South Korea
Capital: Seoul · Eastern Asia
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia.
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Pink sunrise over ponds in the Tumuli Park of Gyeongju Historic Site Wolseong District. Contre-jour view from a hill, in South Korea .
Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Photograph of the Expo Bridge in Daejeon, South Korea.
Photo: Yoo Chung, CC BY-SA 2.5 · source
Did you know?
The Korean Peninsula was inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic period. Its first kingdom was noted in Chinese records in the early seventh century BC. From the mid first century BC, various polities consolidated into the rival kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla. The lattermost eventually unified most of the peninsula for the first time in the late seventh century AD, while Balhae succeeded Goguryeo in the north. The Goryeo dynasty (918–1392) achieved lasting unification and established the basis for the modern Korean identity.
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Heap of cans, symbolizing unrestrained consumption, outside the South Korea Pavilion of Expo 2015 in Milan.
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Etymology
The name Korea is an exonym derived from the historical Korean kingdom name Goryeo (Korean: 고려; Hanja: 高麗; MR: Koryŏ). Goryeo was the shortened name officially adopted by Goguryeo in the 5th century and the name of its 10th-century successor state Goryeo. Visiting Arab and Persian merchants pronounced its name as "Korea". The modern name of Korea appears in the first Portuguese maps of 1568 by João vaz Dourado as Conrai and later in the late 16th century and early 17th century as Corea (Korea) in the maps of Teixeira Albernaz of 1630.
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A South Korean sentry near the demilitarized zone (Imjingang).
Photo: Johannes Barre, iGEL ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Sinheungsa Temple, Seoraksan National Park.
Photo: kallerna, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
History
The Korean Peninsula was inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic period. According to Korea's founding mythology, the history of Korea begins with the founding of Joseon (also known as "Gojoseon", or "Old Joseon", to differentiate it from the 14th century dynasty) in 2333 BC by the legendary Dangun. Gojoseon was noted in Chinese records in the early 7th century. Gojoseon expanded until it controlled the northern Korean Peninsula and parts of Manchuria. Gija Joseon was purportedly founded in the 12th century BC, but its existence and role have been controversial in the modern era.
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Burimun gate and high Japanese black pine at Beomeosa Buddhist temple , under a blue sky in Busan , South Korea .
Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Photograph of the Daecheong Dam, which lies on the boundary between the metropolitan city of Daejeon and the North Chungcheong province in South Korea. The dam is…
Photo: Yoo Chung, CC BY-SA 2.5 · source
Geography
South Korea occupies the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula, which extends some 1,100 km (680 mi) from the Continental and East Asian mainland. This mountainous peninsula is flanked by the Yellow Sea to the west and the Sea of Japan to the east. Its southern tip lies on the Korea Strait and the East China Sea. The country, including all its islands, lies between latitudes 33° and 39°N, and longitudes 124° and 130°E. Its total area is 100,472.4 square kilometers (38,792.61 sq mi).
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Many colorful flowerpots in front of Bulguksa Buddhist temple, in Gyeongju , South Korea .
Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Government and politics
The South Korean government's structure is determined by the Constitution of the Republic of Korea. Like many democratic states, South Korea has a government divided into three branches: executive, judicial, and legislative. The executive and legislative branches operate primarily at the national level, although various ministries in the executive branch also carry out local functions. The judicial branch operates at both the national and local levels. Local governments are semi-autonomous and contain executive and legislative bodies of their own. South Korea is a constitutional democracy.
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Economy
South Korea's mixed economy is the 14th-largest by nominal GDP and the 14th-largest GDP by purchasing power parity in the world, identifying it as one of the G20 major economies. It is a developed country with a high-income economy and is the most industrialized member country of the OECD. South Korean brands such as LG Electronics and Samsung are internationally famous and have garnered South Korea's reputation for its high-quality electronics and other manufactured goods. South Korea became a member of the OECD in 1996.
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Demographics
South Korea had an estimated population of roughly 51.7 million in 2022. The population more than doubled from 21.5 million in 1955 to 50 million by 2010. However, it was expected to peak at 52 million in 2024 and decline to 36 million by 2072, owing to a rapid decline in birth rates that began in 1960. South Korea's birth rate became the world's lowest in 2009, at an annual rate of approximately 9 births per 1000 people.
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Culture
South Korea shares its traditional culture with North Korea, but the two Koreas have developed distinct contemporary forms of culture since the peninsula was divided in 1945. Historically, while the culture has been heavily influenced by that of neighboring China, it has nevertheless independently managed to develop a unique cultural identity in its own right that is distinct from its larger neighbors. As of 2024, South Korea has 24 UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritages of Humanity, along with 16 World Heritage Sites.
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