in single-seat constituencies, 56 elected by proportional representation; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 9 April 2008 (next to be held in April 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GNP 153, UDP 81, LFP 18, Pro-Park Alliance 14, DLP 5, CKP 3, independents 25

National holiday

Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

Political parties and leaders

Creative Korea Party or CKP [MOON Kook-hyun]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [CHUN Young-se]; Grand National Party or GNP [PARK Hee-tae]; Liberty Forward Party or LFP [LEE Hoi-chang]; Democratic Party or DP [CHUNG Sye-kyun] (formerly the United Democratic Party or UDP)

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

Suffrage

19 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $262.2 billion expenditures: $225.8 billion (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate

3.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

6.55% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

South Korean won (KRW)

Currency code

KRW

Current account balance

$5.954 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$220.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

35.1 (2006)

Economic aid - donor

ODA, $455.3 million (2006)

Economic aid - recipient

$68.07 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 roughly the same as that of Greece and Spain. 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 1997-98 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 by 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 2007, growth moderated to about 4-5% annually. A downturn in consumer spending was offset by rapid export growth. Moderate inflation, low unemployment, and an export surplus in 2007 characterize this solid economy, but inflation and unemployment are increasing in the face of rising oil prices.

Electricity - consumption

368.6 billion kWh (2007)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

412.7 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 62.4% hydro: 0.8% nuclear: 36.6% other: 0.2% (2001)

Exchange rates

South Korean won (KRW) per US dollar - 929.2 (2007), 954.8 (2006), 1,024.1 (2005), 1,145.3 (2004), 1,191.6 (2003)

Exports

$379 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

China 22.1%, US 12.4%, Japan 7.1%, Hong Kong 5% (2007)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 3% industry: 39.4% services: 57.6% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$25,000 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$957.1 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.206 trillion (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25% (2005 est.)

Imports

$349.6 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

China 17.7%, Japan 15.8%, US 10.5%, Saudi Arabia 5.9% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate

5.5% (2007 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.5% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

28.8% of GDP (2007 est.)

Labor force

24.22 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 7.5% industry: 17.3% services: 75.2% (2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$1.051 trillion (2007)

Natural gas - consumption

34.83 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

33.38 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

390 million cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

2.214 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

2.41 million bbl/day (2006)

Oil - production

20,970 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

15% (2003 est.)

Public debt

28.2% of GDP (2007 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$262.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$82.1 billion (2006)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$119.6 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$1.061 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$92.59 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$541.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

3.3% (2007 est.)

Internet country code

.kr

Internet hosts

333,823 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

11 (2000)

Internet users

35.59 million (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 61, FM 150, shortwave 2 (2005)

Radios

47.5 million (2000)

Telephone system

general assessment: excellent domestic and international services featuring rapid incorporation of new technologies domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 140 per 100 persons; rapid assimilation of a full range of telecommunications technologies leading to a boom in e-commerce international: country code - 82; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 6 (3 Intelsat - 1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean; 3 Inmarsat - 1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

23.905 million (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular

43.5 million (2007)

Television broadcast stations

43 (plus 59 cable operators and 190 relay cable operators) (2005)

Televisions

15.9 million (1997)

Airports

105 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 68 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 under 914 m: 19 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 37 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 34 (2007)

Heliports

536 (2007)

Merchant marine

total: 812 by type: bulk carrier 212, cargo 226, carrier 2, chemical tanker 133, container 80, liquefied gas 33, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 26, petroleum tanker 61, refrigerated cargo 16, roll on/roll off 9, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 5 foreign-owned: 31 (China 1, Japan 20, Norway 2, UK 1, US 7) registered in other countries: 363 (Belize 1, Cambodia 22, China 1, Cyprus 1, Honduras 6, Hong Kong 3, Kiribati 2, Liberia 3, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 10, Mongolia 1, Netherlands 1, Panama 303, Russia 1, Singapore 3, Tuvalu 1, unknown 2) (2008)

Pipelines

gas 1,482 km; refined products 827 km (2007)

Ports and terminals

Inch'on, P'ohang, Pusan, Ulsan

Railways

total: 3,472 km standard gauge: 3,472 km 1.435-m gauge (1,342 km electrified) (2006)

Roadways

total: 102,062 km paved: 90,417 km (includes 3,103 km of expressways) unpaved: 11,645 km (2006)

Waterways

1,608 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2007)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 13,691,809 females age 16-49: 13,029,859 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 11,282,699 females age 16-49: 10,683,668 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 371,108 female: 325,408 (2008 est.)

Military branches

Republic of Korea Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force (2008)

Military expenditures

2.7% of GDP (2006)

Military service age and obligation

20-30 years of age for compulsory military service, with middle school education required; conscript service obligation - 24-28 months, depending on the military branch involved (to be reduced to 18 months beginning 2016); 18-26 years of age for voluntary military service; women, in service since 1950, admitted to 7 service branches, including infantry, but excluded from artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps; some 4,000 women serve as commissioned and noncommissioned officers, approx. 2.3% of all officers (2008)

Disputes - international

Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents with North Korea in the Yellow Sea over the Northern Limiting Line, which South Korea claims as a maritime boundary; South Korea and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by South Korea since 1954 This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008