2020 Edition

Background

The first recorded kingdom (Choson) on the Korean Peninsula dates from approximately 2300 B.C. Over the subsequent centuries, three main kingdoms -- Kogoryo, Baekche, and Silla -- were established on the Peninsula. By the 5th century A.D., Kogoryo emerged as the most powerful, with control over much of the Peninsula and part of Manchuria (modern-day northeast China). However, Silla allied with the Chinese to create the first unified Korean state in 688. Following the collapse of Silla in the 9th century, Korea was unified under the Koryo (Goryeo; 918-1392) and the Chosen (Joseon; 1392-1910) dynasties. Korea became the object of intense imperialistic rivalry among the Chinese (its traditional benefactor), Japanese, and Russian empires in the latter half of the 19th and early 20th centuries. After the Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) and the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), Korea was occupied by Imperial Japan. In 1910, Japan formally annexed the entire Peninsula. Korea regained its independence after Japan's surrender to the US and its allies in 1945. A US-supported democratic government (Republic of Korea, ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula, while a communist-style government backed by the Soviet Union was installed in the north (North Korea; aka 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 North Korean invasion supported by communist China and the Soviet Union. After the 1953 armistice, the two Koreas were separated by a demilitarized zone. Syngman RHEE led the country as its first president from 1948 to 1960. PARK Chung-hee took over leadership of the country in a 1961 coup. During his controversial rule (1961-79), South Korea achieved rapid economic growth, with per capita income rising to roughly 17 times the level of North Korea by 1979. PARK was assassinated in 1979, and subsequent years were marked by political turmoil and continued military rule as the country's pro-democracy movement grew. South Korea held its first free presidential election under a revised democratic constitution in 1987, with former South Korean Army general ROH Tae-woo winning a close race. In 1993, KIM Young-sam 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 South Korean President PARK Chung-hee, took office in 2013 as South Korea's first female leader. In 2016, the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against PARK over her alleged involvement in a corruption and influence-peddling scandal, triggering an early presidential election in 2017 won by MOON Jae-in. In 2022, longtime prosecutor and political newcomer YOON Suk Yeol won the presidency by the slimmest margin in South Korean history. Discord and tensions with North Korea, punctuated by North Korean military provocations, missile launches, and nuclear tests, have permeated inter-Korean relations for years. Relations remained strained, despite a period of respite in 2018-2019 ushered in by North Korea's participation in the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in South Korea and high-level diplomatic meetings, including historic US-North Korea summits. In 2024, Pyongyang announced it was ending all economic cooperation with South Korea, a move that followed earlier proclamations that it was scrapping a 2018 military pact to de-escalate tensions along their militarized border, abandoning the country’s decades-long pursuit of peaceful unification with South Korea, and designating the South as North Korea’s “principal enemy.”

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

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

16.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 14.9% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 2.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0.6% (2023 est.)

forest

64.4% (2023 est.)

other

19.5% (2023 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 southwest volcanism: Halla (1,950 m) is considered historically active; it has not erupted in many centuries

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

the population is primarily concentrated in the lowland areas, where density is 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

11.3% (male 3,024,508/female 2,873,523)

15-64 years

69.4% (male 18,653,915/female 17,465,817)

65 years and over

19.3% (2024 est.) (male 4,440,688/female 5,623,348)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

1.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

5.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

7.74 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

4.29 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

0.4% (2020 est.)

Death rate

6.94 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

30.2 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

3.3 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

44.9 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

14.7 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

5.8% of GDP (2022 est.)

Ethnic groups

Korean

Gross reproduction rate

0.33 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

9.7% of GDP (2022)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

14.1% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

12.8 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

2.6 deaths/1,000 live births

male

3 deaths/1,000 live births

total

2.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

Korean, English

major-language sample(s)

월드 팩트북, 필수적인 기본 정보 제공처 (Korean) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

86.6 years

male

80.3 years

total population

83.4 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

NA

male

NA

total population

NA

Major urban areas - population

9.988 million SEOUL (capital), 3.472 million Busan, 2.849 million Incheon, 2.181 million Daegu (Taegu), 1.577 million Daejon (Taejon), 1.529 million Gwangju (Kwangju) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

47.3 years

male

44 years

total

47 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

32.2 years (2019 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Korean

noun

Korean(s)

Net migration rate

1.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

4.7% (2016)

Physician density

2.61 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Population

female

25,850,216

male

25,636,127

total

51,486,343 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.09% (2025 est.)

Religions

Protestant 17%, Buddhist 16%, Catholic 6%, none 60% (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: total

total: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

16 years (2022 est.)

male

17 years (2022 est.)

total

17 years (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.07 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.79 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

5.2% (2025 est.)

male

29.7% (2025 est.)

total

17.4% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

0.68 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.31% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

81.5% of total population (2023)

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: Chungcheongbuk-do (North Chungcheong), Chungcheongnam-do (South Chungcheong), Gangwon-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do (North Gyeongsang), Gyeonggi-do, Gyeongsangnam-do (South Gyeongsang), Jeju-do (Jeju), Jeollabuk-do (North Jeolla), Jeollanam-do (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

etymology

the name originates from the Korean word meaning "capital city;" it was the capital of the unified Korea from 1392 to 1910

geographic coordinates

37 33 N, 126 59 E

name

Seoul

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

amendment process

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

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 Han Empire"

local long form

Taehan-min'guk

local short form

Han'guk

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires James “Jim” HELLER (since 7 January 2026)

consulate(s)

Busan

email address and website

seoulinfoACS@state.gov https://kr.usembassy.gov/

embassy

188 Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul

FAX

[82] (2) 397-4101

mailing address

9600 Seoul Place, Washington, DC 20521-9600

telephone

[82] (2) 397-4114

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador KANG Kyung-wha (since 16 December 2025)

consulate(s) general

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

email address and website

generalusa@mofa.go.kr https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/us-en/index.do

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 LEE Jae-myung (since 4 June 2025)

election results

2025: LEE Jae-myung elected president; LEE Jae-myung (DPK) 49.4%, KIM Moon-soo (PPP) 41.2%, LEE Jun-seok (New Reform Party) 8.3% 2022: YOON Suk-yeol elected president; YOON Suk-yeol (PPP) 48.6%, LEE Jae-myung (DPK) 47.8%; other 3.6%

election/appointment process

president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a single 5-year term; prime minister appointed by president with consent of the National Assembly

expected date of next election

2030

head of government

Prime Minister KIM Min-seok (since 3 July 2025)

most recent election date

3 June 2025 (special snap election in the wake of the impeachment of former President YOON Suk-yeol)

Flag

description: white with a red-and-blue yin-yang symbol in the center; a black trigram (kwae) from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) is in each corner of the white field meaning: the flag is called Taegukki; white is a traditional Korean color and represents peace and purity; blue stands for the negative cosmic forces of the yin, and red for the opposite positive forces of the yang; each trigram represents one of the 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, CABEI, 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, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (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 on 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 system combining European civil law, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought

Legislative branch

electoral system

mixed system

expected date of next election

April 2028

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

National Assembly (Kuk Hoe)

most recent election date

4/10/2024

number of seats

300 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Democratic Party of Korea (161); People Power Party (90); People Future Party (18); Other (31)

percentage of women in chamber

20.3%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1948, well-known by 1910; North Korea's and South Korea's anthems have the same name and a similar melody, but different lyrics

lyrics/music

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

title

"Aegukga" (Patriotic Song)

National color(s)

red, white, blue, black

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes (n); Changdeokgung Palace Complex (c); Jongmyo Shrine (c); Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple (c); Hwaseong Fortress (c); Gochang, Hwasun, and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites (c); Gyeongju Historic Areas (c); Namhansanseong (c); Baekje Historic Areas (c); Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea (c); Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty (c); Petroglyphs along the Bangucheon Stream (c)

total World Heritage Sites

17 (15 cultural, 2 natural)

National holiday

Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

National symbol(s)

taegeuk (yin-yang symbol), Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), Siberian tiger

Political parties

Basic Income Party  Democratic Party of Korea or DPK  New Future Party New Reform Party  Open Democratic Party or ODP  People Power Party or PPP  Progressive Party or Jinbo Party  Rebuilding Korea Party  Social Democratic Party  note:  the Democratic Alliance coalition consists of the DPK and the smaller Basic Income, Jinbo, Open Democratic, and Social Democratic parties, as well as two independents; for the 2024 election, the Basic Income Party, the ODP, and the Social Democratic Party formed the New Progressive Alliance

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

rice, vegetables, cabbages, milk, onions, pork, chicken, eggs, tangerines/mandarins, potatoes (2023)

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

1.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on food

12.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$532.023 billion (2023 est.)

revenues

$513.21 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2022

$25.829 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$32.822 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

$99.043 billion (2024 est.)

Economic overview

high-income, export- and technology-oriented East Asian economy; manufacturing led by semiconductor and automotive industries; slow growth amid declining construction investment, export risks, and recent political instability; aging workforce; increased restraint in fiscal policy while maintaining industry support initiatives

Exchange rates

Currency

South Korean won (KRW) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

1,180.266 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1,143.952 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

1,291.447 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

1,305.662 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

1,363.375 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$825.961 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$769.243 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$835.149 billion (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

integrated circuits, cars, refined petroleum, plastics, machine parts (2023)

Exports - partners

China 25%, USA 18%, Hong Kong 4%, Japan 4%, Taiwan 4% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

44% (2023 est.)

government consumption

18.9% (2023 est.)

household consumption

48.9% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-43.9% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

32.2% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.1% (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

1.6% (2023 est.)

industry

31.6% (2023 est.)

services

58.4% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.713 trillion (2023 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021

32.9 (2021 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

24.6% (2021 est.)

lowest 10%

2.9% (2021 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$817.594 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$758.41 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$758.724 billion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

integrated circuits, natural gas, crude petroleum, machinery, cars (2023)

Imports - partners

China 31%, USA 13%, Japan 9%, Germany 5%, Australia 4% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

1.1% (2023 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

5.1% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

3.6% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

2.3% (2024 est.)

Labor force

29.713 million (2024 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2023

52.3% of GDP (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$2.507 trillion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$2.572 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$2.607 trillion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2021

4.3% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

2.6% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

1.4% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2021

$48,400 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$49,800 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$50,400 (2023 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

0.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.4% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$423.366 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$420.93 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$418.219 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

15.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

2.9% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

2.7% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

2.7% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

5.8% (2024 est.)

male

6% (2024 est.)

total

5.9% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

136.817 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

500 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

122.845 million metric tons (2023 est.)

production

16.081 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves

326 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

575.359 billion kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

151.139 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

19.688 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

1.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

fossil fuels

61.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear

30.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

5.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

tide and wave

0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

234.668 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

57.314 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports

93.639 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports

60.025 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

production

55.127 million cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

7.079 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Nuclear energy

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

25.57GW (2025 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down

2 (2025)

Number of nuclear reactors under construction

2 (2025)

Number of operational nuclear reactors

26 (2025)

Percent of total electricity production

30.7% (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

2.542 million bbl/day (2024 est.)

total petroleum production

38,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

47 (2023 est.)

total

24.1 million (2023 est.)

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

97% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

43 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

22.155 million (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

173 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

89.2 million (2024 est.)

Airports

92 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

HL

Heliports

1,280 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 93, container ship 115, general cargo 362, oil tanker 219, other 1,360

total

2,149 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Busan, Gwangyang Hang, Inchon, Masan, Mokpo, Pyeongtaek Hang, Ulsan

large

2

medium

5

ports with oil terminals

10

small

4

total ports

15 (2024)

very small

4

Railways

standard gauge

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

total

3,979 km (2016)

Military - note

the South Korean military is responsible for external defense and is primarily focused on the threat from North Korea; it participates in bilateral and multinational exercises and deploys abroad for international missions, including peacekeeping and other security operations South Korea's primary defense partner is the US, and the 1953 US-South Korea Mutual Defense Treaty is a cornerstone of the country's national security; the Treaty committed the US to provide assistance in the event of an attack and gave the US permission to station land, air, and sea forces in and about the territory of South Korea as determined by mutual agreement; South Korea hosts approximately 28,000 US military troops and regularly conducts bilateral exercises with the US military; South Korea has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; the South Korean military has assisted the US in conflicts in Afghanistan (5,000 troops; 2001-2014), Iraq (20,000 troops; 2003-2008), and Vietnam (325,000 troops; 1964-1973) in 2016, South Korea concluded an agreement with the EU for participation in EU Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) missions and operations, such as EU counter-piracy operations off the coast of East Africa; South Korea has had a relationship with NATO since 2005, and in 2022 established a mission to the NATO headquarters to further cooperation; it has participated in NATO-led missions and exercises, including in Afghanistan and the Gulf of Aden (2025)

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of the Republic of Korea: Republic of Korea Army (ROKA), Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN, includes Marine Corps, ROKMC), Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries: Korea Coast Guard; Ministry of Interior and Safety: Korean National Police Agency (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 500,000 active Armed Forces (365,000 Army; 70,000 Navy, including about 30,000 Marines; 65,000 Air Force) (2025)

Military deployments

250 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 275 South Sudan (UNMISS); approximately 150 United Arab Emirates (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the South Korean military is equipped with a mix of mostly modern domestically produced and imported weapons systems; the US is the leading provider of foreign arms; South Korea's defense industry produces a range of military hardware for both domestic use and export, including aircraft, armored fighting vehicles, artillery, missiles, and naval vessels; it also jointly produces equipment with other countries (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2021

2.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

2.4% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

2.4% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

2.4% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military Expenditures 2025

2.3% of GDP (2025 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-29 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; mandatory military service for all eligible men 18-35 years of age (typically served from 20-28 years of age); compulsory service obligation is 18-21 months based on the branch of service and up to 36 months for alternative service (2025)

Illicit drugs

USG identification

major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees

40,084 (2024 est.)

stateless persons

248 (2024 est.)

Key space-program milestones

1992 - first domestically made technology-demonstrator satellite (KITSAT-1) launched on European rocket 1993-1998 - launched first single-stage sounding rocket (KSR-1) and first two-stage sounding rocket (KSR-2) 1999 - first domestically built multi-purpose satellite (KOMPSAT-1, aka Arirang-1) launched by US 2008 - first South Korean astronaut in space on International Space Station 2013 - first successful satellite launch of two-stage Korean Space Launch Vehicle-I (KSLV-I; aka Naro) 2021 - maiden launch of three-stage KSLV-II (aka Nuri); signed the US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration 2022 - first successful attempt to place satellites into orbit on the KSLV-II/Nuri; domestically made lunar orbiter (Danuri) reached Moon's orbit; began development of the Korea Positioning System (KPS) satellite navigational network 2024 - third successful launch of Nuri SLV placed eight small satellites in orbit, including a remote sensing satellite (NexSat-2) with radar imaging technology

Space agency/agencies

Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA; established 2024); Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI; established 1989 and previously acted as South Korea's space agency) (2025)

Space launch site(s)

Naro Space Center (South Jeolla province) (2025)

Space program overview

has an ambitious space program focused on developing satellites, satellite launch vehicles (SLVs), and interplanetary probes; has a national space strategy; manufactures and operates satellites, including those with communications, remote sensing (RS), scientific, and multipurpose capabilities; manufactures and launches SLVs; developing interplanetary space vehicles, including orbital probes and landers; participates in international programs and works with an array of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Australia, the ESA, individual ESA member states (particularly France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK), India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Peru, Russia, UAE, and the US; has an active commercial space industry (2025)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

275.411 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

120.222 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

248.599 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

644.231 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

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

Geoparks

global geoparks and regional networks

Cheongsong; Danyang; Gyeongbuk Donghaean; Hantangang; Jeju Island; Jeonbuk West Coast; Mudeungsan (2025)

total global geoparks and regional networks

7 (2025)

International environmental agreements

party to

Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Methane emissions

agriculture

500 kt (2019-2021 est.)

energy

145.7 kt (2022-2024 est.)

other

27 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste

478.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

25 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

69.7 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

15.96 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

4.45 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

6.672 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

20.453 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

67.1% (2022 est.)