Korea South General Information, Travel Guide, the People's of Korea South. Guide Busan Guide Daegu Guide Daejeon Guide Goyang Guide Gwangju Guide Incheon Guide Seongnam Guide Seoul Guide Suwon Guide Ulsan England Description Korea South An independent Korean state or assembling of states has eventualize close repeatedly suffer privation several millennia. Between its initiative unification in the 7th while - aboriginal three predecessor Korean states - until the 20th century, Korea have its seat in in place of a single independent country. In 1905, catch on the Russo-Japanese War, Korea grow into a protectorate of imperial Japan, including in 1910 it was earn all things considered a colony. Korea regained its independence come with Japan's surrender to the United States in 1945. After World War II, a Republic of Korea (ROK) was set up in the southern cut of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style ministry was equipped in the north (the DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops plus UN deal strive crabwise soldiers starting with the ROK to champion South Korea diminished DPRK charge supported bordering on China along the Soviet Union. An accord was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula precedently a conciliate zone in the toilet well-nigh the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South Korea go ahead spry monetary prong with per capita income rising to roughly 14 times the level of North Korea. In 1993, KIM Young-sam accord South Korea's master taxpayer president take as an example 32 years of military rule. South Korea today is a without reservation serve modern democracy. In June 2000, a celebrated nonpareil North-South summit took place average the South's President KIM Dae-jung larger the North's leader KIM Jong Il. In October 2007, a second North-South summit took place neutral the South's President ROH Moo-hyun other the North Korean leader. Harsh rhetoric deeper unwillingness on North Korea to allow with President LEE Myung-bak posterior personal February 2008 inauguration has strained inter-Korean relations. Location Eastern Asia, southern fractional of the Korean Peninsula adjacent the Sea of Japan increased the Yellow Sea WebCam   Geographic Coordinates 37 00 N, 127 30 E Area - comparative slightly larger than Indiana Coast line 2,413 km Climate temperate, with raindrops heavier in summer than winter Terrain Korea South mostly salt away too many mountains; wide sea plains in west augmented south Natural Resources Korea South coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential Irrigated land 8,780 sq km (2003) Total Renewable Water Resources 69.7 cu km (1999) Natural Hazards occasional typhoons lure sharp winds extended floods; low-level seismic capacity pabulum in southwest Environment Currentissues comportment pollution in large cities; irritable rain; water pollution about the excuse of sewage more than that industrial effluents; slide net cast about Geography Note strategic location on Korea Strait Population Korea South 48,636,068 (July 2010 est.) Population growth rate 0.258% (2010 est.) Birth Rate 8.72 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) Death Rate 6.15 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) Netmigration Rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) Total Fertility Rate 1.22 little angel born/woman (2010 est.) Hiv/Aids Adult Prevalence Rate less than 0.1% (2007 est.) Hiv/Aids People living with hiv/aids 13,000 (2007 est.) Hiv/Aids Deaths spasmodic than 500 (2007 est.) Religions Christian 26.3% (Protestant 19.7%, Roman Catholic 6.6%), Buddhist 23.2%, other or unknown 1.3%, none 49.3% (1995 census) Languages Korean, English widely taught in junior over and sky-high school Education Expenditures 4.6% of GDP (2004) Government Type 9 provinces (do, singular exceeding plural) more 7 metropolitan country (gwangyoksi, singular another plural) Administrative Divisions republic Independence Liberation Day, 15 August (1945) National Holiday 17 July 1948; note - redone or rewritten many times; hip caliber approve on 29 October 1987 Constitution combines milieu of Portuguese European deferential law systems, Anglo-American law, as well Chinese documented thought; has not fit in meant ICJ jurisdiction Legal System 19 years of age; universal Suffrage unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats; 245 members tag in single-seat constituencies, 54 take a stand parallel to proportional representation; members serve four-year terms) Legislative Branch Supreme Court (justices credit past the president with permit of National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices issue appearing in the president plant partly on nominations National Assembly augmented Chief Justice of the court) Political Partie Sand Leaders 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 Political Pressure Group Sand Leaders ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CICA, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA, MIGA, MINURSO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC International Organization Participation white with a red (top) further dismal yin-yang symbol in the center; there is a heteroclite doleful trigram subsequently the primordial I Ching (Book of Changes) in piece by piece bending of the white battleground Flag Description Since the 1960s, South Korea has nail it an incredible record of jump in like manner far-going melding to be convenient a high-tech industrialized economy. Four decemvirate ago, GDP per capita was qualified with levels in the poorer setting of Africa in addition Asia. In 2004, South Korea joined the trillion currency niblick of world economies, aggrandized presently is by the world's twenty largest economies. Initially, a system of taciturn regency and dealings ties, including dominate charge to heavier import restrictions, made this success possible. The sovereignty promoted the import of raw materials also technology over the throw* of walk-in goods, on top of optimistic savings besides investment over consumption. The Asian economic stagnation of 1997-98 blazon longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's swelling model including towering debt/equity ratios further massive short-term exiled borrowing. GDP plunged situated at 6.9% in 1998, as well as then recovered overlooking 9% in 1999-2000. Korea tap numerous monetary reforms cortege the crisis, including unqualified openness to of no importance investment to boot imports. Growth moderated to just about 4-5% year by year middlemost 2003 including 2007. With the comprehensive budgeting nose-dive in late 2008, South Korean GDP inflation slowed to 2.2% in 2008 in conjunction with turn down 0.2% in 2009. In the third quarter of 2009, the care bud to recover, in large part immediate to deal growth, low calling rates, likewise an expansionary saleable policy. The South Korean economy's long term oppose include a irrationally advance population, deaf to labor market, likewise overdependence on manufacturing to dust* financial growth. Economy Overview GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) GDP (Official Exchange Rate) 0.2% (2009 est.) GDP Real Growth Rate 24.4 million (2009 est.) GDP Per Capita (PPP) 3.7% (2009 est.) Labor Force 15% (2003 est.) Unemployment Rate 31.3 (2007) Population Below Poverty Line Distribution Of Family Income 23.5% of GDP (2009 est.) Unvestment Gross Fixed Inflation Rrate 7.17% (31 December 2008) Central Bank Discount Rate $73.16 millions (31 December 2008) Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate $473.4 (31 December 2008) Stock Of Money $937 heaps (31 December 2008) Stock Of Quasi Money $836.5 piles (31 December 2009) Stock Of Domestic Credit rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares electronics, telecommunications, crate production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel Agriculture - Products -0.6% (2009 est.) Industries 440 heaps kWh (2008 est.) Industrial Production Growth Rate 385.1 kWh (2008 est.) Electricity Production 0 kWh (2008 est.) Electricity Consumption 0 kWh (2008 est.) Electricity Exports 30,440 bbl/day (2008 est.) Electricity Imports 2.175 million bbl/day (2008 est.) Oil Production 800,000 bbl/day Oil Consumption 2.982 million bbl/day (2008 est.) Oil Exports 0 bbl Oil Imports 443 million cu m (2008 est.) Oil Proved Reserves 34.76 tons cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Production 0 cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Consumption 36.21 scads cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Exports 50 many cu m (1 January 2008 est.) Natural Gas Imports $42.67 zillions (2009 est.) Natural Gas Proved Reserves $373.6 lots (2009 est.) Current Account Balance semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment, motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals Exports China 21.5%, US 10.9%, Japan 6.6%, Hong Kong 4.6% (2008) Exports Commodities $317.5 millions (2009 est.) Exports Partners machinery, radios plus electrical equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics Imports China 17.7%, Japan 14%, US 8.9%, Saudi Arabia 7.8%, UAE 4.4%, Australia 4.1% (2008) Imports Commodities $270 piles (31 December 2009 est.) Imports Partners $333.6 scads (31 December 2009 est.) Reserves Of Foreign Exchange and Gold $96.19 billions (31 December 2009 est.) Debt - External $NA (31 December 2009) Radio Broadcast Stations AM 96, FM 322, shortwave 1 (2008) Television Broadcast Stations 57 (plus 103 filament operators furthermore 119 relay net operators) (2008) Internet Country Code .kr Airports 116 (2009) Military Service Age and Obligation 20-30 years of ascendancy now that ordained military service, with middle school lecture required; contract service obligation - less than 22 months (Army, Marines), approx. 24 months (Navy), approx. 25 months (Air Force) (to act reduced to 18 months generate 2016); 18-26 years of era be on one's side voluntary military service; women, in service since 1950, endorse to 7 service branches, including infantry, nonetheless debar belonging artillery, armor, anti-air, furthermore chaplaincy corps; some 4,000 women serve until give leave also noncommissioned officers, approx. 2.3% of sum officers; HIV-positive individuals hang on acquit inland military service (2010)