South Korea
Republic of KoreaTaehan-min'guk
presidential republicIndependence 15 August 1945 (from Japan)
South Korea as the 2025 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 150 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
Published as “Korea, South” (1990–2025).
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
The first recorded kingdom (Choson) on the Korean Peninsula dates from approximately 2300 B.C. Over the subsequent centuries, three main kingdoms -- Kogoryo, Baekche, and Silla -- were established on the Peninsula. By the 5 th century A.D., Kogoryo emerged as the most powerful, with control over much of the Peninsula and part of Manchuria (modern-day northeast China). However, Silla allied with the Chinese to create the first unified Korean state in 688. Following the collapse of Silla in the 9 th century, Korea was unified under the Koryo (Goryeo; 918-1392) and the Chosen (Joseon; 1392-1910) dynasties.
Korea became the object of intense imperialistic rivalry among the Chinese (its traditional benefactor), Japanese, and Russian empires in the latter half of the 19th and early 20 th centuries. After the Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) and the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), Korea was occupied by Imperial Japan. In 1910, Japan formally annexed the entire Peninsula. Korea regained its independence after Japan's surrender to the US and its allies in 1945.
A US-supported democratic government (Republic of Korea, ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula, while a communist-style government backed by the Soviet Union was installed in the north (North Korea; aka Democratic People's Republic of Korea, DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and UN forces fought alongside ROK soldiers to defend South Korea from a North Korean invasion supported by communist China and the Soviet Union. After the 1953 armistice, the two Koreas were separated by a demilitarized zone.
Syngman RHEE led the country as its first president from 1948 to 1960. PARK Chung-hee took over leadership of the country in a 1961 coup. During his controversial rule (1961-79), South Korea achieved rapid economic growth, with per capita income rising to roughly 17 times the level of North Korea by 1979. PARK was assassinated in 1979, and subsequent years were marked by political turmoil and continued military rule as the country's pro-democracy movement grew.
South Korea held its first free presidential election under a revised democratic constitution in 1987, with former South Korean Army general ROH Tae-woo winning a close race. In 1993, KIM Young-sam became the first civilian president of South Korea's new democratic era. President KIM Dae-jung (1998-2003) won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for his contributions to South Korean democracy and his "Sunshine Policy" of engagement with North Korea.
President PARK Geun-hye, daughter of former South Korean President PARK Chung-hee, took office in 2013 as South Korea's first female leader. In 2016, the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against PARK over her alleged involvement in a corruption and influence-peddling scandal, triggering an early presidential election in 2017 won by MOON Jae-in. In 2022, longtime prosecutor and political newcomer YOON Suk Yeol won the presidency by the slimmest margin in South Korean history.
Discord and tensions with North Korea, punctuated by North Korean military provocations, missile launches, and nuclear tests, have permeated inter-Korean relations for years. Relations remained strained, despite a period of respite in 2018-2019 ushered in by North Korea's participation in the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in South Korea and high-level diplomatic meetings, including historic US-North Korea summits.
In 2024, Pyongyang announced it was ending all economic cooperation with South Korea, a move that followed earlier proclamations that it was scrapping a 2018 military pact to de-escalate tensions along their militarized border, abandoning the country’s decades-long pursuit of peaceful unification with South Korea, and designating the South as North Korea’s “principal enemy.”
Geography
Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea
17 fieldsLocation
Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea
Land use
- agricultural land:
- 16.1% (2023 est.)
- arable land:
- 14.9% (2023 est.)
- permanent crops:
- 2.1% (2023 est.)
- permanent pasture:
- 0.6% (2023 est.)
- forest:
- 64.4% (2023 est.)
- other:
- 19.5% (2023 est.)
Population distribution
- the population is primarily concentrated in the lowland areas, where density is high;
- Gyeonggi Province in the northwest, which surrounds the capital of Seoul and contains the port of Incheon, is the most densely populated province;
- Gangwon in the northeast is the least populated
Natural hazards
occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest; volcanism: Halla (1,950 m) is considered historically active; it has not erupted in many centuries
Geography - note
strategic location on Korea Strait; about 3,000 mostly small and uninhabited islands lie off the western and southern coasts
People and Society
34 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2024 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2025 est.)
Male · female(2022 est.)
Religions(2021 est.)
Languages
Korean, English; major-language sample(s): 월드 팩트북, 필수적인 기본 정보 제공처 (Korean); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Population distribution
- the population is primarily concentrated in the lowland areas, where density is high;
- Gyeonggi Province in the northwest, which surrounds the capital of Seoul and contains the port of Incheon, is the most densely populated province;
- Gangwon in the northeast is the least populated
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.07 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.79 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
- total:
- 2.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- male:
- 3 deaths/1,000 live births
- female:
- 2.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Alcohol consumption per capita
- total:
- 7.74 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- beer:
- 1.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- wine:
- 0.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- spirits:
- 0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- other alcohols:
- 5.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Environment
12 fieldsEnvironmental issues
- air pollution in large cities;
- acid rain;
- water pollution from sewage and industrial effluents;
- drift-net fishing;
- solid waste disposal;
- transboundary air pollution from China
International environmental agreements
- party to:
- Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
Land use
- agricultural land:
- 16.1% (2023 est.)
- arable land:
- 14.9% (2023 est.)
- permanent crops:
- 2.1% (2023 est.)
- permanent pasture:
- 0.6% (2023 est.)
- forest:
- 64.4% (2023 est.)
- other:
- 19.5% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
- urban population:
- 81.5% of total population (2023)
- rate of urbanization:
- 0.31% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
644.231 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from coal and metallurgical coke:
- 275.411 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from petroleum and other liquids:
- 248.599 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from consumed natural gas:
- 120.222 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Methane emissions
- energy:
- 145.7 kt (2022-2024 est.)
- agriculture:
- 500 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- waste:
- 478.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- other:
- 27 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling
- municipal solid waste generated annually:
- 20.453 million tons (2024 est.)
- percent of municipal solid waste recycled:
- 67.1% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal
- municipal:
- 6.672 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
- industrial:
- 4.45 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
- agricultural:
- 15.96 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Geoparks
- total global geoparks and regional networks:
- 7 (2025)
- global geoparks and regional networks:
- Cheongsong;
- Danyang;
- Gyeongbuk Donghaean;
- Hantangang;
- Jeju Island;
- Jeonbuk West Coast;
- Mudeungsan (2025)
Government
Presidential republic; President LEE Jae-myung (since 4 June 2025); Prime Minister KIM Min-seok (since 3 July 2025)
23 fieldsCountry name
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Korea
- conventional short form:
- South Korea
- local long form:
- Taehan-min'guk
- local short form:
- Han'guk
- abbreviation:
- ROK
- etymology:
- derived from the Chinese name for Goryeo, which was the Korean dynasty that united the peninsula in the 10th century A.D.;
- the South Korean name "Han'guk" derives from the long form, "Taehan-min'guk," which is itself a derivation from "Daehan-je'guk," which means "the Great Han Empire"
Capital
- name:
- Seoul
- geographic coordinates:
- 37 33 N, 126 59 E
- time difference:
- UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- etymology:
- the name originates from the Korean word meaning "capital city;" it was the capital of the unified Korea from 1392 to 1910
note: Sejong, located some 120 km (75 mi) south of Seoul, serves as an administrative capital for segments of the South Korean government
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
Legal system
mixed system combining European civil law, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought
Constitution
- history:
- several previous; latest passed by National Assembly 12 October 1987, approved in referendum 28 October 1987, effective 25 February 1988
- amendment process:
- proposed by the president or by majority support of the National Assembly membership;
- passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly membership, approval in a referendum by more than one half of the votes by more than one half of eligible voters, and promulgation by the president
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President LEE Jae-myung (since 4 June 2025)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister KIM Min-seok (since 3 July 2025)
- cabinet:
- State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation
- election/appointment process:
- president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a single 5-year term;
- prime minister appointed by president with consent of the National Assembly
- most recent election date:
- 3 June 2025 (special snap election in the wake of the impeachment of former President YOON Suk-yeol)
- election results:
- 2025: LEE Jae-myung elected president; LEE Jae-myung (DPK) 49.4%, KIM Moon-soo (PPP) 41.2%, LEE Jun-seok (New Reform Party) 8.3%;
- 2022 : YOON Suk-yeol elected president;
- YOON Suk-yeol (PPP) 48.6%, LEE Jae-myung (DPK) 47.8%;
- other 3.6%
- expected date of next election:
- 2030
note: the president is both chief of state and head of government; the prime minister serves as the principal executive assistant to the president, similar to the role of a vice president
Legislative branch
- legislature name:
- National Assembly (Kuk Hoe)
- legislative structure:
- unicameral
- number of seats:
- 300 (all directly elected)
- electoral system:
- mixed system
- scope of elections:
- full renewal
- term in office:
- 4 years
- most recent election date:
- 4/10/2024
- parties elected and seats per party:
- Democratic Party of Korea (161);
- People Power Party (90);
- People Future Party (18);
- Other (31)
- percentage of women in chamber:
- 20.3%
- expected date of next election:
- April 2028
Judicial branch
- highest court(s):
- Supreme Court (consists of a chief justice and 13 justices); Constitutional Court (consists of a court head and 8 justices)
- judge selection and term of office:
- Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly;
- other justices appointed by the president on the recommendation of the chief justice and consent of the National Assembly;
- position of the chief justice is a 6-year nonrenewable term;
- other justices serve 6-year renewable terms;
- Constitutional Court justices appointed - 3 by the president, 3 by the National Assembly, and 3 by the Supreme Court chief justice;
- court head serves until retirement at age 70, while other justices serve 6-year renewable terms with mandatory retirement at age 65
- subordinate courts:
- High Courts;
- District Courts;
- Branch Courts (organized under the District Courts);
- specialized courts for family and administrative issues
Political parties
- Basic Income Party
- Democratic Party of Korea or DPK
- New Future Party
- New Reform Party
- Open Democratic Party or ODP
- People Power Party or PPP
- Progressive Party or Jinbo Party
- Rebuilding Korea Party
- Social Democratic Party
note: the Democratic Alliance coalition consists of the DPK and the smaller Basic Income, Jinbo, Open Democratic, and Social Democratic parties, as well as two independents;
for the 2024 election, the Basic Income Party, the ODP, and the Social Democratic Party formed the New Progressive Alliance
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador KANG Kyung-wha (since 16 December 2025)
- chancery:
- 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 939-5600
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 797-0595
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/us-en/index.do
- consulate(s) general:
- Anchorage (AK), Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Hagatna (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Philadelphia
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires James “Jim” HELLER (since 7 January 2026)
- embassy:
- 188 Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul
- mailing address:
- 9600 Seoul Place, Washington, DC 20521-9600
- telephone:
- [82] (2) 397-4114
- FAX:
- [82] (2) 397-4101
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; https://kr.usembassy.gov/
- consulate(s):
- Busan
International organization participation
ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CABEI, CD, CICA, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Flag
- description:
- white with a red-and-blue yin-yang symbol in the center;
- a black trigram ( kwae ) from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) is in each corner of the white field
- meaning:
- the flag is called Taegukki;
- white is a traditional Korean color and represents peace and purity;
- blue stands for the negative cosmic forces of the yin, and red for the opposite positive forces of the yang;
- each trigram represents one of the universal elements, which together express the principle of movement and harmony
National anthem(s)
- title:
- "Aegukga" (Patriotic Song)
- lyrics/music:
- YUN Ch'i-Ho or AN Ch'ang-Ho/AHN Eaktay
- history:
- adopted 1948, well-known by 1910; North Korea's and South Korea's anthems have the same name and a similar melody, but different lyrics
National heritage
- total World Heritage Sites:
- 17 (15 cultural, 2 natural)
- selected World Heritage Site locales:
- Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes (n);
- Changdeokgung Palace Complex (c);
- Jongmyo Shrine (c);
- Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple (c);
- Hwaseong Fortress (c);
- Gochang, Hwasun, and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites (c);
- Gyeongju Historic Areas (c);
- Namhansanseong (c);
- Baekje Historic Areas (c);
- Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea (c);
- Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty (c);
- Petroglyphs along the Bangucheon Stream (c)
Economy
30 fieldsTrading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP · (2023 est.)
Budget(2023 est.)
Economic overview
- high-income, export- and technology-oriented East Asian economy;
- manufacturing led by semiconductor and automotive industries;
- slow growth amid declining construction investment, export risks, and recent political instability;
- aging workforce;
- increased restraint in fiscal policy while maintaining industry support initiatives
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
- agriculture:
- 1.6% (2023 est.)
- industry:
- 31.6% (2023 est.)
- services:
- 58.4% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Agricultural products
rice, vegetables, cabbages, milk, onions, pork, chicken, eggs, tangerines/mandarins, potatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Labor force
29.713 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Unemployment rate
2.7% (2024 est.) · 2.7% (2023 est.) · 2.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
- total:
- 5.9% (2024 est.)
- male:
- 6% (2024 est.)
- female:
- 5.8% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
32.9 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Average household expenditures
- on food:
- 12.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
- on alcohol and tobacco:
- 1.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Remittances
0.4% of GDP (2023 est.) · 0.5% of GDP (2022 est.) · 0.4% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Taxes and other revenues
15.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Current account balance
$99.043 billion (2024 est.) · $32.822 billion (2023 est.) · $25.829 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Exports
$835.149 billion (2024 est.) · $769.243 billion (2023 est.) · $825.961 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports - commodities
integrated circuits, cars, refined petroleum, plastics, machine parts (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$758.724 billion (2024 est.) · $758.41 billion (2023 est.) · $817.594 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports - commodities
integrated circuits, natural gas, crude petroleum, machinery, cars (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$418.219 billion (2024 est.) · $420.93 billion (2023 est.) · $423.366 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Exchange rates
South Korean won (KRW) per US dollar - 1,363.375 (2024 est.) · 1,305.662 (2023 est.) · 1,291.447 (2022 est.) · 1,143.952 (2021 est.) · 1,180.266 (2020 est.)
Energy
8 fieldsElectrification% of population · (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity, 151.139 million kW(2023 est.)
Nuclear energy
- Number of operational nuclear reactors:
- 26 (2025)
- Number of nuclear reactors under construction:
- 2 (2025)
- Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors:
- 25.57GW (2025 est.)
- Percent of total electricity production:
- 30.7% (2023 est.)
- Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down:
- 2 (2025)
Coal
- production:
- 16.081 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- consumption:
- 136.817 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- exports:
- 500 metric tons (2023 est.)
- imports:
- 122.845 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- proven reserves:
- 326 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
- total petroleum production:
- 38,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
- refined petroleum consumption:
- 2.542 million bbl/day (2024 est.)
Natural gas
- production:
- 55.127 million cubic meters (2021 est.)
- consumption:
- 57.314 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- exports:
- 93.639 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- imports:
- 60.025 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- proven reserves:
- 7.079 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Communications
6 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(2023–24 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
Transportation
6 fieldsMerchant marine, 2,149 ships by type(2023)
Ports
- total ports:
- 15 (2024)
- large:
- 2
- medium:
- 5
- small:
- 4
- very small:
- 4
- ports with oil terminals:
- 10
- key ports:
- Busan, Gwangyang Hang, Inchon, Masan, Mokpo, Pyeongtaek Hang, Ulsan
Military and Security
7 fieldsPersonnel strengthsone square, 1,000 people · (2025)
Military and security forces
- Armed Forces of the Republic of Korea:
- Republic of Korea Army (ROKA), Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN, includes Marine Corps, ROKMC), Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF)
- Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries:
- Korea Coast Guard; Ministry of Interior and Safety: Korean National Police Agency (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
- the South Korean military is equipped with a mix of mostly modern domestically produced and imported weapons systems;
- the US is the leading provider of foreign arms;
- South Korea's defense industry produces a range of military hardware for both domestic use and export, including aircraft, armored fighting vehicles, artillery, missiles, and naval vessels;
- it also jointly produces equipment with other countries (2025)
Military service age and obligation
- 18-29 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women;
- mandatory military service for all eligible men 18-35 years of age (typically served from 20-28 years of age);
- compulsory service obligation is 18-21 months based on the branch of service and up to 36 months for alternative service (2025)
note: women, in service since 1950, are able to serve in all branches and as of 2024 more than 15,000 served in the armed forces
Military deployments
- 250 Lebanon (UNIFIL);
- 275 South Sudan (UNMISS);
- approximately 150 United Arab Emirates (2025)
Military - note
the South Korean military is responsible for external defense and is primarily focused on the threat from North Korea; it participates in bilateral and multinational exercises and deploys abroad for international missions, including peacekeeping and other security operations
South Korea's primary defense partner is the US, and the 1953 US-South Korea Mutual Defense Treaty is a cornerstone of the country's national security; the Treaty committed the US to provide assistance in the event of an attack and gave the US permission to station land, air, and sea forces in and about the territory of South Korea as determined by mutual agreement;
South Korea hosts approximately 28,000 US military troops and regularly conducts bilateral exercises with the US military; South Korea has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation;
the South Korean military has assisted the US in conflicts in Afghanistan (5,000 troops; 2001-2014), Iraq (20,000 troops; 2003-2008), and Vietnam (325,000 troops; 1964-1973)
in 2016, South Korea concluded an agreement with the EU for participation in EU Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) missions and operations, such as EU counter-piracy operations off the coast of East Africa; South Korea has had a relationship with NATO since 2005, and in 2022 established a mission to the NATO headquarters to further cooperation; it has participated in NATO-led missions and exercises, including in Afghanistan and the Gulf of Aden (2025)
Space
4 fieldsSpace agency/agencies
- Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA; established 2024);
- Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI; established 1989 and previously acted as South Korea's space agency) (2025)
Space program overview
- has an ambitious space program focused on developing satellites, satellite launch vehicles (SLVs), and interplanetary probes;
- has a national space strategy;
- manufactures and operates satellites, including those with communications, remote sensing (RS), scientific, and multipurpose capabilities;
- manufactures and launches SLVs;
- developing interplanetary space vehicles, including orbital probes and landers;
- participates in international programs and works with an array of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Australia, the ESA, individual ESA member states (particularly France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK), India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Peru, Russia, UAE, and the US;
- has an active commercial space industry (2025)
Key space-program milestones
- 1992 - first domestically made technology-demonstrator satellite (KITSAT-1) launched on European rocket
- 1993-1998 - launched first single-stage sounding rocket (KSR-1) and first two-stage sounding rocket (KSR-2)
- 1999 - first domestically built multi-purpose satellite (KOMPSAT-1, aka Arirang-1) launched by US
- 2008 - first South Korean astronaut in space on International Space Station
- 2013 - first successful satellite launch of two-stage Korean Space Launch Vehicle-I (KSLV-I; aka Naro)
- 2021 - maiden launch of three-stage KSLV-II (aka Nuri); signed the US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration
- 2022 - first successful attempt to place satellites into orbit on the KSLV-II/Nuri; domestically made lunar orbiter (Danuri) reached Moon's orbit; began development of the Korea Positioning System (KPS) satellite navigational network
- 2024 - third successful launch of Nuri SLV placed eight small satellites in orbit, including a remote sensing satellite (NexSat-2) with radar imaging technology
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsRefugees and internally displaced persons
- refugees:
- 40,084 (2024 est.)
- stateless persons:
- 248 (2024 est.)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Korea, South.” The World Factbook 2025. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/south-korea.