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South Korea
Physical. South
Korea is located in Eastern Asia, bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea,
on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. It covers an area slightly larger
than Indiana. The climate there is temperate with heavier rainfall in the summer
than the winter. The terrain is mostly hilly and mountainous with wide coastal
plains in the west and south. Natural resources include coal, tungsten,
graphite, molybdenum, lead and hydropower.
People. South Korea
is home to almost 48.6 million people. Korean is the official language, while
English is widely taught in junior high and high school. The people of South
Korea are almost entirely Korean with only about 20,000 Chinese inhabitants. The
religions practiced are: Christianity (26%), Buddhism (26%) and Confucianism
(1%).
Government.
Reacting to governments that were so centralized as to practically constitute
dictatorships, the people elected Kim Dae Jung, a former political prisoner, in
1998 and Roh Moo-hyun, a former human rights lawyer, in 2003. Roh has promised
to continue Kim’s sunshine policy toward the North while establishing a more
equal relationship with the US.
In 2000 a summit in North
Korea had the effect of unthawing the relations between the two countries.
Borders were opened for family visits and propaganda was halted. The first
installment on reunification took place in 2002 when South Korea gave North
Korea $25 million dollars to help rebuild rail and road links between the two
countries. However, reunification is not expected to occur for many years.
Suppression of dissent has
been a feature of almost every South Korean government since independence. The
US presence in South Korea is assumed to have played a part in the violent
suppression of anti-government sentiment. Strong feelings against US involvement
in Korean affairs have precipitated hundreds of violent demonstrations. The US
refusal to withdraw forces from South Korea leaves the impression that Americans
are hard-liners.
Economy. The South
Korea economy was so strong in the 1980's and the early 1990's that many people
thought that South Korea would be the next Japan of Asia. (The standard of
living increased phenomenally.) But the 1997-98 slowdown has modified those
predictions. Manufacturing accounts for 30% of the GDP. Economic success has
slowed the rate of outward migration and even brought some Koreans back home.
Areas of Concern.
Air pollution in large cities and acid rain as well as water pollution from
sewage and industrial runoff are of concern. The possible reunification of Korea
is a long-term issue. Despite some increase in civil rights, demonstrations
against suppression of freedoms continue.
South Korea statistics
Geography
Area: 38,013
Capital: Seoul (pop 9,862,000)
Environmental concerns: air and water pollution; acid rain; drift net fishing
Geographical features: mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west
and south
Climate: temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter
People.
48,598,175 people; racially homogeneous;
there is a small Chinese community
Annual growth rate: 0.62%
Major language: Korean (English is widely taught in school)
Religions: Christian (26%); Buddhist (26%); Confucianist (1%)
Health
and social issues
Life expectancy: Men, 72 years; women, 79.5 years
Infant mortality: 7.18 deaths per 1000 live births
4% of population live in poverty
1 physician per 784 people
HIV/AIDS rate in adults: less than 0.1%
97.9% of adults are literate
Compulsory education (ages): 6-12; free
Communication and transportation
22,877,000 main telephone lines (2003)
29,220 Internet users (2003)
53,940 miles of highway
1,874 miles of railroads
103 airfields
10,420,000 motor vehicles
Government
South Korea is a republic that
gained its independence from Japan on August 15, 1945 and formed the Republic of
Korea on July 17, 1948
President Roh Moo-hyun is the head of state and
Prime Minister LEE Hae-chan is the head of government
3 major political parties
Suffrage: universal at 20
Military
Military expenditures: 2.7% of GDP
Current disputes: maritime and border disputes with North Korea; fishing
rights and territory dispute with Japan
Economy
Currency: won
Per capita GDP: $17,800
GDP: $857.8 billion
GDP growth rate: 3.1%
Inflation rate: 3.6%
Labor force: agriculture (8.8%); industry (19.1%); services (72.1%)
Resources and industry
Natural resources: coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower
potential
Agriculture: rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs,
chickens, milk, eggs; fish
Industry: electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals,
shipbuilding, steel
Exports: $201.3 billion
Imports: $175.6 billion
Suggested web sites
www.dmoz.org
www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook
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