South Korea

Republic of KoreaTaehan-min'guk

republicIndependence 15 August 1948

South Korea as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 81 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalSeoul

Area98,480 sq km

LocationEastern Asia, southern half of the Korean peninsula

Populationas each edition published it

45.55 million July 1995 est. · 43.05m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.04% 1995 est. · 1.05% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 33.2 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

70.89 years 1995 est. · 70.29 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.66 children per woman 1995 est. · 1.6 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

20.9 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 23 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$11,270 1994 est. · $6,500 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

8.3% 1994 · 5% in 1993

Geography

Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean peninsula | bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea, south of North Korea

13 fields

Land useshare of 98,480 sq km

arable land 21%meadows and pastures 1%forest and woodland 67%other 10%permanent crops 1% in all · irrigated 13,530 sq km (1989)

Area

98,480sq km

land area: 98,190 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than Indiana

Coastline

2,413km

continental shelf: not specifiedterritorial sea: 12 nm; 3 nm in the Korea Strait

Land boundaries

238km

total · North Korea 238 km

Location

Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea, south of North Korea

International disputes

Demarcation Line with North Korea; Liancourt Rocks claimed by Japan

Climate

temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Terrain

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

Natural resources

coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower

Environment

current issues:: air pollution in large cities;
water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents;
driftnet fishing
natural hazards:: occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; earthquakes in southwest
international agreements:: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Whaling;
signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea

People

15 fields

Population

45,553,882

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 1.04% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

15.63Death

6.18Net migration

0.9

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years70.89

67.69 · 74.29

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy96%

99% · 94%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Labor force

20million

by occupation: services and other 52%, mining and manufacturing 27%, agriculture, fishing, forestry 21% (1991)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 24% (female 5,280,998; male 5,640,789)
15-64 years:: 71% (female 15,877,182; male 16,291,183)
65 years and over:: 5% (female 1,554,512; male 909,218) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

20.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Korean(s)
adjective:: Korean

Ethnic divisions

homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

Religions

Christianity 48.6%, Buddhism 47.4%, Confucianism 3%, pervasive folk religion (shamanism), Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way) 0.2%

Languages

Korean, English widely taught in high school

Government

Republic; President KIM Yong-sam (since 25 February 1993); Prime Minister YI Hong-ku (since 17 December 1994)

22 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

41.9%

KIM Yong-sam (DLP) 41.9%KIM Tae-chung (DP) 33.8%CHONG Chu-yong (UPP) 16.3%other 8%

Legislature, 299 seatsseats by party

DLP 149DP 97UNP 31other 22the distribution of seats as of January 1994 was DLP 172DP 96UPP 11other 20

Names

conventional long form:: Republic of Korea
conventional short form:: South Korea
local long form:: Taehan-min'guk
local short form:: none

note: the South Koreans generally use the term "Hanguk" to refer to their country

Administrative divisions

9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 6 special cities* (jikhalsi, singular and plural);
Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto, Cholla-namdo, Ch'ungch'ong-bukto, Ch'ungch'ong-namdo, Inch'on-jikhalsi*, Kangwon-do, Kwangju-jikhalsi*, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto, Kyongsang-namdo, Pusan-jikhalsi*, Soul-t'ukpyolsi*, Taegu-jikhalsi*, Taejon-jikhalsi*

Legal system

combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought

Executive branch

chief of state:: President KIM Yong-sam (since 25 February 1993);
election last held on 18 December 1992 (next to be held NA December 1997);
results - KIM Yong-sam (DLP) 41.9%, KIM Tae-chung (DP) 33.8%, CHONG Chu-yong (UPP) 16.3%, other 8%
head of government:: Prime Minister YI Hong-ku (since 17 December 1994);
Deputy Prime Minister HONG Chae-yong (since 4 October 1994) and Deputy Prime Minister KIM Tok (since 23 December 1994)
cabinet:: State Council; appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation

National Assembly (Kukhoe)

elections last held on 24 March 1992;
results - DLP 38.5%, DP 29.2%, Unification National Party (UNP) 17.3% (name later changed to UPP), other 15%;
seats - (299 total) DLP 149, DP 97, UNP 31, other 22;
the distribution of seats as of January 1994 was DLP 172, DP 96, UPP 11, other 20

note: the change in the distribution of seats reflects the fluidity of the current situation where party members are constantly switching from one party to another

Political parties and leaders

majority party:: Democratic Liberal Party (DLP), KIM Yong-sam, president
opposition:: Democratic Party (DP), YI Ki-taek, executive chairman;
United People's Party (UPP), KIM Tong-kil, chairman;
several smaller parties

note: the DLP resulted from a merger of the Democratic Justice Party (DJP), Reunification Democratic Party (RDP), and New Democratic Republican Party (NDRP) on 9 February 1990

Other political or pressure groups

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

AfDB, APEC, AsDB, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, OAS (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador PAK Kun-u
chancery:: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 939-5600
consulate(s) general:: Agana (Guam), Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador James T. LANEY
embassy:: 82 Sejong-Ro, Chongro-ku, Seoul
mailing address:: American Embassy, Unit 15550, Seoul; APO AP 96205-0001
telephone:: [82] (2) 397-4114

FAX

[82] (2) 738-8845; consulate(s): Pusan

Flag

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

Economy

The driving force behind the economy's dynamic growth has | been the planned development of an export-oriented economy in a | vigorously entrepreneurial society.

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$11,270

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

8.3%

(1994)industrial production growth: growth rate 12.1% (1994 est.); accounts for about 45% of GNP

Inflation, consumer prices

5.6%

(1994)

Unemployment rate

(November 1994)

Budget

Revenues

$63 billionExpenditures

$63 billion (1995 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Installed generating capacity, 26,940,000 kW

Electricity production

137 billionElectricity consumption per capita

2,847 (1993)

Overview

The driving force behind the economy's dynamic growth has been the planned development of an export-oriented economy in a vigorously entrepreneurial society. Real GDP increased more than 10% annually between 1986 and 1991. This growth ultimately led to an overheated situation characterized by a tight labor market, strong inflationary pressures, and a rapidly rising current account deficit.

As a result, in 1992, economic policy focused on slowing the growth rate of inflation and reducing the deficit. Annual growth slowed to 5%, still above the rate in most other countries of the world, and recovered to 6.3% in 1993. The economy expanded by 8.3% in 1994, driven by booming exports.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $508.3 billion (1994 est.)

Exports

$96.2 billion (f.o.b., 1994)

commodities:: electronic and electrical equipment, machinery, steel, automobiles, ships, textiles, clothing, footwear, fish
partners:: US 26%, Japan 17%, EU 14%

Imports

$102.3 billion (c.i.f., 1994)

commodities:: machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, textiles, organic chemicals, grains
partners:: Japan 26%, US 24%, EU 15%

External debt

$44.1 billion (1993)

Industries

electronics, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel, textiles, clothing, footwear, food processing

Agriculture

accounts for 8% of GDP and employs 21% of work force (including fishing and forestry);
principal crops - rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit;
livestock and livestock products - cattle, hogs, chickens, milk, eggs;
self-sufficient in food, except for wheat;
fish catch of 2.9 million metric tons, seventh-largest in world

Economic aid

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $3.9 billion; non-US countries (1970-89), $3 billion

Currency

1 South Korean won (W) = 100 chun (theoretical)

Exchange rates

South Korean won (W) per US$1 - 790.48 (January 1995), 803.44 (1994), 802.67 (1993), 780.65 (1992), 733.35 (1991), 707.76 (1990)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 114 in all

over 3,047 m

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

under 914 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

63,200Railroads

6,763Inland waterways

1,609

Highways: paved: expressways 1,550 km · unpaved: NA · undifferentiated: national highway 12,190 km; provincial, local roads 49,460 km (1991) · Railroads: standard gauge: 6,716 km 1.435-meter gauge (525 km electrified; 847 km double track) · narrow gauge: 47 km 0.610-meter gauge · Inland waterways: ; use restricted to small native craft

Railroads

total:: 6,763 km
standard gauge:: 6,716 km 1.435-meter gauge (525 km electrified; 847 km double track)
narrow gauge:: 47 km 0.610-meter gauge

Highways

total:: 63,200 km
paved:: expressways 1,550 km
unpaved:: NA
undifferentiated:: national highway 12,190 km; provincial, local roads 49,460 km (1991)

total:: 412 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,129,796 GRT/9,985,197 DWT
ships by type:: bulk 123, cargo 125, chemical tanker 17, combination bulk 1, combination ore/oil 1, container 61, liquefied gas tanker 13, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 51, refrigerated cargo 9, short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 9