2023 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, Paekche, 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, as well as part of Manchuria (modern-day northeast China).  However, Silla allied with the Chinese to create the first unified Korean state in the late 7th century (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 between the Chinese (its traditional benefactor), Japanese, and Russian empires in the latter half of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Following the Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) and the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), Korea was occupied by Imperial Japan. In 1910, Tokyo formally annexed the entire Peninsula. Korea regained its independence following Japan's surrender to the US and its allies 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 (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. A 1953 armistice split the Peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Syngman RHEE led the country as its first president from 1948-1960. 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. PARK was assassinated in 1979, and subsequent years were marked by political turmoil and continued authoritarian 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 (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 South Korean 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. In March 2022, longtime prosecutor and political newcomer YOON Suk Yeol won the presidency by .73% of the total vote, 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 much of the past decade. 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, relations were stagnant as of 2023.  

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

18.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 15.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 2.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0.6% (2018 est.)

forest

63.9% (2018 est.)

other

18% (2018 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

11.53% (male 3,072,352/female 2,916,984)

15-64 years

70.1% (male 18,788,714/female 17,639,714)

65 years and over

18.38% (2023 est.) (male 4,196,789/female 5,352,395)

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

7 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

0.9% (2019/21) NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

82.3% (2018)

note

note: percent of women aged 20-49

Current health expenditure

8.4% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

52.9% (2023 est.)

Death rate

7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

23.3

potential support ratio

4.3 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

39.9

youth dependency ratio

16.6

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: 99.9% of population

improved: urban

urban: NA

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: NA

Education expenditures

4.7% of GDP (2019 est.)

Ethnic groups

homogeneous

Gross reproduction rate

0.54 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

12.4 beds/1,000 population (2018)

Infant mortality rate

female

2.6 deaths/1,000 live births

male

3 deaths/1,000 live births

total

2.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

Languages

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

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

86.4 years

male

80.1 years

total population

83.2 years (2023 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

8 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

46.8 years

male

43.5 years

total

45 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

32.2 years (2019 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Korean

noun

Korean(s)

Net migration rate

2.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

4.7% (2016)

Physicians density

2.48 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Population

51,966,948 (2023 est.)

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

Population growth rate

0.23% (2023 est.)

Religions

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

note

note: many people also carry on at least some Confucian traditions and practices

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: 99.9% of population

improved: urban

urban: NA

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

16 years (2020)

male

17 years

total

17 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.07 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.78 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

5.9% (2020 est.)

male

35.7% (2020 est.)

total

20.8% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.11 children born/woman (2023 est.)

note

note: some sources estimate the TFR to be as low as 0.78

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" and which is believed to be derived from Seorabeol, the name of the capital of the ancient Korean Kingdom of Silla

geographic coordinates

37 33 N, 126 59 E

name

Seoul; note - Sejong, located some 120 km (75 mi) south of Seoul, serves as an administrative capital for segments of the South Korean Government

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

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 Philip S. GOLDBERG (since 29 July 2022)

consulate(s)

Busan

email address and website

seoulinfoACS@state.govhttps://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 CHO Hyundong (since 19 April 2023)

consulate(s) general

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

email address and website

generalusa@mofa.go.krhttps://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 YOON Suk Yeol (since 10 May 2022); the president is both chief of state and head of government; Prime Minister HAN Duck-soo (since 21 May 2022) serves as the principal executive assistant to the president, similar to the role of a vice president

election results

2022: YOON Suk-yeol elected president; YOON Suk-yeol (PPP) 48.56%, LEE Jae-myung (DP) 47.83%2017: MOON Jae-in elected president; MOON Jae-in (DP) 41.09%, HONG Joon-pyo (Liberty Korea Party) 24.04%, AHN Cheol-soo (PP) 21.42%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a single 5-year term; election last held on 9 March 2022 (next to be held in March 2027); prime minister appointed by president with consent of the National Assembly

head of government

President YOON Suk Yeol (since 10 May 2022)

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, 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 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 Gukhoe (300 seats statutory, current 295; 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/coalition - DPK/Platform Party 49.9%, United Future Party 41.5%, JP 1.7%; seats by party - DPK/Platform Party 180, United Future Party (now PPP) 103, JP 6, ODP 3, PP 3, independent 5; composition as of April 2022 - men 240, women 55, percent of women 18.6%

elections

last held on 15 April 2020 (next to be held on 10 April 2024)

National anthem

lyrics/music

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

name

"Aegukga" (Patriotic Song)

note

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

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); 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)

total World Heritage Sites

16 (14 cultural, 2 natural)

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

Basic Income Party [SHIN Ji-hye] Democratic Party of Korea or DPK [LEE Jae-myung] (renamed from Minjoo Party of Korea or MPK in October 2016); includes the former Open Democratic Party [CHOI Kong-wook], which merged with the DP in January 2022 and the Together Citizens' Party or Platform Party [WOO Hee-jong, CHOI Bae-geun], which merged with the DP in May 2022)Hope of Korea [Yang Hyang-ja]Justice Party or JP [LEE Jeong-mi]People Power Party or PPP [YUN Jae-ok (acting)] (renamed from United Future Party in September 2020, formerly Liberty Korea Party)Transition Korea [CHO Jung-hun]

note

note: the DPK is South Korea’s largest party and its main progressive party; the People Power Party (PPP) is a conservative grouping and is South Korea’s second-largest party

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal; note - the voting age was lowered from 19 to 18 beginning with the 2020 national election

Agricultural products

rice, vegetables, cabbages, milk, onions, pork, poultry, eggs, tangerines/mandarins, potatoes

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

2.7% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on food

13.8% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$372.412 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$378.552 billion (2019 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

1.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

AA- (2012)

Moody's rating

Aa2 (2015)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

AA (2016)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

$59.676 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

$75.902 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

$88.302 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$435.98 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$457.745 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

strong export-driven East Asian economy; sustainable and social policy leader; foreign aid financier; automotive manufacturing; app-based developer and exporter; global healthcare technology leader; aging workforce; largest semiconductor producer

Exchange rates

Currency

South Korean won (KRW) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

1,131.001 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

1,100.163 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

1,165.358 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

1,180.266 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1,143.952 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$660.507 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2020

$607.505 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$771.202 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

integrated circuits, cars and vehicle parts, refined petroleum, office machinery, ships, telephones (2021)

Exports - partners

China 24%, US 15%, Vietnam 9%, Hong Kong 6%, Japan 5% (2021)

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)

$1,646,604,000,000 (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2016

31.4 (2016 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

48.5% (2015 est.)

lowest 10%

6.8%

Imports

Imports 2019

$607.54 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$541.57 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$698.103 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

crude oil, integrated circuits, natural gas, refined petroleum, photo lab equipment, cars, iron (2021)

Imports - partners

China 24%, US 12%, Japan 9%, Vietnam 4%, Taiwan 4% (2021)

Industrial production growth rate

5.09% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

0.38% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

0.54% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

2.5% (2021 est.)

Labor force

28.674 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

14.4% (2016 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2018

37.56% of GDP (2018 est.)

Public debt 2019

39.97% of GDP (2019 est.)

Public debt 2020

46.43% of GDP (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$2.213 trillion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$2.198 trillion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$2.289 trillion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

2.24% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-0.71% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

4.15% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$42,800 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$42,400 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$44,200 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$408.819 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$443.463 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$463.281 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

14.86% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

3.75% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

3.93% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

3.53% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

6.9%

male

8.8%

total

7.8% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

319.383 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

112.052 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

255.518 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

686.954 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

140.579 million metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

16,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

123.784 million metric tons (2020 est.)

production

16.364 million metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

326 million metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

531.258 billion kWh (2020 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2020 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2020 est.)

installed generating capacity

135.789 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

18.61 billion kWh (2020 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2021)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

1.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

64.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

1.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

27.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

3.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

242.346 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

53,419,105,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2019 est.)

imports

55,417,677,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

production

240.042 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

proven reserves

7.079 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Nuclear energy

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

24.49GW (2021)

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down

2

Number of nuclear reactors under construction

3

Number of operational nuclear reactors

25 (2023)

Percent of total electricity production

27.4% (2021)

Percent of total energy produced

76.5% (2021)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

3,034,400 bbl/day (2018 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

2,598,700 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

37,400 bbl/day (2021 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

44 (2020 est.)

total

22,327,182 (2020 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

98% (2021 est.)

total

50.96 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line approximately 45 per 100 and mobile-cellular services 141 per 100 persons; rapid assimilation of a full range of telecommunications technologies leading to a boom in e-commerce (2021)

general assessment

South Korea is second only to Hong Kong in the world rankings of telecom market maturity; it is also on the leading edge of the latest telecom technology developments, including around 6G; with its highly urbanized, tech-savvy population, South Korea also enjoys very high communication levels across all segments – fixed-line telephony (44% at the start of 2022), fixed broadband (46%), mobile voice and data (144%), and mobile broadband (120%); the performance of the mobile sector is on a par with other developed markets around the region, but it’s the wire line segment that allows South Korea to stand out from the crowd; this is partly a reflection of the large proportion of its population who live in apartment buildings (around 60%), making fiber and apartment LAN connections relatively easy and cost-effective to deploy; the government’s Ultra Broadband convergence Network (UBcN) had aimed to reach 50% adoption by the end of 2022, but that target may be a few more years away; fixed-line teledensity is also at a very high level compared to most of the rest of the world, but it has been on a sharp decline from a rate of 60% ten years ago; on the mobile front, users have enthusiastically migrated from one generation of mobile platform to the next as each iteration becomes available; there also doesn’t appear to be any great concern about there being a lack of demand for 5G in South Korea (when the country is already well supported by 4G networks), with 30% of all subscribers having already made the switch; part of the reason behind the rapid transition may be the subsidized handsets on offer from each of the MNOs and the MVNOs (2022)

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

45 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

23,213,189 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

141 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

72,855,492 (2021 est.)

Airports

111 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

civil airports

6

joint use (civil-military) airports

7

military airports

16

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

other airports

42

total

71

Airports - with unpaved runways

40

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

HL

Heliports

466 (2021)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 84, container ship 99, general cargo 358, oil tanker 200, other 1,322

total

2,063 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

11,929,560,000 (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

88,157,579 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

424

number of registered air carriers

14 (2020)

Pipelines

3,790 km gas, 16 km oil, 889 km refined products (2018)

Ports and terminals

container port(s) (TEUs)

Busan (22,706,130), Incheon (3,353,781), Kwangyang (2,122,903) (2021)

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

total

3,979 km (2016)

Roadways

paved

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

total

100,428 km (2016)

unpaved

7,633 km (2016)

Transportation - note

South Korea operates one PC 5 or 6 class light icebreakernote - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel: PC 5 - year-round operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 70-120 cm); PC 6 - summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 30-70 cm)

Waterways

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

Military - note

the South Korean military is a mixed force of professionals and conscripts equipped largely with modern weapon systems that trains regularly, including bilateral and multinational exercises; the military is primarily focused on the threat from North Korea but also deploys abroad for multinational missions, including peacekeeping and other security operationsSouth Korea's primary defense partner is the US, and the 1953 US-South Korea Mutual Defense Treaty is a cornerstone of South Korea’s security; the Treaty committed the US to provide assistance in the event of an attack, particularly from North Korea; in addition, the Treaty gave the US permission to station land, air, and sea forces in and about the territory of South Korea as determined by mutual agreement; the US maintains approximately 28,000 military personnel in the country and conducts bilateral exercises with the South Korean 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 the EU Naval Force Somalia – Operation Atalanta, which protects maritime shipping and conducts counter-piracy operations off the coast of East AfricaSouth Korea has been engaged with NATO through dialogue and security cooperation since 2005 and is considered by NATO to be a global partner; in 2022, South Korea established its Mission to NATO to further institutionalize its cooperative relationship; it has participated in NATO-led missions and exercises, including leading an integrated civilian-military reconstruction team in Afghanistan as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, 2010-2013; it has also cooperated with NATO in countering the threat of piracy in the Gulf of Aden by providing naval vessels as escortsin addition to the invasion of South Korea and the subsequent Korean War (1950-53), North Korea from the 1960s to the 1980s launched a considerable number of limited military and subversive actions against South Korea using special forces and terrorist tactics; including aggressive skirmishes along the DMZ, overt attempts to assassinate South Korean leaders, kidnappings, the bombing of an airliner, and a failed effort in 1968 to foment an insurrection and conduct a guerrilla war in the South with more than 100 seaborne commandos; from the 1990s until 2010, the North lost two submarines and a semi-submersible boat attempting to insert infiltrators into the South (1996, 1998) and provoked several engagements in the Northwest Islands area along the disputed Northern Limit Line (NLL), including naval skirmishes between patrol boats in 1999 and 2002, the torpedoing and sinking of a South Korean corvette, the Cheonan, in 2010, and the bombardment of a South Korean Marine Corps installation on Yeonpyeong Island, also in 2010; since 2010, further minor incidents continue to occur periodically along the DMZ, where both the North and the South Korean militaries maintain large numbers of troopsthe South Korean Army is organized into commands for aviation, ballistic and cruise missile operations, capital defense, ground operations, air and missile defense, and rear area defense operations; the Ground Operations Command has six corps and most of the Army’s ground combat power, which includes 21 combined arms infantry divisions, several of which are mechanized, and about 20 independent armored, artillery, air assault, aviation, and special operations brigades; the active ground forces are backed up by a large reserve force made up of former active duty soldiersthe Navy is a modern force that conducts both coastal and blue water operations; it has three numbered fleets, each assigned to the seas east, west, and south of the country; it also has a submarine command, surface flotillas for specialized missions such as mine warfare and amphibious operations, an aviation wing, a special warfare force, and South Korea’s Marine Corps, which is one of the largest in the World and functions as a rapid reaction, strategic reserve, and island defense force; the Navy’s principal warships include more than 25 destroyers and frigates, two landing platform helicopter (LPH) amphibious assault ships, and nearly 20 attack-type submarines, complemented by a large force of corvettes and coastal patrol vesselsthe South Korean Air Force has a largely modern inventory of more than 800 fixed and rotary wing aircraft, including over 500 fighter and multirole fighter aircraft; it is organized into commands for air combat and air mobility/reconnaissance with subordinate wings and squadrons; the Air Force also has commands for ground based air defense (2023)

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 (2023)

note

note 1: in January 2022, the South Korean military announced the formation of a space branch under its Joint Chiefs of Staff to coordinate the development of space and space-enabled capabilities across the Army, Navy and Air Forcenote 2: the military reserves include Mobilization Reserve Forces (First Combat Forces) and Homeland Defense Forces (Regional Combat Forces)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 500,000 active-duty personnel (365,000 Army; 70,000 Navy, including about 30,000 Marines; 65,000 Air Force) (2023)

Military deployments

250 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 275 South Sudan (UNMISS); 170 United Arab Emirates; note - since 2009, South Korea has kept a naval flotilla with approximately 300 personnel in the waters off of the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the South Korean military is equipped with a mix of domestically produced and imported weapons systems; South Korea has a robust defense industry and production includes armored fighting vehicles, artillery, aircraft, naval ships, and missiles; its weapons are designed to be compatible with US and NATO systems; in recent years the top foreign weapons supplier has been the US, and some domestically produced systems are built under US license (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2019

2.7% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

2.6% of GDP (2020)

Military Expenditures 2021

2.6% of GDP (2021)

Military Expenditures 2022

2.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

2.6% of GDP (2023)

Military service age and obligation

18-35 years of age for compulsory military service for all men; minimum conscript service obligation varies by service - 18 months (Army, Marines, auxiliary police), 20 months (Navy, conscripted firefighters), 21 months (Air Force, social service), 36 months for alternative service; 18-29 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (2023)

note

note 1: women, in service since 1950, are able to serve in all branches and as of 2022 some 15,000 served in the armed forces, including about 9% of the non-commissioned and commissioned officersnote 2: the military brings on over 200,000 conscripts each year

Disputes - international

South Korea-Japan: South Korea and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by South Korea since 1954 South Korea-North Korea: 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

Illicit drugs

precursor chemicals used for illicit drugs, such as acetic anhydride, pseudoephedrine, and ephedrine, imported from the United States, Japan, India, and China and then either resold within South Korea or smuggled into other countries  

Refugees and internally displaced persons

stateless persons

202 (2022)

Space agency/agencies

Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI; established 1989); Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST); Korean Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI; funded by the South Korean Government); KARI works closely with the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), a  national agency for research and development in defense technology established in 1970; established a military space branch in 2022; in 2022, announced plans to form a fully independent space agency for integrated management of both civil and military space programs (2023)

Space launch site(s)

Naro Space Center (South Jeolla province) (2023)

Space program overview

has a growing and ambitious space program focused on developing satellites, satellite/space launch vehicles (SLVs), and interplanetary probes; has a national space strategy; manufacturers 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 space programs and has relations with an array of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Australia, the European Space Agency (ESA) and its member states (particularly France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK), India, Israel, Japan, Peru, Russia, UAE, and especially the US; has a robust commercial space industry that works closely with KARI in the development of satellites and space launch capabilities (2023)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

620.3 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

30.28 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

24.04 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

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

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 air pollution from China

Environment - international 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

Land use

agricultural land

18.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 15.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 2.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0.6% (2018 est.)

forest

63.9% (2018 est.)

other

18% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

69.7 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

15.96 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

4.45 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

6.672 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

81.5% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

18,218,975 tons (2014 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

10,567,006 tons (2014 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

58% (2014 est.)