South Korea

The Republic of Korea (Hangul, 대한민국; Hanja, 大韓民國; Revised Korean romanization, Daehan Minguk; McCune-Reischauer, Taehan Min'kuk), commonly known as South Korea (남한^?, 南韓^?, Namhan^RR, Namhan^MR by the South Koreans or 남조선^?, 南朝鮮^?, Namjoseon^RR, Namchosŏn^MR by the North Koreans), is a sovereign country in East Asia, located on the southern part of the Korean peninsula. It is bordered on the north by South Korea North, with which it integrated a single country until 1945. To the east is the Sea of Japan, to the south the Strait of Korea, which separates it from Japan, and to the west the Yellow Sea.Its territory comprises the southern half of the peninsula of Korea, encompassing some three thousand islands that surround it, among which Jeju, Ulleungdo and Dokdo stand out.

Roughly half of the country's population lives in the capital, Seoul, or in its metropolitan area, which is one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world (some sources rank it as the second most populous, behind only Tokyo), in Japan). Korea is one of the oldest civilizations in the world.

Archaeological investigations revealed that the peninsula was populated from the Lower Paleolithic. Over time, Korea's history has been turbulent with numerous wars, including invasions by both China and Japan. Since the establishment of the modern republic in 1948, South Korea has struggled with the aftermath of previous wars such as the Japanese occupation (1910-1945), as well as the Korean War (1950-1953) and decades of authoritarian rule. While the government has officially adopted a Western-style democracy since the founding of the republic, the presidential election processes suffered from major irregularities. It was not until 1987 that the first fair and direct elections were held, which is why the country has been considered a multiparty democracy ever since.

South Korea's economy has grown rapidly since the 1950s. Today, it is the 14th largest economy (by GDP PPP) in the world and is classified as a developed country by the UN, the Bank World Cup and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It is also among the most technologically advanced and best communicated countries; it is the third country with the highest number of broadband Internet users among OECD countries, also being one of the global leaders in the production of electronic appliances, semiconductor devices and mobile phones. It also has one of the most advanced infrastructures in the world and a world leader in the shipbuilding industry, spearheaded by prominent companies such as Hyundai Heavy Industries.

Etymology

In the Korean language, South Korea is called Daehan Minguk (in Hangul, 대한민국), whose characters mean: One/Big (in hanja, 大; Revised Korean romanization, dae); Han, Chinese name for the number 1 (in hanja, 韓; revised romanization of Korean, han ) and people or nation (in hanja, 民國; Revised Korean romanization, minguk), literally "The Number 1 great people or the great nation".

In its short form, Hanguk (in Hangul, 한국), "Country Han or The First Great Country", is used to refer to Korea as a whole or also Namhan (in Hangul, 남한; in hanja, 南韓) "The South Nation", to refer to South Korea specifically. North Koreans refer to their southern neighbor as Namchosŏn (in chosŏn'gŭl, 남조선; in hancha, 南朝鮮; revised romanization of Korean, Namjoseon), literally "South Joseon&# 3. 4;). The name Han dates from the ancient Samhan Confederations of the era of the three ancient kingdoms of Korea. In Spanish, as well as in most Western languages, the nation is often referred to as Korea. This word derives from the Goryeo dynasty, which adopted its name in reference to the even older Koguryŏ Kingdom.

History

Before the split

The earliest human remains found in Korea date back around 500,000 years. According to tradition, in the year 2333 B.C. C. Tangun founded the kingdom of Joseon (often referred to as "Gojoseon" to avoid confusion with the dynasty of the 20th century XIV of the same name; the prefix go means "old" or "former"). After numerous wars, this kingdom fell apart.

Jikji, the first book printed on a printing press with metallic phones, in 1377, 62 years before the Print of Gutenberg.

Ancient Korea became home to a series of warring city-states, constantly appearing and disappearing. However, three kingdoms, Baekje, Koguryŏ and Silla, grew stronger and between them dominated the Korean historical scene for more than two hundred years, in the period known as the Three Kingdoms of Korea. In the year 676, Silla managed to unify almost all Korean territory, with the exception of the kingdom of Balhae. The domination of these two kingdoms over all of Korea and part of Manchuria gave rise to the Period of the North and South States.

After its decline, in 918 General Wang Geon founded the kingdom of Goryeo (or Koryŏ, from which the name Korea comes). In the 13th century, the Mongol invasion weakened Goryeo: after nearly thirty years of warfare, the kingdom retained the rule over the entire territory of Korea, although in reality it was just another tributary to the Mongols. The collapse of the Mongol Empire was followed by a series of political struggles and after the rebellion of General Yi Seong-gye in 1388, the Goryeo dynasty it was succeeded by the Joseon dynasty.

The palace of Gyeongbok is the largest of the five great palaces built during the Joseon dynasty.

Between 1592 and 1598, the Japanese invaded Korea after the Joseon refused to give safe passage to the Japanese army, led by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, in their campaign to conquer China. The war ended when the Japanese withdrew after Hideyoshi's death. It is in this war where the emergence as a national hero of Admiral Yi Sun-Sin and the popularization of the famous "Turtle Ship".

In the 17th century, Korea was finally defeated by the Manchus and joined the Qing Empire. During the 19th century, thanks to its isolationist policy, Korea gained the name of the "Hermit Kingdom". The Joseon Dynasty tried to protect themselves against Western imperialism, but they were forced to open their doors to trade. After the Sino-Japanese Wars and the Russo-Japanese War, Korea came under Japanese colonial rule (1910-1945). At the end of World War II, the Japanese surrendered to US and Soviet forces, who occupied the northern and southern halves of Korea, respectively.

After the split

In 1948, as a consequence of the division of the peninsula between the Soviets and the Americans, two new entities emerged: North Korea and South Korea. In the north, an anti-Japanese guerrilla and communist activist, Kim Il-sung, gained power through Soviet support, and in the south, an exiled right-wing political leader, Syngman Rhee, was appointed president.

On June 25, 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea in the military action that sparked the Korean War. At that time, the Soviet Union's delegate to the UN Security Council was absent in protest at the refusal to admit the People's Republic of China into the body. This allowed the United Nations, led by the US military, to intervene to stop the invasion. For their part, the Soviet Union and China decided to support North Korea, sending troops and supplies to their troops. After massive losses of North and South Korean civilians, the war finally came to a stalemate. The 1953 armistice divided the peninsula along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, near the original demarcation line. No peace treaty was signed, so technically the two countries remained at war. At least 2.5 million people died during the conflict.

In 1960, a student movement led to the resignation of President Syngman Rhee. This event was followed by a period of political instability, which a year later would end with the coup carried out by General Park Chung-hee (the "5-16 coup d' état"). Park was harshly criticized as a ruthless dictator and for the political repression that existed during his tenure; however, he made the Korean economy develop significantly as he encouraged rapid economic growth by boosting exports. Park was president until his assassination in 1979.

The years that followed Park's assassination were again marked by political turmoil, as leaders of the previously repressed opposition made multiple attempts to win the presidential seat. In 1980, another coup was staged, this time time by General Chun Doo-hwan against the transitional government of Choi Kyu-hah, who served as prime minister during Park's tenure. Chun's assumption of the presidency sparked nationwide protests demanding democracy and legality in elections. During the Gwangju Massacre in May 1980, hundreds, if not thousands, of protesters, students, and trade unionists were killed by the regime's repression. South Korean.

Chun and his government kept Korea under despotic rule until 1987, when protests by workers and opposition groups broke out across the country. Eventually, Chun's political party, the Democratic Justice Party, and his leader, Roh Tae-woo, released the Declaration of June 29, which included the call for direct elections to elect a new president. Roh won the election by a narrow margin against the two leaders of the main opposition parties, Kim Dae-Jung and Kim Young-Sam.

The city of Seoul experienced rapid urban growth during the 1980s and 1990s.

In 1988, Seoul successfully hosted the 1988 Summer Olympics, and in 1996 its continued economic development led to the country's entry into the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Like most of its Asian neighbors, the national economy was affected by the Asian financial crisis of 1997, however, the country was able to recover and continue its economic growth.

In June 2000, as part of the "Sun Policy" of President Kim Dae-Jung, the Inter-Korean Summit was held, which took place in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. Later that year, Kim received the Nobel Peace Prize "for his work for democracy and human rights in South Korea and East Asia in general and for peace and reconciliation with North Korea in particular". In 2002, South Korea and Japan hosted the World Cup. 2002 Soccer World Cup, however, later relations between the two nations deteriorated, due to the conflict over the possession of the Rocks of Liancourt (Dokdo in Korean).

The sinking of the Sewol ferry in 2014 killed 293 people.

In 2010, the South Korean corvette ROKS Cheonan (PCC-772) was sunk in an action blamed on its neighbor to the north. In December 2012, with almost all the votes counted, the National Electoral Commission awarded Park Geun-hye 51.6% of the vote, compared to 48% for her rival, Moon Jae-in. Park, daughter of dictator Park Chung-hee, has made history by becoming the first woman to become the South Korean president. In April 2014, due to the tragic sinking of the Sewol, Prime Minister Chung Hong-won resigned, he stated that it would be too great a burden for the administration. By March 2017, President Park Geun-hye was removed from office and it is the first time that a president has been removed from office in the country. Election day was held on May 9, 2017, and the electoral contest was won by Mr. Moon Jae-in, exercising authority on May 10.

The inter-Korean summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un took place on April 27, 2018.

Government and politics

The South Korean National Assembly.

Government is defined as a representative democracy. Like many democracies, the country presents a division of powers into executive, judicial, and legislative. The executive and legislative branches operate primarily at the national level, although several ministries in the executive branch also perform local functions. Provincial governments are semi-autonomous and have their own legislative bodies. The judicial branch operates at both the national and local levels.

The head of state is the president, elected by direct popular vote for a single five-year term. In addition to being the highest representative of the republic and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, the president also appoints the prime minister (after approval by parliament) and chairs the Council of State. The prime minister is the head of government of the country, and performs many of the functions of the executive branch. The unicameral Korean parliament is called the National Assembly, or Gukhoe (국회; 國會). Its members serve four-year terms. The legislature currently has 300 seats, of which 246 are elected by regional vote and the rest are distributed by proportional representation. The highest judicial institution is the Supreme Court, whose judges are appointed by the president with the consent of parliament.

The structure of the South Korean government is determined by the Constitution of the Republic of Korea. This document has undergone several modifications since 1948, the date on which it was promulgated, shortly after independence. However, the constitution has retained many of its general features and, with the exception of the short-lived Second Republic of South Korea, the country has always had a presidential system with an executive branch leader independent of the president. Early elections Direct elections were held in 1948. Although South Korea suffered a series of military dictatorships from the 1960s to the 1980s, the country managed to become a liberal democracy. Today, The World Factbook describes South Korean democracy as a "fully functional modern democracy".

Foreign Relations

South Korea maintains diplomatic relations with approximately 170 countries. The country has also been part of the United Nations Organization (UN) since 1991, when it became a member state at the same time as North Korea. On May 1, 2007, the former Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon took over as UN Secretary General. The country has also developed ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, as an observer member of the ANSA + 3 group and with the East Asia Summit (EAS).

Since May 2007, South Korea and the European Union have been negotiating a free trade agreement to reduce trade barriers between the two entities. In addition, it is also negotiating a free trade agreement with Canada, and another with New Zealand. In November 2009, the nation was admitted to the OECD Development Assistance Committee, marking the first time that a country that received aid from this body became a full member of it. In 2010, Seoul was the site of the G-20 Summit.

China

Historically, Korea has had relatively close relations with China. Before the division of the peninsula, several Korean independence fighters worked with Chinese soldiers during the Japanese occupation. However, after World War II, the People's Republic of China embraced Maoism, while South Korea sought to improve relations with the United States. In addition, during the Korean War, China provided assistance and supplies to the North Korean military, resulting in the almost complete cessation of diplomatic relations with China. These relations gradually thawed and on August 24, 1992 both countries reestablished formal diplomatic relations. The two nations managed to overcome the forty-year trade embargo they had experienced, causing trade between them to improve steadily since 1992. However, in order to establish official relations with the People's Republic of China, the country had to break its relations. officials with the ROC.

The sovereignty over the Rocks of Liancourt triggered a series of frictions with Japan.

Japan

Although there were no formal diplomatic conflicts between South Korea and Japan after the end of World War II, in 1965 they signed the "Treaty on the Basis of Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea" to establish diplomatic relations. There is strong anti-Japanese sentiment in the country due to the large number of disputes between the Japanese and Koreans, many of which stem from the time of the Japanese occupation. During the war, more than 100,000 Koreans were forced to serve in the Imperial Japanese Army. Many Korean women were brought to the front lines to serve the Imperial Japanese Army as sex slaves, called comfort women. /i>.

After more than four decades, in an attempt to improve relations between the two countries and to encourage the practice of soccer, FIFA decided to award the venue for the 2002 Soccer World Cup. According to a survey, 74.6% of the Japanese and 60.9% of the South Koreans thought that this event would improve the situation between the two nations. Currently, although the conflict of sovereignty over the Dokdo has complicated the rapprochement of both nations, Japan and South Korea are important commercial partners for their respective economies, in addition to the fact that there is a phenomenon of cultural exchange between them.

North Korea

Image of the demilitarized zone of Korea, the world's most guarded border.

On the other hand, the two Koreas claim sovereignty over the entire peninsula and its outlying islands. After the hostilities that arose during the Korean War, from 1950 to 1953, the two Koreas signed an armistice, but never a peace agreement. On October 4, 2007, Roh Moo-hyun and North Korean leader Kim Jong- il signed an eight-point agreement on issues of permanent peace, high-level talks, economic cooperation, renewal of air, rail and highway services, as well as forming a single Olympic delegation.

Despite sunny politics and reconciliation efforts, progress was complicated by North Korea's missile tests in 1993, 1998, 2006 and 2009. In early 2009, relations between the two countries were tense; the North Koreans were reported to have deployed several missiles, breaking previous agreements, as well as threatening South Korea and the United States not to interfere with a satellite launch he had planned. After several conflicts and misunderstandings, including the sinking of a South Korean corvette in March 2010 and the bombing of the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong, the climate between the two nations has become tense. Despite the intervention of other countries and international organizations, both Koreas claim to be ready for war. As of 2010, both Koreas are still technically at war and share the most fortified border in the world.

On March 8, 2013, North Korea terminated the armistice due to inter-Korean tension and the United States' intervention in the region, declaring all-out war against South Korea on March 30, 2013. year.

Armed Forces

A long history of invasions by its neighbors and unresolved tension with North Korea have seen the nation allocate 2.6% of its GDP and 15% of its annual budget to its military, while which maintains conscription for all males. Thus, South Korea has the world's sixth-largest number of active troops, the second-largest military reserve, and the twelfth-highest defense budget. The country, with an average of 3.7 million military personnel among a total population of 50 million people, has the second highest rate of soldiers per capita in the world, after only North Korea.

"Sejong the Great," a destroyer missile launcher from the Republic of Korea Navy.

The Armed Forces of the Republic of Korea are the Republic of Korea Army (ROKA), Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN), Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF), Marine Corps Republic of Korea (ROKMC) and Reserve Forces. Of these forces, nearly two million are concentrated near the Korean Demilitarized Zone. All South Korean males are constitutionally required to serve in the military, usually for a term two year period. However, there have been discussions about reducing the length of conscription and even about eliminating it. The government recently exempted several students from their service to allow them to further delve into their fields of research. In addition, Koreans of foreign descent are exempt from military service. Along with soldiers, some Koreans are selected to serve two years in the KATUSA (Korean Augmentation to the United States Army) program.

The South Korean military has more than 2,300 tanks in operation, while the navy has the sixth largest destroyer fleet in the world. The South Korean air force is the ninth largest of its kind, and mainly features American fighters such as the F-15K, KF-16, and the KAI T-50 Golden Eagle.

Since the Korean War, the United States has stationed a large contingent of troops on South Korean territory to defend the country in the event of a North Korean attack. These military personnel number more than 29,000 soldiers. In early 2007, the United States Secretary of Defense and the South Korean Minister of National Defense determined that the South Koreans would retake operational control of their forces on November 17. April 2012. The US military stationed in the country will be transformed into a new war command, provisionally described as "Korea Command" (KORCOM).

Human Rights

In terms of human rights, regarding membership of the seven bodies of the International Bill of Human Rights, which include the Human Rights Committee (HRC), the Republic of Korea has signed or ratified:

Status of major international human rights instruments

Republic of Korea	International treaties
	CESCR		CCPR			CERD	CED	CEDAW		CAT		CRC			MWC	CRPD
	CESCR	CESCR-OP	CCPR	CCPR-OP1	CCPR-OP2-DP			CEDAW	CEDAW-OP	CAT	CAT-OP	CRC	CRC-OP-AC	CRC-OP-SC		CRPD	CRPD-OP
Pertenence
Signed and ratified, signed, but not ratified, neither signed nor ratified, without information, it has agreed to sign and ratify the body concerned, but also recognizes the competence to receive and process individual communications from the competent bodies.

Territorial organization

South Korea is subdivided into 8 provinces, 1 special autonomous city, 1 special autonomous province, and 7 metropolitan cities:

Gangwon

Seoul

Incheon

Gyeonggi

Chungcheong South

Chungcheong North

Sejong

Daejeon

Gyeongsang North

North Jeolla

Daegu

Ulsan

Busan

Gyeongsang Sur

Gwangju

South Jeolla

Jeju

North Korea

Japan

Yellow Sea

Korea Strait

Tsushima Island

Sea of Japan

Geography

Boseong tea fields.

The mountains of the Seorak National Park

Hallasan, the highest point in South Korea.

South Korea occupies the southern part of the Korean peninsula, which extends about 1,100 km from the Asian mainland. This mountainous peninsula is flanked by the Yellow Sea to the west and the Sea of Japan to the east. At the southern end is the Korea Strait and the East China Sea. The total area of the country amounts to 100,363 km². The national territory can be divided into four general regions: the eastern region of high mountains and narrow coastal plains; the western region of broad coastal plains, river basins, and hills; the southwestern region with mountains and valleys and the southeastern region dominated by the wide basin of the Nakdong River. The relief is mainly mountainous, so most of the soil is not arable. The lowlands, located mainly in the west and southeast, make up only 30% of the total land area.

About 3,000 islands, mostly small and uninhabited, lie off the west and south coasts. Jeju-do is located about 100 kilometers from the south coast. It is the largest island in the country, with an area of 1,845 km². Jeju is home to the highest point in South Korea: Hallasan, an extinct volcano, 1,975 meters above sea level. The easternmost islands include Ulleungdo and the Liancourt Rocks (Dokdo), while Marado and the rock of Socotra are the southernmost islands of the country. There are about twenty national parks, in addition to some natural sites that are very popular among tourists, such as the Boseong Tea Field and the Suncheon Bay Ecological Park in South Jeolla Province. rivers are the Han and the Nakdong, which rise in the Taebaek mountain system. The Han heads towards the west coast to flow into the Yellow Sea after 514 km and passes through Seoul, while the longer Naktong (525 km) flows south until it reaches the waters of the Korea Strait.

Climate

Climate rates in South Korea

The country tends to have a humid continental and humid subtropical climate and is affected by the East Asian monsoon, with heavier rainfall in summer during a short rainy season called jangma (장마), which begins at the end of June and ends at the end of August. Winters can be very cold, with minimum temperatures approaching –20 °C in the northernmost part of the country. In Seoul, the average temperature in January ranges from -7 °C to 1 °C, while in August it rises from 22 °C to 30 °C. Winter temperatures are milder along the coast south and considerably low in the mountainous interior. Rainfall is concentrated in the summer months, from June to September. At the same time, the southern coast is subject to typhoons that bring strong winds and heavy rains. Average annual rainfall ranges from 1,370 mm in Seoul to 1,470 mm in Busan.

Average Seoul climate parameters
Month	Ene.	Feb.	Mar.	Open up.	May.	Jun.	Jul.	Ago.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Annual
Average temperature (°C)	0.8	3.3	9.5	17.3	22.9	26.6	28.5	29.5	25.5	19.7	11.2	3.7	16.5
Temp. medium (°C)	- 7.1	- 4.8	0.4	7	12.5	17.4	21.6	22.2	16.5	9.5	2.6	- 4	7.8
Total precipitation (mm)	23	24.6	46.8	93.9	91.8	133.9	369.4	294.2	168.7	49.5	53.3	21.4	1370.5
Hours of sun	310	308	372	390	434	450	434	403	360	341	300	279	4381
Relative humidity (%)	64.4	64	63.1	61.3	64.5	72.2	81.3	78.9	72.5	67.4	66.3	65.9	68.5
Source: Climate-Charts.com

Flora and fauna

The Rose of Syria is the national flower and one of the symbols of South Korea.

The country is located in an area where the humid continental climate predominates, so the most abundant vegetation in the country is typical of mixed forests. Here there are deciduous plant species such as maple, elm and poplar; as well as evergreen trees such as pine and fir. In the southern coastal areas you can find different species that do not grow in the rest of the country, such as bamboo, laurel and oak. Forests cover about of two thirds of the national territory, although their number and extent have been in constant decline due to human activities.

The mixed forest is characterized by hosting multiple species of large and small mammals, as well as a large number of birds and insects. Squirrels, porcupines, hares, owls, hawks, and other small animals have survived the impact of humans, who have replaced these species with domestic animals such as dogs, cats, horses, etc. However, large mammal species, particularly tigers, leopards, bears and lynxes are currently in danger of extinction, mainly due to constant hunting and the destruction of their habitat.

Thanks to the fact that it is one of the most heavily guarded areas on the planet and that access is restricted to all civilians, the Korean DMZ is one of the country's main natural sanctuaries, where most of the flora and fauna native to the region. The natural isolation of a large part of the area (nearly 1,000 km²) has made it one of the best-preserved natural areas in the world and the last refuge of several threatened species. Groups of Ecologists and scientists have identified about 2,900 plant species, 70 mammals, and 320 varieties of birds in the area. Other research conducted near the region estimates that there may be more of these and other species in the surrounding regions.

Environment

Cheonggyecheon, a park in central Seoul, was restored after being crossed by a highway.

During the first twenty years of the surge of urban growth that began in the 1970s, little effort was made to preserve the environment. Industrialization and rampant urban development have resulted in deforestation and continued destruction of ecosystems. However, recent efforts have been made to balance these issues, including a five-year "green growth" with a cost of 84 million dollars, with which the government intends to promote environmentally friendly technologies and energy production.

The green-based economic strategy is a complete overhaul of the South Korean economy, using almost two percent of the national GDP. The greening initiative includes several proposals such as a national cycling network, the use of solar and wind energy, the reduction of vehicles that use fossil fuels and expanding the use of ecological technologies. The country plans to build a national Internet network of generation, which will be ten times faster than current broadband services, in order to reduce energy use.

Recently, piped water in Seoul was made safe for human consumption, thanks to city officials running campaigns like "Arisu" in an attempt to convince the public to consume it. Multiple actions have also been carried out in the field of reforestation. Another multi-million dollar project in the city was the restoration of Cheonggyecheon, a park located in the center of Seoul, which had previously been crossed by a highway. A major challenge for South Koreans is air quality, as problems such as acid rain, the presence of sulfur oxides in the air, and yellow dust storms. Many of these difficulties are recognized as a result of the country's proximity to China, one of the world's leading air polluters..

It is a member of the Antarctic Environmental Protocol, the Antarctic Treaty, the Biodiversity Treaty, the Kyoto Protocol (forming with Mexico and Switzerland the Environmental Integrity Group, GIA, under the supervision of the Framework Convention of the United Nations Convention on Climate Change). In addition, it is part of several agreements and conventions that work on environmental issues, such as desertification, endangered species, environmental modification, the disposal of hazardous materials at sea, the prohibition of nuclear tests, the protection of the ozone layer and the preservation of wetlands, among others.

South Korea is the OECD country with the worst environmental quality, especially air quality, in 2018. Annual exposure to particulate matter increased by an average of 4% between 2005 and 2013.

Economy

Per capita GDP in East Asia since 1820 (from top to bottom: Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, People ' s Republic of China and North Korea)

Hyundai Motor Group is the most profitable car manufacturer and fourth in terms of sold units.

Songdo in the Economic Free Zone of Inchon, is the largest private initiative project in history.

South Korea is a developed country and between the 1960s and 1990s had one of the fastest growing economies in the world. The rapid transformation into a rich and industrialized economy in this short time was called & #34;the miracle of the Han River". This surge of growth was achieved through export-oriented manufacturing and a highly-skilled workforce.

Between the 1960s and 1990s, South Korea pursued a protectionist economic policy. Most imported products were banned, the financial system was nationalized, five-year plans were adopted, the state borrowed very little, and foreign investment was not encouraged. A land reform led to the expropriation without compensation of the large Japanese latifundia and the land was divided into small parcels. However, farmers are required by law to sell their produce at low prices, leaving them poor. Due to the context of the Cold War and its geographical location, South Korea was especially favored by the United States, which provided significant annual financial aid. The spearhead of government policy was the creation of the chaebol; these family-owned conglomerates (Hyundai, Samsung, LG Group, etc.) benefited from public subsidies, protection from international competition, land made available to them, low taxation, and specific regulations. The government does not recognize a minimum wage or weekly vacations, it imposes periods of free work for their benefit and the working day is twelve hours. In addition, unions and strikes are prohibited. In the 1980s, the work week for a South Korean worker is the longest in the world.

As the largest of the four Asian dragons, the South Korean economy is the fourth largest in Asia and the 13th largest in the world. It is a major trading partner of the world's largest economies, for example, it is the third largest trading partner for China and Japan, the seventh for the United States, and the eighth for the European Union. In 2009, it was the ninth country with the highest income from its exports.

Its capital, Seoul, consistently ranks among the top ten financial and commercial cities for the global economy and was named the sixth most economically powerful city in the world, according to Forbes magazine. National GDP per capita is around US$30,000.

As a member of the OECD, it is classified by the World Bank as a high-income economy, by the IMF and CIA as an advanced economy, and as a developed market by the FTSE group. It also has a very high HDI, particularly in education, where it is ranked first in Asia and seventh worldwide. Currently, it is ranked as the most innovative country, according to the Global Innovation Index.

The nation is the current chair of the G-20 member economies and was the first country in Asia to host the G-20 Summit, in November 2010. It is one of 24 selected OECD members to join the Development Aid Committee, where the most important donor countries in the world meet, and whose main mission is to contribute to development aid and poverty reduction in developing countries. It is also a founding member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and the East Asia Summit.

The South Korean economy is led by large conglomerates known as chaebol. These include multinationals such as Samsung, LG and Hyundai-Kia. The ten largest South Korean companies are Samsung Electronics, POSCO, Hyundai Motor Company, KB Kookmin Bank, Korea Power Company, Samsung Life Insurance, Shinhan Bank, LG Electronics, Hyundai Mobis, and LG Chem.

That South Korea has low unemployment but has one of the highest incidences of job strain in the OECD: 51% of workers say more is required of them than they can give

High-tech industries

The South Korean company Samsung Electronics is one of the world's largest electronic product companies.

The country boasts a high-tech infrastructure, as well as having the largest cabling system in the world, as well as the highest rate of broadband Internet access per capita. On average, Internet connections in the country are the highest in the world, with a rate of 100 Mbps. Eventually, the government will use fiber optic cables to raise that average to 1 Gbps in 2012.

In addition, the South Korean economy is the largest producer of LCD, OLED, and plasma screens. Samsung and LG are among the top three manufacturers of televisions and mobile phones. Currently, Samsung is the number one manufacturer commercially successful home appliance manufacturer.

The nation is one of the leaders in innovation in technology, being the third country with the most patents registered, only after Japan and the United States. Among developed countries, it has the fastest patent registration growth rate. high, 14.8% in 2007.

Infrastructure

Transportation and energy

Incheon International Airport, annually ranked as the best airport in the world since 2005.

The country has a technologically advanced transportation network consisting of high-speed railways, highways, bus routes, ferries, and air routes that cross the entire country. Korea Expressway Corporation is the company in charge of the operation, maintenance and collection of tolls on the expressways.

Korail provides rail service to the country's major cities. The two lines that run to North Korea, the Gyeonggi Line and the Donghae Bukbu Line, have been reconnected. The Korean high-speed train, KTX, provides high-speed service between Gyeongju and Honam. Major cities including Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Daegu, Daejeon, and Gwangju have their own subway systems.

The construction of the country's largest airport, Incheon International Airport, was completed in 2001. Six years later, the airport was handling 30 million passengers a year. Since 2005, it has been selected as the & #34;best international airport" for four consecutive years by Airports Council International. Other international airports include Gimpo, Busan, and Jeju. There are also seven domestic airports and a large number of heliports.

In 2008, Korean Air, founded in 1962, carried 21,640,000 passengers, including 12,490,000 international passengers. A second airline, Asiana Airlines, founded in 1988, also handles domestic and international traffic. Together, South Korean airlines travel via 297 international routes. Smaller airlines, such as Jeju Air, provide domestic flight services at lower fares.

South Korea is the sixth largest nuclear power producer in the world and the second largest in Asia. Nuclear power provides 45% of electricity production. The state-owned Korea Electric Power is the only electricity company in the country.

Media

Korean Broadcasting System offices located in Changwon city.

The most important means of communication in the country are the newspaper, television, radio and the Internet. Journalism in Korea began from the opening to foreign trade in the 19th century century, and a large number of publications have emerged since then. The major newspapers in South Korea include the Chosun Ilbo, the JoongAng Ilbo, and the Dong-A Ilbo. All of these newspapers are written in Korean, although there are publications printed exclusively in English for tourists or foreigners residing in the country. These include The Korea Herald, The Korea Times and JoonAng Daily.

Like newspapers, radio broadcasts are generally broadcast in Korean, although there are also stations that offer their programming entirely in English. Most radio programs broadcast mixed Korean music and foreign music, as well as newscasts., radio soap operas and sports programs.

TV programs are also broadcast in Korean, and even on free-to-air TV channels foreign films are dubbed into Korean. The main publicly-owned networks are Korean Broadcasting System, Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation, Educational Broadcasting System, and Seoul Broadcasting System. There are also channels with programming exclusively in English, such as Arirang TV.

The Internet has become a major part of daily life for South Koreans, with nine out of ten homes having Internet service. It is one of the countries with the highest number of Internet users, and its connections are They are among the fastest in the world. It is also the leader in DMB technology and has the largest number of Internet provider companies internationally.

Demographics

Evolution of the population of South Korea (1800-2021).

Hangul is the alphabet used to write the Korean language.

The temple of the Seokguram cave, a site declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

South Korea is notable for its population density which, at 487.7 people per square kilometer, is more than ten times the world average. Most South Koreans live in urban areas, due to massive migration from the countryside during the rapid economic expansion of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. The capital, Seoul, is the most populous city and one of the major industrial centers of the country, since it has a population of 9 million inhabitants. The Seoul National Capital Area (Sudogwon) has 24 million inhabitants, making it the second largest metropolitan area in the world. Other major cities include Busan (3.5 million inhabitants), Incheon (2.5 million), Daegu (2.5 million), Daejeon (1.4 million), Gwangju (1.4 million) and Ulsan (1 million).

Population has also been shaped by international migration. Following the division of the Korean peninsula after World War II, around four million North Koreans crossed the border to the south. This growth trend was reversed in the following forty years due to emigration, especially to the United States and Canada. In 1960, the total population was 25 million. The current population is approximately 49,540,000.

It is a homogeneous society, with 98% of its inhabitants being ethnic Koreans. Although still minimal, the percentage of the non-Korean population has been increasing. In 2009, 1,106,884 foreigners resided in the country, more than double the 2006 total. Migrants from China make up 56.5% of the total; however, many of them are joseonjoks, Chinese citizens of Korean origin. The approximately 33,000 Mongolian immigrants make up the largest community of Mongolian citizens residing abroad. Another notable minority are women. from Southeast Asia, who in 2006 formed 41% of marriages with Korean farmers. There are also the 31,000 U.S. military stationed in the country. In addition, about 43,000 English teachers from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa temporarily reside in Korea.

The South Korean birth rate is the lowest in the world. If this trend continues, the population is projected to decline by 13% by 2050, to 42.3 million. In 2008, the birth rate The annual birth rate was 9 births per 1,000 people, while life expectancy at birth was 79.10 years, which is the 40th highest in the world.

South Koreans describe their situation as unsatisfactory: three out of four young people between the ages of 19 and 34 want to leave the country, according to a survey published in December by the daily The Hankyoreh. Furthermore, eight out of 10 see South Korea as "hell".

Migrants

South Korea has more than 350,000 foreign residents in an irregular situation in 2019.

When the authorities arrest foreigners in an irregular situation, they imprison their children with them, even if they are very young. This practice is denounced by human rights NGOs, but so far without success. The NGO World Vision Korea recalls that South Korea violates the international conventions on the rights of the child that it has signed.

South Korea imports some of its labor abroad, mainly to Southeast Asia. These migrant workers hold low-paying and dangerous jobs, and often suffer from poor working conditions and abusive employers. They cannot change jobs without the permission of their employer. There are many workplace accidents, as well as police raids, arrests, and deportations when their visas expire.

Language

The official language of the country and the most widely spoken by South Koreans is Korean, a language considered to be a language isolate. Korean has its own alphabet, Hangul, which was invented around the 15th century. Although it may look like a pictographic alphabet, it is actually a phonetic system organized into syllabic blocks. Each of these blocks consists of at least two of the 24 characters (jamo): at least one of the fourteen consonants and one of the ten vowels. Hanja (Chinese) and Latin alphabets are used within some Korean texts, a practice more common in the south than in the north.

Although it is also the official language of its northern neighbor, the Korean spoken in South Korea differs in some aspects from that spoken by North Koreans, such as pronunciation, writing, grammar, and vocabulary., English is widely used as the second language by the majority of the population, in addition to being taught compulsory in secondary schools.

Religion

In 2005, almost half of the South Korean population said they had no religious preference. Of the rest, most are Christians or Buddhists; according to the 2005 census, 29.2% of the population at the time was Christian (18.3% Protestant and 10.9% Catholic) and 22.8% were Buddhist. Other religions practiced in the country include Islam and various new religious movements such as Jeungism, Daesunism, Cheondoism and Won Buddhism. Today, freedom of worship is guaranteed by the Constitution and there is no state religion.

Christianity is the most professed religion in the entire country, accounting for more than half of all religious adherents. There are approximately 13.7 million Christians, about two-thirds of them belong to a Protestant group, while the rest belong to the Catholic group. The church with the largest number of followers is the Yoido Full Gospel Church, whose headquarters are located in Seoul. The Catholic Church has been the fastest growing religion since the late 1980s. South Korea is the second largest missionary sending nation.

Buddhism was introduced to Korea in 372. According to the 2005 national census, there are more than 10 million Buddhists in the country. Today, approximately 90% of South Korean Buddhists belong to the Jogye Order. Most of the national treasures are Buddhist artifacts. Along with Neo-Confucianism, Buddhism was the state religion during the Three Kingdoms period of Korea, during the Joseon dynasty. Islam has just under 30,000 native followers, plus some 100,000 foreign workers living in countries Muslims, especially Bangladeshi and Pakistani.

Education

A South Korean classroom equipped with computers with Internet access.

Education is considered crucial for success, and therefore, it is one of the main points of government plans and 4.6% of GDP is invested in it. In the 2006 results of the International Program for the OECD Student Assessment, the country ranked first in problem solving, third in mathematics, and eleventh in science. The South Korean education system is technologically advanced and is the first country in the world to bring rapid access to Broadband Internet to every primary and secondary school across the country. With this infrastructure, the country has developed the world's first digital textbooks, which were distributed free of charge to all schools before 2013.

A centralized administration oversees and manages schools for the education of children from pre-school to the third and final year of secondary education. The country has adopted a new educational program to increase the number of its foreign students. According to the estimate of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, in 2010 the number of scholarships for foreign students will double, to reach 100,000 students. The school year is divided into two semesters, the first of which begins at early March and ends in mid-July; while the second begins at the end of August and ends in mid-February. The schedules are not standardized and vary from one school to another.

Main Cities

Culture

Hwasong fortress, declared in 1997 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

South Korea shares its traditional culture with North Korea, but the two Koreas developed distinct contemporary forms of culture, especially since the peninsula was partitioned in 1945. Historically, though Korean culture has been influenced by the from its closest neighbor China, it has managed to develop a cultural identity unique to that of other countries. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of South Korea actively promotes traditional arts, as well as modern forms, through programs financing and education.

Industrialization and urbanization have brought many changes to the customs of the Korean people. The changing economy and lifestyles have led to a concentration of the population in large cities, especially in the capital Seoul, where typical multi-generational households are splitting up to accommodate the living conditions of a nuclear family. Currently, there are nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the South Korean territory.

In addition to classic cultural expressions, the new South Korean culture, which encompasses other forms such as soap operas, movies, and popular music, has begun to be assimilated significantly in various parts of the world. This phenomenon, often called Hallyu or the "Korean wave", has spread to other Asian countries such as Japan, Vietnam and China.

Art

During the dynasty of Goryeo, the realization of Buddha statues like this reached great boom.

Korean art is heavily influenced by Buddhism and Confucianism. Among the most developed plastic arts in Korea are painting, calligraphy and ceramics. The oldest surviving Korean painting is the Goguryeo Mural, which dates from the Three Kingdoms era, although this art reached its peak during the Goryeo Dynasty. The works are religious-themed, and landscaping was developed during the splendor of the Joseon dynasty, being its highest representatives. Calligraphy developed at the same time as painting and other graphic arts, since before the invention of the Korean alphabet (Hangul), Chinese scripts were used.

Ceramics and sculpture were two of the oldest plastic arts practiced in the Korean territory, since their first traces date back to the Bronze Age. When Buddhism became one of the main religions in Korea, Buddha statues multiplied throughout the country's craft workshops. Later, ceramics created in the Goryeo Dynasty era were jade-colored, and from the XIV century, the shape The most common way to decorate a vessel was through engravings in bluish tones on a white background.

In the field of performing arts, dance and theater developed together, as did music. talchum and buchaechum are the best-known forms of national performing arts abroad. The beginning of contemporary dance in the country dates back to the Japanese occupation and since then, different types of dance such as ballet, jazz and break dance have gained greater importance on the South Korean stage. Within the theater, dance performances and choreographies, without including dialogues, have become popular, giving rise to successful works such as Jump and Nanta.

The country's traditional clothing is known as hanbok. This suit has many variants such as the dopo, the durumagi and the jeogori; There are special suits for men and women and for formal and casual occasions. The hanbok tradition was passed down for hundreds of years from generation to generation, without undergoing drastic changes in the manufacture and use of the garments. However, since the introduction of Western dress in the XX, the use of the hanbok decreased considerably and today, most people only wear it in ceremonies such as marriages, anniversaries and national holidays.

In 1993, with the goal of preserving South Korean classical arts and training professional artists, the government founded the Korea Comprehensive Art School, which offers classes in acting, painting, dance, theater, film, and sculpture. In addition, there are other private initiative organizations, such as the Seoul Art Center and the LG Art Center, which are in charge of disseminating South Korean art and culture, in addition to bringing several of these artistic forms to an international stage.

Architecture

The pagoda Beopjusa, an example of traditional Korean architecture.

The architecture of pre-modern Korea can be divided into two main styles: that used in the structures of palaces and temples, and that used in the homes of common people, which has local variations. Ancient architects adopted a support system characterized by thatched roofs and simple floors called ondol. Upper-class people built large houses with tiled roofs. There are still many sites such as the folk villages of Hahoe, Yangdong, and Korea, where the country's traditional architecture is preserved.

Traditional Korean architecture uses the technique of Dancheong, the selection of colors that were used to cover most of the buildings of the ancient Korean kingdoms. The origin of Dancheong dates back to the colorful colors used to decorate the wall paintings in ancient royal tombs: red, blue, yellow, black and white. These colors were used for their special properties against natural phenomena such as wind, sun, rain and heat.

Science and technology

Building of the Korea Institute of Science and Advanced Technology in Daejeon.

Aerospace Research

South Korea has launched two satellites, "Arirang-1" in 1999 and "Arirang-2" in 2006, as part of its space partnership with Russia. The Naro Space Center, the first of its kind in the country, was completed in 2008, in Goheung. In 2009, a South Korean launch vehicle lifted off from Naro, but failed to complete its mission. In April 2008, Yi So-yeon became the first Korean to fly into space, aboard the Russian Soyuz TMA-12. In June 2010, a second launch vehicle was launched, but like its predecessor, it failed shortly after launch.

Robotics

Since 2003, robotics has been included in the list of top national research and development projects in Korea. In 2009, the government announced plans to build robot theme parks in Inchon and Masan, with a mix of funds. public and private. In 2005, the Korea Institute of Advanced Science and Technology developed the world's second humanoid robot, HUBO. In May 2006, a team from the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology developed the first Korean android, EveR-1. Since then, several more complex models have been created in the country, with greater capacity for movement and vision.

Biotechnology

Since the 1980s, the South Korean government has actively invested in the development of a national biotechnology industry, as this sector is projected to grow to about $6 million by 2010. The sector The doctor is the recipient of a large part of the productions of this industry, including the production of vaccines and antibiotics. Recently, research and development in genetics and cloning has received increased attention, from the first successful cloning of a dog, Snuppy, and the cloning of two females of an endangered species of wolves by Seoul National University in 2007. The rapid growth of the biotechnology industry has resulted in an important test for the regulation of professional ethics, as happened with the famous case of the scientist Hwang Woo-Suk.

Cinema

The film has had several successes internationally, although it is not as popular as its namesakes in India and Japan. The first film produced entirely in the country was Honest Revenge directed by Kim Do-san in 1919. After this, several films were filmed that had relative success in the country, but the true development of the Korean film industry occurred after the Korean War.

From then until 1972, Korean cinema experienced its so-called "golden age" in which the films could freely express the political and social opinion of the people. However, in the 1980s, the repression of freedom of expression carried out by the Park Chung-hee government decreased film production in the country, and the industry lost presence. Over the past few years, several films, directors and South Korean actors have managed to obtain international recognition at multiple awards and film festivals such as Cannes.

In 2020, the film Parasites by South Korean director Bong Joon-ho won three awards for Best Director, Best International Film, and Best Film of 2019 at the 92nd Academy Award ceremony, making it the first foreign film from history to win this latest award.

Music

Hi! Festival, held every year in the South Korean capital of Seoul.

Since the division of the peninsula, the music of South Korea is basically divided into two: traditional and folk music and modern music. Traditional Korean music, called Hanguk Eumak, developed in different ways over the centuries, playing an important role in ceremonies and events. The earliest forms of Korean music and dance date back to the time of the Three Kingdoms, where more than thirty different musical instruments were used. Korean music was divided into several genres, depending on its utility: muak was used in rituals; the talchum in dances with masks; the nongak was used by farmers and the minyo by the people in general.

Modern Korean music, known as K-pop, is characterized by the use of songs from the pop genre mixed with elements of South Korean folk music. Other genres with a large following in the country are R&B, hip hop and electronic music. Several South Korean performers and musical groups have managed to cross borders and be accepted by the public in other Asian countries such as China, Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong and even be accepted in the other continents. Today this genre is known worldwide.

Literature

Celebration of a traditional Korean wedding.

Like music, South Korean literature is divided into two: classical and modern literature. The first covers all works written before and during the reign of the Joseon dynasty. Many of these works were written using the Chinese alphabet, so several authors consider that the true rise of Korean literature occurred with the invention of the Hangul alphabet. These works narrate epic stories, legends, and traditions of the ancient Koreans, in addition to serving as historical records by containing some chronicles of the kings of previous dynasties. Ki Man-jung, Heo Gyun, Park Ji-won and Yi Eok are some of the most prominent authors of this era, while Gu-unmong, Hong Gil-dong Jeon and Hojil are some of the works written by them.

Modern South Korean literature refers to all works written and published after the 19th century. Korean novels regained strength in this period and often dealt with issues historical to Korean society such as the Japanese occupation, World War II, and the Korean War. Like film and other media, literature suffered from the censorship by the dictatorial regimes that ruled the country in the 1970s and 1980s. Notable South Korean writers include: Yi Munyol, Yong-Tae Min, Lee Cheong-jun, and Park Gyeong-ri. The latter was the author of the Toji series of books, considered one of the most important works of Korean literature and was included in the Unesco Collection of Representative Works.

Gastronomy

Platillo Baek kimchi

Bulgogi, a Korean dish prepared with veal or pig.

Korean cuisine, hanguk yori (한국요리, 韓國料理), or hansik (한식, 韓食), has evolved through centuries of social change and political. The ingredients and dishes vary by province. There are many significant regional dishes that have proliferated in different variations across the country. Korean royal court cuisine once brought together all the regional specialties unique to the royal family. For a long time, the consumption of food has been regulated by a series of manners and etiquette, both for members of the royal family and for Korean peasants.

Korean cuisine relies heavily on noodles, rice, tofu, vegetables, fish, and meats. Traditional Korean food is characterized by the number of side dishes, banchan (반찬), which are served along with boiled short-grain rice. Each meal is accompanied by numerous banchan. Among the most widely consumed traditional South Korean dishes are bulgogi, bibimbap, and galbi.

Tea is an important part of the national gastronomy, and the tea ceremony is one of the most deeply rooted traditions of the current population. Korean teas are made from grains, seeds, fruits, and medicinal herbs. Alcoholic beverages have been made from grains since before the century IV. Among the main South Korean liquors are “Takju” (unrefined liquor), “Cheongju” (medicinal liquor) and “Soju” (distilled liquor). The takju is the basis for the preparation of other regional drinks, increasing or decreasing the fermentation time.

Parties

Sports

Taekwondo practitioner showing the technique Tuio dollyo chagi.

The discipline of taekwondo developed in Korea. In the 1950s and 1960s, modern rules were created to standardize it, in 1988 it began as an exhibition sport, and in 2000 it was recognized as an Olympic sport. Other modern Korean martial arts include hapkido, taekkyon, tangsudo, kuk sool won, soo bahk do, and kumdo (fencing).

Baseball was introduced to Korea in 1905 and has since become the most popular spectator sport in South Korea. Established in 1982, the Korea Baseball Organization was the first professional sports league in the country. The South Korean team finished third in the 2006 World Baseball Classic, second in the 2009 edition, and won the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The gateway to world peace in Seoul Olympic Park.

In 1988, it organized the 1988 Seoul Olympics, placing fourth in the medal table, with 12 gold, 10 silver and 11 bronze medals. The country regularly achieves good results in archery, table tennis, badminton, short track speed skating, freestyle wrestling, baseball, judo, taekwondo, figure skating and weight lifting. It has won more medals at the Winter Olympics than any other country in Asia. In its last edition, it won a total of 14 medals (6 gold, 6 silver and 2 bronze) for a total of 45 medals (23 gold, 14 silver and 8 bronze).

It hosted the Asian Games in 1986 (Seoul) and 2002 (Busan) and 2014 (Inchon). It also hosted the 1999 Asian Winter Games; and the 1997 Winter and 2003 Summer Universiade. to the semifinals. In 2010, a Formula 1 World Cup event was held for the first time, the South Korean Grand Prix at the Korean International Circuit, in Yeongam. In addition, the 2011 World Athletics Championships were held in Daegu. The three equestrian competitions in the country are also important, among which the one in the Seoul race park stands out, which is the largest.

Housing

According to a report published in 2018 by the UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing, Leilani Farha: "Lack of affordable housing is a substantial barrier to living in adequate housing." Rents not only account for 50% of South Koreans' wages, but many of the homes are "so small that even with just one or two residents they are already overcrowded," she said.