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Location
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| The
Korean Peninsula extends southwards from the northeast
part of the Asian continent between 33 and 43 degrees
North Latitude and 124 and 132 degrees East Longitude.
The standard meridian of the peninsula is 135 degrees,
9 hours ahead of GMT. The Amnokkang and Tuman-gang Rivers
border both China and Russia to the north, and Japan
is just across the East Sea. |
| Area |
| The
total area of the peninsula is 222,196 km² similar
in size to that of England, New Zealand, or Romania.
South Korea possesses 99,237 km² or 45%, and North
Korea 122,762 km², the remaining 55%. About 70%
of the land is mountains, mainly to the north and east. |
| The
National Flag and Flower |
| The
Korean flag is called T'aegukki. Its design symbolizes
the principles of yin and yang in Oriental
philosophy. The circle in the center of the flag is
divided into two equal parts. The upper red section
represents the positive cosmic forces of yang.
Conversely, the lower blue section represents the negative
cosmic forces of yin. The two forces together
embody the concepts of continual movement and balance
and harmony that characterize the sphere of infinity.
The circle is surrounded by four trigrams, one in each
corner. Each trigram symbolizes one of the four universal
elements: heaven, earth, fire and water.
The Korean flower is Mugunghwa or the rose of Sharon.
Unlike most flowers, the rose of Sharon is remarkably
tenacious and resistant to both blight and insects.
Its symbolic significance stems from the national
flower's root word, "mugung," meaning immortality,
which accurately reflects the perseverance and determination
of the Korean people.
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National Flag |
Korean National Flower |
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Population:
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47,274,543 (2000 est.) |
| Capital
and Major Cities |
The
capital city is Seoul, which is the political, cultural,
commercial, financial, and educational center of Korea.
Seoul also offers many tourist attractions. (Population:
9.89 million as of Dec. 2000)
Korea consists of 1 capital city, 6 metropolitan cities
and 9 provinces. The 6 metropolitan cities are Pusan,
Taegu, Inch'on, Kwangju, Taejon and Ulsan. |
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| Climate
and Seasons |
| The peninsula
is located mid-latitude in the northern hemisphere and
lies in the transitional zone between continental and
subtropical maritime climates. It has four distinct
seasons. The north to south geography of the peninsula
produces climatic differences along its length. In the
south, spring and summer are normally longer, while
in the north, autumn and winter are longer.
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| Spring:
Late March through May. Periods of cool weather can be
expected but normally temperate conditions prevail. Cherry
blossoms, forsythia, azaleas, magnolias and lilacs bloom
in April. |
|
| Summer:
June to early September. Hot and humid. Half the annual
rainfall occurs during the monsoon month of late June
to July. Mid-July through mid-August is the hottest period
and also the most popular Korean vacation season. |
|
| Autumn:
September through November. Warm days and clear weather
make the fall months the most pleasant time of the year.
The temperature varies greatly between day and night.
The mountains, when attired with vivid golden and red
autumnal leaves under the clear blue sky, present a grand
spectacle. |
 |
| Winter:
December to mid-March. Cold and dry with a traditional
cycle of three cold days followed by four warm ones. Heavy
snow in the north and east makes for good skiing conditions. |
|
| Flora |
| The
four distinct seasons give rise to a varied geographical
distribution of both coniferous and deciduous plants;
190 families with 1,079 genera and 3,129 species may be
found, including over 900 types of trees. Some of the
most common flora are the thorn, aspen and ginkgo trees,
the royal azalea, crinum, and, of course, ginseng, well-known
as a cure-all medicinal herb. |
| Soil
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| The
soil is mostly sedimentary, highly fertile, and, to a
large extent, acidic. Weathered granite and granitic mica
and quartz give rise to plenty of sandy loam. |
| Fauna |
|
Korea is host to 408 species of birds, 130 fish, 14 amphibians,
and 25 reptiles. Korea's indigenous fauna include the
Korean black bear, the mandarin field vole, Tristram's
woodpecker, deer, and various types of pheasants. The
Korean tiger and the Asiatic black bear have now disappeared
from the peninsula but remain animals symbolic of the
Korean traditional spirit and emotions. The Chindo and
Sabsal dogs, two of the native domesticated animals, remain
popular, and are well-known for their intelligence, faithfulness
and obedience. |
|
Since the end of the Korean War in 1953, the Republic
of Korea has achieved astounding economic growth,
a phenomenon sometimes referred to as the "Miracle
on the Han-gang River." The areas of strongest
development are still shipbuilding, semiconductors
and consumer electronics, although the Korean automobile
industry is rapidly gaining a foothold in overseas
markets. Korea has entered the twenty-first century
with a restructured industrial model that will allow
her to compete successfully in the free world markets.
Great strides are being made in opening her traditionally
protected markets to outside competition in response
to the Uruguay round of trade talks. Korea joined
the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD) as the 29th member in 1996.
As one of the Four Dragons of East Asia, South Korea
has achieved an incredible record of growth. Three
decades ago its GNI 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.
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| GDP:
purchasing power parity $457 billion (2000.)
GDP real growth rate: -8.8% (2000)
GDP per capita: purchasing power parity $9,628
(2000)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 4.6%
industry: 31.8%
services: 63.6%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage
share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3%
Labor force: 21.9 million
Labor force by occupation: services and other
66.9%, mining and manufacturing 22.2%, agriculture,
fishing, forestry 10.9
Unemployment rate: 4.1%
Budget:
revenues: $100.4 billion
expenditures: $100.5 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Industries: electronics, automobile production,
chemicals, shipbuilding, steel, textiles, clothing,
footwear, food processing
Industrial production growth rate: 16.8%
Electricity production: 266.399 billion kWh
Electricity production source:
fossil fuel: 56.99%
hydro: 2.11%
nuclear: 40.9%
other: 0%
Electricity consumption: 239.535 billion kWh
Electricity exports: 0 kWh
Electricity imports: 0 kWh
Agriculture products: rice, root crops, barley,
vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs;
fish
Exports: $176.26 billion
Exports commodities: electronic and electrical
equipment, machinery, steel, automobiles, ships; textiles,
clothing, footwear; fish
Exports partners: US 22%, EU 15%, Japan 12%
Imports: $160.48 billion
Imports commodities: machinery, electronics
and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment,
textiles, organic chemicals, grains
Imports partners: Japan 20%, US 18%, EU 10%
Debt external: $136.3 billion
Economic aid recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 South Korean won (W) = 100 chun
(theoretical)
Exchange rates: South Korean won (W) per US$1
1,297.50 (June 2001), 1,264.50 (2000), 1,138.00 (1999),
1,207.80 (1998), 1,415.00 (1997), 844.20 (1996)
Fiscal year: calendar year
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Korean culture has blossomed during her long history.
Though affected by other Asian cultures, its roots
lis deep within the creative Korean psyche, and it
has tended to spread rather than be encroached upon.
Japan especially has adopted many Korean ideas and
customs. The delicate styling and fine craftsmanship
pf celadon pottery well illustrates the refinement
of the culture, even from as far back as the Three
Kingdoms Period. Korea has also spawned some great
inventors; its first printing systems predate German
Johannes Gutenberg's, the famous "Turtle Ship"
was the first ever iron-clad battleship, and the Korean
alphabet Hangul, devised by a group of scholars in
the 15th century, was so effective that it remains
largely unchanged today. The reasons behind Korea's
rapid economic development can be found in this innate
creativity.
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- UNESCO has designated seven Korean cultural assets
to the World Heritage List: Chongmyo Shrine, Haeinsa
Temple's Changgyong P'anjon (depositories for the
Tripitaka Koreana Woodblocks), Pulguksa Temple and
nearby Sokkuram Grotto, Changdokkung Palace, Hwasong
Fortress, Dolmen Sites in Kochang, Hwasun and Kanghwa,
and Kyongju Historic Areas. This recognition of
these historically significant sites as locations
that the whole world must be aware of and protect
is a source of great pride for all Korea
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The Korean language is classified
as a Ural-Altaic language, a group which also includes
Mongolian, Hungarian, and Finnish. The Korean character
system, "Hangul," is completely different
from and independent of Chinese and Japanese. Hangul
was developed by a group of scholars under the patronage
of King Sejong in 1443. It is composed of 10 vowels
and 14 consonants. This unique phonetic alphabet is
well-known for its scientific syllabic system that allows
great freedom of expression. The chart to the right
presents the 24 Hangul letters and their romanized equivalants.
This romanization system is based closely
on the McCune-Reischauer (M-R) system and is followed
in this publication. M-R romanization differs substantially
from that of English and may take a little while to
get used to. (There are some vowels and consonant sounds
that English does not have.)
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(left)
Hangul (also called Huminjong-um) printed from
a woodblock
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(right)
1. The letter "o" (ng) at the beginning of
a syllable is silent.
2. Consonants
followed by an apostrophe are heavily aspirated.
3. Vowels marked
with the symbol " v" such as o, u tend to
be pronounced half-way back in the mouth. For example:
o is very similar to the "u" of customs. u
is pronounced like u ("oo") but with the lips
in the position for i ("ee")
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| Korea
is a democratic republic with the power centralized
in a strong executive president. Regional autonomy has
been established since 1995. |
| Constitution |
|
Promulgated on July 17, 1948, the Korean constitution
guarantees individual rights and calls for three independent
administrative bodies.
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Government
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On August 15, 1948, the government of the First Republic
was born. Since the inauguration of President Kim
Dae-jung on February 25, 1998, the Korean government
has concentrated its efforts on sweeping reforms in
the public sector. It set three goals for its public
sector program: "a smaller but efficient government,"
"a highly-competitive government," and "a
customer-oriented government."
Administrative districts: 1 capital city (tukpyolsi),
6 metropolitan cities (kwangyoksi), and 9 provinces
(do) with 74 cities (si) and 89 counties (gun).
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National Assembly
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| The
unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe is composed of
273 representatives - 115 from the ruling Millennium
Democratic Party (MDP), 20 from its coalition partner
United Liberal Democrats (ULD), 133 from the main opposition
Grand National Party (GNP), two from the Democratic
People's Party (DPP), one from the New Korea Party of
Hope (NKPH) and two independents. |
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Judicial System
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Three courts make up the judiciary: the Supreme Court,
the High Court, and the District Court. Up to three
appeals may be made. There is also a Constitutional
Court.
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South and North Korea
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The first-ever summit between the South and North Korean
leaders was held in P'yongyang on June 13-15, 2000,
three months after the declaration by President Kim
Dae-jung in Berlin for improvement of inter-Korean relations.
At the end of the three-day talks, the historic June
15 Declaration was issued by President Kim and Chairman
Kim Jong-il of the North Korean National Defense Commission.
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The 5,000 years of Korean history and culture, and the
Korean people's indomitable spirit in the struggle for
national freedom have produced a society renowned not
only for its kindness and generosity of spirit but also
for the high educational standards of its citizens.
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Religion
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| Religious
freedom is guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic
of Korea. Of the 300 or so registered religions, Buddhism
and Confucianism were dominant in the past, and have shaped
both the way of life and the attitudes of Koreans since
the Three Kingdoms Periods. Christianity has developed
a vast following since its introduction in the late 18th
century, and its influence is now being felt throughout
society. |
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Education
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| Koreans
have great concern for education and illiteracy is almost
non-existent. Children begin their six years of elementary
school at the age of six. After three years of middle
school and three years of high school, students may advance
to university for four years of higher education. There
are national examinations for entrance to high school
and university, and 30% of high school graduates manage
to gain admission to universities. The entrance exams
are extremely rigorous, and the fierce competition for
places is sometimes referred to as "admissions war".
Today's parents are placing more attention on early education
for their children and the preschool education system
is growing rapidly to meet this need. |
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| Tourism
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As Korea has successfully hosted the 2000 ASEM Conference
and prepares to co-host the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the
government, in conjunction with the tourism industry,
has made strenuous efforts to improve the standards
of tourism. This policy has extended not only to upgrading
facilities, but also to changing the mindset of the
workers in the service industry, and to raising the
English language standards among the general public.
The long heritage and inspiring scenery of Korea impress
all visitors with their uniqueness and charm.
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A 5,000-year-old history and culture is the pride
of the Korean Peninsula.
- 600,000 years ago: Archeological findings have
indicated the beginnings of settlement in the Korean
Peninsula.
- 2333 B.C.: The legendary figure Tangun founded
Ko-Choson, the first Korean kingdom, at P'yongyang
in the northern part of the peninsula.
- 57 B.C.-A.D. 668: The Three Kingdoms Period. A
golden age of culture with distinct contributions
form each kingdom.
- Koguryo Kingdom (37 B.C.-A.D. 668)
- Paekche Kingdom (18 B.C.-A.D. 660)
- Shilla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 676)
- A.D. 676-935: Unified Shilla Kingdom (Capital:
Kyongju)
- 918-1392: Koryo Dynasty (Capital: Kaesong, located
in North Korea). Buddhism became the state religion
and greatly influenced politics and culture. Overseas
trade boomed. The name "Korea" derives
from Koryo Dynasty since Arabian tradesmen started
calling Koryo "Corre."
- 13th century: Mongolian invasions.
- 1392-1910: Choson Dynasty (Capital: Seoul). The
peninsula's final dynasty. Confucianism as the state
ideology exerted a massive influence over the whole
society. Hangul, the Korean alphabet, was invented
in 1443, during the reign of King Sejong.
- 1910-1945: Japanese colonial rule.
- 1945 (August 15): Japan surrendered to the Allies
and withdrew from the Korean Peninsula.But the peninsula
was divided along the 38th Parallel with the Soviet
Union occupying the North and the United States
the South.
- 1948: The two ideologically confronting governments
were established on the Korean Peninsula: the Republic
of Korea (democratic South Korea), and the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea (communist North Korea).
- 1950-1953: Korean War, armistice signed.
- 1988: Hosting of the 24th Olympiad, which marked
the beginning of relations with Central and Eastern
Europe.
- September, 1991: South and North Korea were simultaneously
admitted to the United Nations.
- June, 2000: Historic summit talks in P'yongyang
between South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il have resulted in
reunions of separated families in Seoul and P'yongyang.
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| After
the Korean War, South Korea formed a democratic government
and has made remarkable progress in the area of politics,
economics, and culture with its tireless post-war reconstruction
efforts. This culminated in 1993 with the democratic
election of the first civilian government, led by President
Kim Young-sam, and further in 1998 with the inauguration
of President Kim Dae-jung and his "Government of
the People," which was created through the first-ever
peaceful transfer of power from the ruling to an opposition
party in Korean constitutional history. |
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