South Korea
Republic of KoreaTaehan-min'guk
republicIndependence 15 August 1945, date of liberation from Japanese
South Korea as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 107 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.
No fields match. Try a shorter word.
Introduction
1 fieldBackground
At the end of World War II, the US and the Soviet Union agreed that US troops would accept the surrender of Japanese forces south of the 38th parallel and the Soviet Union would do so in the north. In 1948, the UN proposed nationwide elections; after P'yongyang's refusal to allow UN inspectors in the north, elections were held in the south and the Republic of Korea was established. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea was established the following month in the north.
Communist North Korean forces invaded South Korea in 1950. US and other UN forces intervened to defend the South and Chinese forces intervened on behalf of the North. After a bitter three-year war, an armistice was signed in 1953, establishing a military demarcation line near the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South Korea achieved amazing economic growth, with per capita output rising to 13 times the level in the North. Since late 1997, however, the nation has suffered widespread financial and organizational difficulties. Continuing tensions between North and South have raised concerns of provocative military actions by the North.
Geography
Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula | bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea
17 fieldsLand useshare of 98,480 sq km
Location
Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea
Natural hazards
occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest
Environment--current issues
- air pollution in large cities;
- water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents;
- driftnet fishing
Environment--international agreements
- party to:
- Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
- signed, but not ratified:
- Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1999 est.)
Male · female
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 22% (male 5,504,333; female 4,874,974)
- 15-64 years:
- 71% (male 16,949,807; female 16,432,951)
- 65 years and over:
- 7% (male 1,192,688; female 1,930,047) (1999 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.13 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.13 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.62 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Religions
Christianity 49%, Buddhism 47%, Confucianism 3%, pervasive folk religion (shamanism), Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way), and other 1%
Government
Republic; President KIM Dae-jung (since 25 February 1998); Prime Minister KIM Chong-p'il (since 3 March 1998)
19 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Legislature, 299 seats, elected 11 April 1996one dot, one seat
Country name
- 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 "Han-guk" to refer to their country
- abbreviation:
- ROK
Administrative divisions
- 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 6 special cities* (gwangyoksi, singular and plural);
- Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto, Cholla-namdo, Ch'ungch'ong-bukto, Ch'ungch'ong-namdo, Inch'on-gwangyoksi*, Kangwon-do, Kwangju-gwangyoksi*, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto, Kyongsang-namdo, Pusan-gwangyoksi*, Soul-t'ukpyolsi*, Taegu-gwangyoksi*, Taejon-gwangyoksi*
Legal system
combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President KIM Dae-jung (since 25 February 1998)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister KIM Chong-p'il (since 3 March 1998)
- cabinet:
- State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation
- elections:
- president elected by popular vote for a single five-year term;
- election last held 18 December 1997 (next to be held by 18 December 2002);
- prime minister appointed by the president;
- deputy prime ministers appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation
- election results:
- KIM Dae-jung elected president; percent of vote--KIM Dae-jung (NCNP) 40.3%, YI Hoe-chang (GNP) 38.7%, YI In-che (NPP) 19.2%
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
- elections:
- last held 11 April 1996 (next to be held NA 2000)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party--NA;
- seats by party--NKP 139, NCNP 79, ULD 50, DP 15, independents 16;
- note--the distribution of seats as of February 1999 was GNP 137, NCNP 105, ULD 53, independents 4
Judicial branch
Supreme Court, justices are appointed by the president subject to the consent of the National Assembly
Political parties and leaders
Grand National Party or GNP [CHO president] note: subsequent to the legislative election of April 1996 the following parties disbanded--New Korea Party or NKP and Democratic Party or DP; New People's Party or NPP merged with the NCNP in August 1998
Political pressure groups and leaders
- 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;
- Korean Confederation of Trade Unions
International organization participation
AfDB, APEC, AsDB, BIS, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador YI Hong-ku
- chancery:
- 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
- consulate(s) general:
- Agana (Guam), Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Stephen W. BOSWORTH
- embassy:
- 82 Sejong-Ro, Chongro-ku, Seoul
- mailing address:
- American Embassy, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-0001
Flag description
- 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
As one of the Four Dragons of East Asia, South | Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth.
31 fieldsGDP--composition by sector(1997 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy--overview
As one of the Four Dragons of East Asia, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth. Three decades ago its GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. Today its GDP per capita is seven times India's, 13 times North Korea's, and already near the lesser economies of the European Union.
This success through the late 1980s was achieved by a system of close government business ties, including directed credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of specific industries, and a strong labor effort. 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 certain longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model, including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an undisciplined financial sector. By the end of 1998 it had recovered financial stability, rebuilding foreign exchange reserves to record levels by running a current account surplus of $40 billion.
As of December 1998, the first tentative signs of a rebound in the economy emerged, and most forecasters expect GDP growth to turn positive at least in the second half of 1999. Seoul has also made a positive start on a program to get the country's largest business groups to swap subsidiaries to promote specialization, and the administration has directed many of the mid-sized conglomerates into debt-workout programs with creditor banks.
Challenges for the future include cutting redundant staff, which reaches 20%-30% at most firms and maintaining the impetus for structural reform.
Labor force--by occupation
services and other 52%, mining and manufacturing 27%, agriculture, fishing, forestry 21% (1991)
Industries
electronics, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel, textiles, clothing, footwear, food processing
Agriculture--products
- rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit;
- cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs;
- fish
Exports--commodities
- electronic and electrical equipment, machinery, steel, automobiles, ships;
- textiles, clothing, footwear;
- fish
Imports--commodities
machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, textiles, organic chemicals, grains
Exchange rates
South Korean won (W) per US$1--1,174.00 (January 1999), 1,401.44 (1998), 951.29 (1997), 804.45 (1996), 771.27 (1995), 803.45 (1994)
Communications
6 fieldsTelephone system
excellent domestic and international services
- domestic:
- NA
- international:
- fiber-optic submarine cable to China; satellite earth stations--3 Intelsat (2 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)
Television broadcast stations
121 (in addition, there are 850 relay stations and eight-channel American Forces Korea Network) (1997)
Transportation
10 fieldsMerchant marine, 442 ships by type(1998 est.)
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Networkskm
Military
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National | Maritime Police (Coast Guard)
7 fieldsTransnational Issues
1 fieldDisputes--international
Demarcation Line with North Korea; Liancourt Rocks (Takeshima/Tokdo) claimed by Japan
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Korea, South.” The World Factbook 1999. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/south-korea/1999.