2019 Edition

Background

An independent kingdom for much of its long history, Korea was occupied by Japan beginning in 1905 following the Russo-Japanese War. In 1910, Tokyo formally annexed the entire Peninsula. Korea regained its independence following Japan's surrender to the US in 1945. After World War II, a democratic government (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 (Democratic People's Republic of Korea, DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and UN forces fought alongside ROK soldiers to defend South Korea from a DPRK invasion supported by communist China and the Soviet Union. A 1953 armistice split the Peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. PARK Chung-hee took over leadership of the country in a 1961 coup. During his regime, from 1961 to 1979, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth, with per capita income rising to roughly 17 times the level of North Korea in 1979. South Korea held its first free presidential election under a revised democratic constitution in 1987, with former ROK Army general ROH Tae-woo winning a close race. In 1993, KIM Young-sam (1993-98) became the first civilian president of South Korea's new democratic era. President KIM Dae-jung (1998-2003) won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for his contributions to South Korean democracy and his "Sunshine" policy of engagement with North Korea. President PARK Geun-hye, daughter of former ROK President PARK Chung-hee, took office in February 2013 as South Korea's first female leader. In December 2016, the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against President PARK over her alleged involvement in a corruption and influence-peddling scandal, immediately suspending her presidential authorities. The impeachment was upheld in March 2017, triggering an early presidential election in May 2017 won by MOON Jae-in. South Korea hosted the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in February 2018, in which North Korea also participated. Discord with North Korea has permeated inter-Korean relations for much of the past decade, highlighted by the North's attacks on a South Korean ship and island in 2010, the exchange of artillery fire across the DMZ in 2015, and multiple nuclear and missile tests in 2016 and 2017. North Korea’s participation in the Winter Olympics, dispatch of a senior delegation to Seoul, and three inter-Korean summits in 2018 appear to have ushered in a temporary period of respite, buoyed by the historic US-DPRK summits in 2018 and 2019.

Area

Land

96,920 sq km

Total

99,720 sq km

Water

2,800 sq km

Area Comparative

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania; slightly larger than Indiana

Climate

temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter; cold winters

Coastline

2,413 km

Elevation

Highest Point

Halla-san 1,950 m

Lowest Point

Sea of Japan 0 m

Mean Elevation

282 m

Environment Current Issues

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

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

Geographic Coordinates

37 00 N, 127 30 E

Geography Note

strategic location on Korea Strait; about 3,000 mostly small and uninhabited islands lie off the western and southern coasts

Irrigated Land

7,780 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

Border Countries

North Korea 237 km

Total

237 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land

18.1% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Arable Land

15.3% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Crops

2.2% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture

0.6% (2011 est.)

Forest

63.9% (2011 est.)

Other

18% (2011 est.)

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

Natural Hazards

occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwestvolcanism: Halla (1,950 m) is considered historically active although it has not erupted in many centuries

Natural Resources

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

Population Distribution

with approximately 70% of the country considered mountainous, the country's population is primarily concentrated in the lowland areas, where density is quite high; Gyeonggi Province in the northwest, which surrounds the capital of Seoul and contains the port of Incheon, is the most densely populated province; Gangwon in the northeast is the least populated

Terrain

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

Age Structure

0 14 Years

13.03% (male 3,448,627 /female 3,251,786)

15 24 Years

12.19% (male 3,295,814 /female 2,970,439)

25 54 Years

45.13% (male 11,986,760 /female 11,220,268)

55 64 Years

15.09% (male 3,825,127 /female 3,935,700)

65 Years And Over

14.55% (male 3,202,232 /female 4,281,344) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

8.3 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

0.7% (2010)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

79.6% (2015)

Current Health Expenditure

7.3% (2016)

Death Rate

6.3 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

Elderly Dependency Ratio

17.7 (2015 est.)

Potential Support Ratio

5.6 (2015 est.)

Total Dependency Ratio

36.7 (2015 est.)

Youth Dependency Ratio

19 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved Rural

87.9% of population

Improved Total

97.8% of population

Improved Urban

99.7% of population

Unimproved Rural

12.1% of population

Unimproved Total

2.2% of population (2012 est.)

Unimproved Urban

0.3% of population

Education Expenditures

5.3% of GDP (2015)

Ethnic Groups

homogeneous

Hospital Bed Density

11.5 beds/1,000 population (2015)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

2.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

3.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

3 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

Korean, English (widely taught in elementary, junior high, and high school)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female

85.8 years

Male

79.4 years

Total Population

82.5 years (2018 est.)

Major Urban Areas Population

9.962 million SEOUL (capital), 3.466 million Busan, 2.783 million Incheon, 2.209 million Daegu (Taegu), 1.562 million Daejon (Taejon), 1.519 million Gwangju (Kwangju) (2019)

Maternal Mortality Rate

11 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median Age

Female

44 years

Male

40.6 years

Total

42.3 years (2018 est.)

Mother's Mean Age at First Birth

31 years (2014 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

Korean

Noun

Korean(s)

Net Migration Rate

2.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

4.7% (2016)

Physicians Density

2.37 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Population

51,418,097 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.44% (2018 est.)

Religions

Protestant 19.7%, Buddhist 15.5%, Catholic 7.9%, none 56.9% (2015 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved Rural

100% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Total

100% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Urban

100% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Rural

0% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Total

0% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

0% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

Female

16 years (2013)

Male

17 years

Total

17 years

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years

1.06 male(s)/female

15 24 Years

1.11 male(s)/female

25 54 Years

1.07 male(s)/female

55 64 Years

0.97 male(s)/female

65 Years And Over

0.75 male(s)/female

At Birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Total Population

1 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.27 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

Female

9.7% (2017 est.)

Male

11.3%

Total

10.4%

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

0.3% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban Population

81.4% of total population (2019)

Administrative Divisions

9 provinces (do, singular and plural), 6 metropolitan cities (gwangyeoksi, singular and plural), 1 special city (teugbyeolsi), and 1 special self-governing city (teukbyeoljachisi)provinces: Chungbuk (North Chungcheong), Chungnam (South Chungcheong), Gangwon, Gyeongbuk (North Gyeongsang), Gyeonggi, Gyeongnam (South Gyeongsang), Jeju, Jeonbuk (North Jeolla), Jeonnam (South Jeolla); metropolitan cities: Busan (Pusan), Daegu (Taegu), Daejeon (Taejon), Gwangju (Kwangju), Incheon (Inch'on), Ulsan; special city: Seoul; special self-governing city: Sejong

Capital

Geographic Coordinates

37 33 N, 126 59 E

Name

Seoul; note - Sejong, located some 120 km (75 mi) south of Seoul, is being developed as a new capital

Time Difference

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

Citizenship

Citizenship By Birth

no

Citizenship By Descent Only

at least one parent must be a citizen of South Korea

Dual Citizenship Recognized

no

Residency Requirement For Naturalization

5 years

Constitution

Amendments

proposed by the president or by majority support of the National Assembly membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly membership, approval in a referendum by more than one half of the votes by more than one half of eligible voters, and promulgation by the president; amended several times, last in 1987; note - an amendment proposed in March 2018 that would change the presidential term to 4 years and increase the term limit to 2 failed in the National Assembly vote in June 2018 (2018)

History

several previous; latest passed by National Assembly 12 October 1987, approved in referendum 28 October 1987, effective 25 February 1988

Country Name

Abbreviation

ROK

Conventional Long Form

Republic of Korea

Conventional Short Form

South Korea

Etymology

derived from the Chinese name for Goryeo, which was the Korean dynasty that united the peninsula in the 10th century A.D.; the South Korean name "Han'guk" derives from the long form, "Taehan-min'guk," which is itself a derivation from "Daehan-je'guk," which means "the Great Empire of the Han"; "Han" refers to the "Sam'han" or the "Three Han Kingdoms" (Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla from the Three Kingdoms Era, 1st-7th centuries A.D.)

Local Long Form

Taehan-min'guk

Local Short Form

Han'guk

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador Harry HARRIS (since 10 July 2018)

Embassy

188 Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03141

Fax

[82] (2) 725-0152

Mailing Address

US Embassy Seoul, 9600 Seoul Place Washington, D.C., 20521-9600

Telephone

[82] (2) 397-4114

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

Chancery

2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador CHO Yoon-je (since 29 November 2017)

Consulate's General

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

Fax

[1] (202) 797-0595

Telephone

[1] (202) 939-5600

Executive Branch

Cabinet

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

Chief Of State

President MOON Jae-in (since 10 May 2017); note - President PARK Geun-hye (since 25 February 2013) was impeached by the National Assembly on 9 December 2016; PARK's impeachment was upheld by the Constitutional Court and she was removed from office on 9 March 2017

Election Results

MOON Jae-in elected president; percent of vote - MOON Jae-in (DP) 41.1%, HONG Joon-pyo (LKP) 25.5%, AHN Cheol-soo (PP) 21.4%, other 12%

Elections Appointments

president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a single 5-year term; election last held on 9 May 2017 (next to be held in 2022); prime minister appointed by president with consent of National Assembly

Head Of Government

Prime Minister LEE Nak-yon (since 1 June 2017); Deputy Prime Ministers KIM Dong-yeon (since 9 June 2017), KIM Sang-kon (since 4 July 2017)

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; the South Korean national flag is called Taegukki; white is a traditional Korean color and represents peace and purity; the blue section represents the negative cosmic forces of the yin, while the red symbolizes the opposite positive forces of the yang; each trigram (kwae) denotes one of the four universal elements, which together express the principle of movement and harmony

Government Type

presidential republic

Independence

15 August 1945 (from Japan)

International Law Organization Participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International Organization Participation

ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CICA, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial Branch

Highest Courts

Supreme Court of South Korea (consists of a chief justice and 13 justices); Constitutional Court (consists of a court head and 8 justices)

Judge Selection And Term Of Office

Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly; other justices appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the chief justice and consent of the National Assembly; position of the chief justice is a 6-year nonrenewable term; other justices serve 6-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court justices appointed - 3 by the president, 3 by the National Assembly, and 3 by the Supreme Court chief justice; court head serves until retirement at age 70, while other justices serve 6-year renewable terms with mandatory retirement at age 65

Subordinate Courts

High Courts; District Courts; Branch Courts (organized under the District Courts); specialized courts for family and administrative issues

Legal System

mixed legal system combining European civil law, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought

Legislative Branch

Description

unicameral National Assembly or Kuk Hoe (300 seats statutory, 299 for current term); 253 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 47 directly elected in a single national constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)

Election Results

percent of vote by party - NFP 33.5%, PP 26.7%, MPK 25.5%, JP 7.2%, other 7.1%; seats by party - MPK 123, NFP 122, PP 38, JP 6, independent 11

Elections

last held on 13 April 2016 (next to be held on 15 April 2020)

National Anthem

Lyrics Music

YUN Ch'i-Ho or AN Ch'ang-Ho/AHN Eaktay

Name

"Aegukga" (Patriotic Song)

National Holiday

Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

National Symbol S

taegeuk (yin yang symbol), Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon), Siberian tiger; national colors: red, white, blue, black

Political Parties And Leaders

Bareun Future Party or BFP [PARK Joo-sun] (merger of Bareun Party and People's Party) Democratic Party or DP [CHOO Mi-ae] (renamed from Minjoo Party of Korea or MPK in October 2016; formerly New Politics Alliance for Democracy or NPAD, which was a merger of the Democratic Party or DP (formerly DUP) [KIM Han-gil] and the New Political Vision Party or NPVP [AHN Cheol-soo] in March 2014) Justice Party or JP [LEE Jeong-mi] Liberty Korea Party or LKP (formerly the New Frontier Party (NFP) or Saenuri, previously the Grand National Party [HONG Jueen-Pyo]) Minjung Party or MP (formed from the merger of the New People's Party (formerly the New People's Political Party or NPP) and the People's United Party or PUP) Our Republic Party [CHO Won-jin and HONG Moon-jong] (formerly Korean Patriots' Party or KPP) Parliamentary Group for Peace and Justice [ROH Hoe-chan] (parliamentary group made up of PDP and JP) Party for Democracy and Peace or PDP [CHO Bae-sook] People's Party or PP [AHN Cheol-soo]

Suffrage

19 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

Expenditures

335.8 billion (2017 est.)

Revenues

357.1 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

1.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

31 December 2016

1.25%

31 December 2017

1.5%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2016

3.37%

31 December 2017

3.48%

Current Account Balance

2016

$99.24 billion

2017

$78.46 billion

Debt External

31 December 2016

$384.1 billion

31 December 2017

$384.6 billion

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

2015

35.4

2016

35.7

Economy Overview

After emerging from the 1950-53 war with North Korea, South Korea emerged as one of the 20th century’s most remarkable economic success stories, becoming a developed, globally connected, high-technology society within decades. In the 1960s, GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorest countries in the world. In 2004, South Korea's GDP surpassed one trillion dollars.Beginning in the 1960s under President PARK Chung-hee, the government promoted the import of raw materials and technology, encouraged saving and investment over consumption, kept wages low, and directed resources to export-oriented industries that remain important to the economy to this day. Growth surged under these policies, and frequently reached double-digits in the 1960s and 1970s. Growth gradually moderated in the 1990s as the economy matured, but remained strong enough to propel South Korea into the ranks of the advanced economies of the OECD by 1997. These policies also led to the emergence of family-owned chaebol conglomerates such as Daewoo, Hyundai, and Samsung, which retained their dominant positions even as the government loosened its grip on the economy amid the political changes of the 1980s and 1990s.The Asian financial crisis of 1997-98 hit South Korea’s companies hard because of their excessive reliance on short-term borrowing, and GDP ultimately plunged by 7% in 1998. South Korea tackled difficult economic reforms following the crisis, including restructuring some chaebols, increasing labor market flexibility, and opening up to more foreign investment and imports. These steps lead to a relatively rapid economic recovery. South Korea also began expanding its network of free trade agreements to help bolster exports, and has since implemented 16 free trade agreements covering 58 countries—including the United State and China—that collectively cover more than three-quarters of global GDP.In 2017, the election of President MOON Jae-in brought a surge in consumer confidence, in part, because of his successful efforts to increase wages and government spending. These factors combined with an uptick in export growth to drive real GDP growth to more than 3%, despite disruptions in South Korea’s trade with China over the deployment of a US missile defense system in South Korea.In 2018 and beyond, South Korea will contend with gradually slowing economic growth - in the 2-3% range - not uncommon for advanced economies. This could be partially offset by efforts to address challenges arising from its rapidly aging population, inflexible labor market, continued dominance of the chaebols, and heavy reliance on exports rather than domestic consumption. Socioeconomic problems also persist, and include rising inequality, poverty among the elderly, high youth unemployment, long working hours, low worker productivity, and corruption.

Exchange Rates

2013

1,052.96

2014

1,130.95

2015

1,160.77

2016

1,160.41

2017

1,130.48

Currency

South Korean won (KRW) per US dollar -

Exports

2016

$512 billion

2017

$577.4 billion

Exports Commodities

semiconductors, petrochemicals, automobile/auto parts, ships, wireless communication equipment, flat displays, steel, electronics, plastics, computers

Exports Partners

China 25.1%, US 12.2%, Vietnam 8.2%, Hong Kong 6.9%, Japan 4.7% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

GDP Composition By End Use

Exports Of Goods And Services

43.1% (2017 est.)

Government Consumption

15.3% (2017 est.)

Household Consumption

48.1% (2017 est.)

Imports Of Goods And Services

-37.7% (2017 est.)

Investment In Fixed Capital

31.1% (2017 est.)

Investment In Inventories

0% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture

2.2% (2017 est.)

Industry

39.3% (2017 est.)

Services

58.3% (2017 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$1.54 trillion (2017 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2015

$37,600

2016

$38,500

2017

$39,500

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015

$1.918 trillion

2016

$1.974 trillion

2017

$2.035 trillion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015

2.8%

2016

2.9%

2017

3.1%

Gross National Saving

2015

36.6% of GDP

2016

36.3% of GDP

2017

36.6% of GDP

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

Highest 10

48.5% (2015 est.)

Lowest 10

6.8%

Imports

2016

$393.1 billion

2017

$457.5 billion

Imports Commodities

crude oil/petroleum products, semiconductors, natural gas, coal, steel, computers, wireless communication equipment, automobiles, fine chemicals, textiles

Imports Partners

China 20.5%, Japan 11.5%, US 10.5%, Germany 4.2%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

4.6% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016

1%

2017

1.9%

Labor Force

27.75 million (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture

4.8%

Industry

24.6%

Services

70.6% (2017 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

31 December 2014

$1.269 trillion

31 December 2015

$1.28 trillion

31 December 2016

$1.305 trillion

Population Below Poverty Line

14.4% (2016 est.)

Public Debt

2016

39.9% of GDP

2017

39.5% of GDP

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2016

$371.1 billion

31 December 2017

$389.2 billion

Stock Of Broad Money

31 December 2016

$658.7 billion

31 December 2017

$793.9 billion

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

31 December 2016

$358 billion

31 December 2017

$344.7 billion

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment at Home

31 December 2016

$180.1 billion

31 December 2017

$230.6 billion

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2016

$2.515 trillion

31 December 2017

$2.986 trillion

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 December 2016

$658.7 billion

31 December 2017

$793.9 billion

Taxes And Other Revenues

23.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2016

3.7%

2017

3.7%

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

778.4 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

3.057 million bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

NA (1 January 2017 est.)

Electricity Access

100% (2016)

Electricity Consumption

507.6 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

70% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

21% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

8% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

111.2 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

526 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

45.28 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

48.65 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

339.8 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

7.079 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

2.584 million bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

1.396 million bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

908,800 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

3.302 million bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

41 (2017 est.)

Total

21,195,918

Broadcast Media

multiple national TV networks with 2 of the 3 largest networks publicly operated; the largest privately owned network, Seoul Broadcasting Service (SBS), has ties with other commercial TV networks; cable and satellite TV subscription services available; publicly operated radio broadcast networks and many privately owned radio broadcasting networks, each with multiple affiliates, and independent local stations

Internet Country Code

.kr

Internet Users

Percent Of Population

89.9% (July 2016 est.)

Total

44.153 million

Telephone System

Domestic

fixed-line 52 per 100 and mobile-cellular services 124 per 100 persons widely available; rapid assimilation of a full range of telecommunications technologies leading to a boom in e-commerce (2018)

General Assessment

excellent domestic and international services featuring rapid incorporation of new technologies; ranked 1st out of 34 Asian telecoms; exceedingly high mobile and mobile broadband penetration and very high fixed broadband penetration; strong support from govt, savvy population has catapulted the nation into one of the world's most active telecommunication markets; 5G services to go live for enterprise customers in 2019; slower growth predicted over the next five years to 2023; Chinese telecommunications company Huawei has partnered with other MNOs in South Korea (2018)

International

country code - 82; landing points for EAC-C2C, FEA, SeaMeWe-3, TPE, APCN-2, APG, FLAG North Asia Loop/REACH North Asia Loop, KJCN, NCP, and SJC2 submarine cables providing links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Southeast Asia and US; satellite earth stations - 66 (2019)

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

52 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

26,842,952

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

124 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

63,658,688

Airports

111 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

12 (2017)

2 438 To 3 047 M

19 (2017)

914 To 1 523 M

13 (2017)

Over 3 047 M

4 (2017)

Total

71 (2017)

Under 914 M

23 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

914 To 1 523 M

2 (2013)

Total

40 (2013)

Under 914 M

38 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

HL (2016)

Heliports

466 (2013)

Merchant Marine

By Type

bulk carrier 95, container ship 86, general cargo 379, oil tanker 196, other 1141 (2018)

Total

1,897

National Air Transport System

Annual Freight Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

11.297 billion mt-km (2015)

Annual Passenger Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

65,482,307 (2015)

Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers

348 (2015)

Number Of Registered Air Carriers

12 (2015)

Pipelines

3790 km gas, 16 km oil, 889 km refined products (2017)

Ports And Terminals

Container Port's Teus

Busan (20,493,000), Incheon (3,050,000), Kwangyang (2,230,000) (2017)

Lng Terminal's Import

Incheon, Kwangyang, Pyeongtaek, Samcheok, Tongyeong, Yeosu

Major Seaport S

Busan, Incheon, Gunsan, Kwangyang, Mokpo, Pohang, Ulsan, Yeosu

Railways

Standard Gauge

3,979 km 1.435-m gauge (2,727 km electrified) (2016)

Total

3,979 km (2016)

Roadways

Paved

92,795 km (includes 4,193 km of expressways) (2016)

Total

100,428 km (2016)

Unpaved

7,633 km (2016)

Waterways

1,600 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2011)

Military And Security Forces

Republic of Korea Army (ROKA), Navy (ROKN, includes Marine Corps, ROKMC), Air Force (ROKAF); Military reserves include Mobilization Reserve Forces (First Combat Forces) and Homeland Defense Forces (Regional Combat Forces); Korea Coast Guard (Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries) (2019)

Military Expenditures

2014

2.64% of GDP

2015

2.3% of GDP

2016

2.3% of GDP

2017

2.7% of GDP

2018

2.62% of GDP

Military Service Age And Obligation

18-28 years of age for compulsory military service; minimum conscript service obligation varies by service- 21 months (Army, Marines), 23 months (Navy), 24 months (Air Force); 18-26 years of age for voluntary military service; women, in service since 1950, are able to serve in all branches (2019)

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 Limit 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

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

197 (2018)