An independent Korean state or collection of states has existed almost continuously for several millennia. Between its initial unification in the 7th century - from three predecessor Korean states - until the 20th century, Korea existed as a single independent country. In 1905, following the Russo-Japanese War, Korea became a protectorate of imperial Japan, and in 1910 it was annexed as a colony. Korea regained its independence following Japan's surrender to the United States in 1945. After World War II, a Republic of Korea (ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in the north (the DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and UN forces fought alongside soldiers from the ROK to defend South Korea from DPRK attacks supported by China and the Soviet Union. An armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income rising to roughly 17 times the level of North Korea. In 1993, KIM Young-sam became South Korea's first civilian president following 32 years of military rule. South Korea today is a fully functioning modern democracy. President LEE Myung-bak has pursued a policy of global engagement since taking office in February 2008, highlighted by Seoul's hosting of the G-20 summit in November 2010. Serious tensions with North Korea have punctuated inter-Korean relations in recent years, including the North's sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan in March 2010 and its artillery attack on South Korean soldiers and citizens in November 2010.

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

37 00 N, 127 30 E

Asia

slightly larger than Indiana

2,413 km

temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

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

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

8,320 sq km (2008)

69.7 cu km (1999)

occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest

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

strategic location on Korea Strait

48,754,657 (July 2011 est.)

0.23% (2011 est.)

8.55 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

6.26 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

SEOUL (capital) 9.778 million; Busan (Pusan) 3.439 million; Incheon (Inch'on) 2.572 million; Daegu (Taegu) 2.458 million; Daejon (Taejon) 1.497 million (2009)

1.23 children born/woman (2011 est.)

less than 0.1% (2009 est.)

9,500 (2009 est.)

fewer than 500 (2009 est.)

urban: 100% of population

rural: 88% of population

total: 98% of population

urban: 0% of population

rural: 12% of population

total: 2% of population (2008)

urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population (2008)

homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

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

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

4.2% of GDP (2007)

republic

9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7 metropolitan cities (gwangyoksi, singular and plural)

15 August 1945 (from Japan)

Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

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

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

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

19 years of age; universal

unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats; 245 members elected in single-seat constituencies, 54 elected by proportional representation; members serve four-year terms)

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

Democratic Party or DP [CHUNG Sye-kyun] (formerly the United Democratic Party or UDP); Democratic Labor Party or DLP [KANG Ki-kap]; Grand National Party or GNP [AHN Sang-soo]; Liberty Forward Party or LFP [LEE Hoi-chang]; New Progressive Party or NPP [ROH Hoe-chan]; Pro-Park Alliance or PPA [SUH Choung-won]; Renewal Korea Party or RKP [SONG Yong-o]

Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean Trade Unions; Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National Council of Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans' Association; National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic Alliance of Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National Federation of Student Associations

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

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 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

Since the 1960s, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth and global integration to become a high-tech industrialized economy. Four decades ago, GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. In 2004, South Korea joined the trillion dollar club of world economies, and currently is among the world's 20 largest economies. Initially, a system of close government and business ties, including directed credit and import restrictions, made this success possible. The government promoted the import of raw materials and technology at the expense of consumer goods, and encouraged savings and investment over consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-98 exposed longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model including high debt/equity ratios and massive short-term foreign borrowing. GDP plunged by 6.9% in 1998, and then recovered by 9% in 1999-2000. Korea adopted numerous economic reforms following the crisis, including greater openness to foreign investment and imports. Growth moderated to about 4-5% annually between 2003 and 2007. With the global economic downturn in late 2008, South Korean GDP growth slowed to 0.2% in 2009. In the third quarter of 2009, the economy began to recover, in large part due to export growth, low interest rates, and an expansionary fiscal policy, and growth exceeded 6% in 2010. The South Korean economy's long term challenges include a rapidly aging population, inflexible labor market, and overdependence on manufacturing exports to drive economic growth.

$1.459 trillion (2010 est.)

$1.375 trillion (2009 est.)

$1.373 trillion (2008 est.)

$1.007 trillion (2010 est.)

6.1% (2010 est.)

0.2% (2009 est.)

2.3% (2008 est.)

$30,000 (2010 est.)

$28,300 (2009 est.)

$28,400 (2008 est.)

24.62 million (2010 est.)

3.3% (2010 est.)

3.7% (2009 est.)

15% (2006 est.)

31.4 (2009)

35.8 (2000)

28.7% of GDP (2010 est.)

23.7% of GDP (2010 est.)

23.5% of GDP (2009 est.)

3% (2010 est.)

2.8% (2009 est.)

1.25% (31 December 2009)

1.75% (31 December 2008)

5.65% (31 December 2009 est.)

7.17% (31 December 2008 est.)

$101.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$82.54 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$1.346 trillion (31 December 2009)

$1.132 trillion (31 December 2008)

$1.057 trillion (31 December 2010 est.)

$935.4 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$836.5 billion (31 December 2009)

$494.6 billion (31 December 2008)

$1.124 trillion (31 December 2007)

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

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

12.1% (2010 est.)

417 billion kWh (2009 est.)

402 billion kWh (2009 est.)

0 kWh (2010)

0 kWh (2010)

48,180 bbl/day (2010 est.)

2.185 million bbl/day (2010 est.)

907,100 bbl/day

3.074 million bbl/day (2009)

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

651 million cu m (2009 est.)

34.09 billion cu m (2009 est.)

0 cu m (2010 est.)

32.69 billion cu m (2009 est.)

50 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

$36.35 billion (2010 est.)

$42.67 billion (2009 est.)

$466.3 billion (2010 est.)

$373.6 billion (2009 est.)

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

China 23.2%, US 10.1%, Japan 5.8%, Hong Kong 5.3% (2009 est.)

$417.9 billion (2010 est.)

$317.5 billion (2009 est.)

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

China 16.8%, Japan 15.3%, US 9%, Saudi Arabia 6.1%, Australia 4.6% (2009 est.)

$274.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$270 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$370.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$370.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$112.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$110.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$115.6 billion (31 December 2009)

$74.6 billion (30 June 2008)

South Korean won (KRW) per US dollar -

1,153.77 (2010)

1,276.93 (2009)

1,101.7 (2008)

929.2 (2007)

954.8 (2006)

19.289 million (2009)

47.944 million (2009)

multiple national television 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 are available; publicly-operated radio broadcast networks and a large number of privately-owned radio broadcasting networks, each with multiple affiliates, and independent local stations (2010)

.kr

291,329 (2010)

39.4 million (2009)

116 (2010)

510 (2010)

gas 2,139 km; refined products 864 km (2010)

1,608 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2010)

Incheon (Inch'on), Pohang (P'ohang), Busan (Pusan), Ulsan, Yeosu (Yosu)

Republic of Korea Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force (2011)

20-30 years of age for compulsory military service, with middle school education required; conscript service obligation - 21 months (Army, Marines), 23 months (Navy), 24 months (Air Force); 18-26 years of age for voluntary military service; women, in service since 1950, admitted to 7 service branches, including infantry, but excluded from artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps; some 4,000 women serve as commissioned and noncommissioned officers, approx. 2.3% of all officers; HIV-positive individuals are exempt from military service (2010)

2.7% of GDP (2006)

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