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Korea
Main Page
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Facts
on Korea
Background:
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An independent
Korean state or collection of states has existed
almost continuously for several millennia. Between
its initial unification in the 7th century - from
three predecessor Korean states - until the 20th
century, Korea existed as a single independent
country. In 1905, following the Russo-Japanese
War, Korea became a protectorate of imperial
Japan, and in 1910 it was annexed as a colony.
Korea regained its independence following Japan's
surrender to the United States in 1945. After
World War II, a Republic of Korea (ROK) was set up
in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while
a Communist-style government was installed in the
north (the DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53),
US troops and UN forces fought alongside soldiers
from the ROK to defend South Korea from DPRK
attacks supported by China and the Soviet Union.
An armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the
peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the
38th parallel. Thereafter, South Korea achieved
rapid economic growth with per capita income
rising to roughly 17 times the level of North
Korea. In 1993, KIM Young-sam became South Korea's
first civilian president following 32 years of
military rule. South Korea today is a fully
functioning modern democracy. President LEE
Myung-bak has pursued a policy of global
engagement since taking office in February 2008,
highlighted by Seoul's hosting of the G-20 summit
in November 2010. Serious tensions with North
Korea have punctuated inter-Korean relations in
recent years, including the North's sinking of the
South Korean warship Cheonan in March 2010 and its
artillery attack on South Korean soldiers and
citizens in November 2010.
Geography
::Korea, South
Location:
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Eastern
Asia, southern half of the Korean
Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and
the Yellow Sea
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Geographic
coordinates:
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37 00
N, 127 30 E
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Map
references:
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Asia
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Area:
|
total: 99,720
sq km
country
comparison to the world:
108
land: 96,920
sq km
water: 2,800
sq km
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Area
- comparative:
|
slightly
larger than Indiana
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Land
boundaries:
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total: 238
km
border
countries: North
Korea 238 km
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Coastline:
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2,413
km
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Maritime
claims:
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territorial
sea: 12
nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea
Strait
contiguous
zone: 24
nm
exclusive
economic zone: 200
nm
continental
shelf: not
specified
|
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Climate:
|
Current
Weather
temperate,
with rainfall heavier in summer than
winter
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Terrain:
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mostly
hills and mountains; wide coastal plains
in west and south
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Elevation
extremes:
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lowest
point: Sea
of Japan 0 m
highest
point: Halla-san
1,950 m
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Natural
resources:
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coal,
tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead,
hydropower potential
|
|
Land
use:
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arable
land: 16.58%
permanent
crops: 2.01%
other: 81.41%
(2005)
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Irrigated
land:
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8,780
sq km (2003)
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Total
renewable water resources:
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69.7 cu
km (1999)
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Freshwater
withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultural):
|
total: 18.59
cu km/yr (36%/16%/48%)
per
capita: 389
cu m/yr (2000)
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Natural
hazards:
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occasional
typhoons bring high winds and floods;
low-level seismic activity common in
southwest
volcanism:
Halla
(elev. 1,950 m, 6,398 ft) is considered
historically active although it has not
erupted in many centuries
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Environment
- current issues:
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air
pollution in large cities; acid rain;
water pollution from the discharge of
sewage and industrial effluents; drift net
fishing
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Environment
- international agreements:
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party
to: Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed,
but not ratified: none
of the selected agreements
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Geography
- note:
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strategic
location on Korea Strait
People
::Korea, South
Population:
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48,636,068
(July 2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
26 |
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Age
structure:
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0-14
years: 16.8%
(male 4,278,581/female 3,887,516)
15-64
years: 72.3%
(male 17,897,053/female
17,196,840)
65
years and over: 10.8%
(male 2,104,589/female 3,144,393)
(2010 est.)
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Median
age:
|
total:
37.9
years
male:
36.5
years
female:
39.1
years (2010 est.)
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Population
growth rate:
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0.258%
(2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
176 |
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Birth
rate:
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8.72
births/1,000 population (2010
est.)
country
comparison to the world:
215 |
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Death
rate:
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6.15
deaths/1,000 population (July 2010
est.)
country
comparison to the world:
160 |
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Net
migration rate:
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0
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010
est.)
country
comparison to the world:
94 |
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Urbanization:
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urban
population: 81%
of total population (2008)
rate
of urbanization: 0.6%
annual rate of change (2005-10
est.)
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Sex
ratio:
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at
birth: 1.07
male(s)/female
under
15 years: 1.1
male(s)/female
15-64
years: 1.04
male(s)/female
65
years and over: 0.67
male(s)/female
total
population: 1
male(s)/female (2010 est.)
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Infant
mortality rate:
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total:
4.24
deaths/1,000 live births
country
comparison to the world:
199
male:
4.46
deaths/1,000 live births
female:
4
deaths/1,000 live births (2010
est.)
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Life
expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 78.81
years
country
comparison to the world:
42
male:
75.56
years
female:
82.28
years (2010 est.)
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Total
fertility rate:
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1.22
children born/woman (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
219 |
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HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate:
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less
than 0.1% (2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
148 |
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HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS:
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13,000
(2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
94 |
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HIV/AIDS
- deaths:
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fewer
than 500 (2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
87 |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Korean(s)
adjective:
Korean
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Ethnic
groups:
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homogeneous
(except for about 20,000 Chinese)
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Religions:
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Christian
26.3% (Protestant 19.7%, Roman
Catholic 6.6%), Buddhist 23.2%,
other or unknown 1.3%, none 49.3%
(1995 census)
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Languages:
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Korean,
English widely taught in junior
high and high school
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Literacy:
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definition:
age
15 and over can read and write
total
population: 97.9%
male:
99.2%
female:
96.6%
(2002)
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School
life expectancy (primary to
tertiary education):
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total:
17
years
male:
18
years
female:
16
years (2008)
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Education
expenditures:
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4.2%
of GDP (2007)
country
comparison to the world:
100
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Government
::Korea, South
Country
name:
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conventional
long form: Republic
of Korea
conventional
short form: South
Korea
local
long form: Taehan-min'guk
local
short form: Han'guk
abbreviation:
ROK
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Government
type:
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republic
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Capital:
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name:
Seoul
geographic
coordinates: 37
33 N, 126 59 E
time
difference: UTC+9
(14 hours ahead of
Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
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Administrative
divisions:
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9
provinces (do, singular and
plural) and 7 metropolitan
cities (gwangyoksi, singular
and plural)
provinces:
Cheju-do,
Cholla-bukto (North Cholla),
Cholla-namdo (South Cholla),
Ch'ungch'ong-bukto (North
Ch'ungch'ong),
Ch'ungch'ong-namdo (South
Ch'ungch'ong), Kangwon-do,
Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto
(North Kyongsang),
Kyongsang-namdo (South
Kyongsang)
metropolitan
cities: Inch'on-gwangyoksi,
Kwangju-gwangyoksi,
Pusan-gwangyoksi, Soul-t'ukpyolsi
(Seoul), Taegu-gwangyoksi,
Taejon-gwangyoksi,
Ulsan-gwangyoksi
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Independence:
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15
August 1945 (from Japan)
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National
holiday:
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Liberation
Day, 15 August (1945)
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Constitution:
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17
July 1948; note - amended or
rewritten many times;
current constitution
approved on 29 October 1987
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Legal
system:
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combines
elements of continental
European civil law systems,
Anglo-American law, and
Chinese classical thought;
has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
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Suffrage:
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19
years of age; universal
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Executive
branch:
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chief
of state: President
LEE Myung-bak (since 25
February 2008)
head
of government: Prime
Minister KIM Hwang-sik
(since 1 October 2010)
cabinet:
State
Council appointed by the
president on the prime
minister's recommendation
(For
more information visit the World
Leaders website )
elections:
president
elected by popular vote for
a single five-year term;
election last held on 19
December 2007 (next to be
held in December 2012);
prime minister appointed by
president with consent of
National Assembly
election
results: LEE
Myung-bak elected president
on 19 December 2007; percent
of vote - LEE Myung-bak
(GNP) 48.7%; CHUNG
Dong-young (UNDP) 26.1%);
LEE Hoi-chang (independent)
15.1; others 10.1%
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Legislative
branch:
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unicameral
National Assembly or Kukhoe
(299 seats; 245 members
elected in single-seat
constituencies, 54 elected
by proportional
representation; members
serve four-year terms)
elections:
last
held on 9 April 2008 (next
to be held in April 2012)
election
results: percent
of vote by party - NA; seats
by party - GNP 172, UDP 83,
LFP 20, PPA 8, DLP 5, RKP 1,
independents 9
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Judicial
branch:
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Supreme
Court (justices appointed by
the president with consent
of National Assembly);
Constitutional Court
(justices appointed by the
president based partly on
nominations by National
Assembly and Chief Justice
of the court)
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Political
parties and leaders:
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Democratic
Party or DP [CHUNG Sye-kyun]
(formerly the United
Democratic Party or UDP);
Democratic Labor Party or
DLP [KANG Ki-kap]; Grand
National Party or GNP [AHN
Sang-soo]; Liberty Forward
Party or LFP [LEE Hoi-chang];
New Progressive Party or NPP
[ROH Hoe-chan]; Pro-Park
Alliance or PPA [SUH Choung-won];
Renewal Korea Party or RKP
[SONG Yong-o]
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Political
pressure groups and leaders:
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Federation
of Korean Industries;
Federation of Korean Trade
Unions; Korean Confederation
of Trade Unions; Korean
National Council of
Churches; Korean Traders
Association; Korean
Veterans' Association;
National Council of Labor
Unions; National Democratic
Alliance of Korea; National
Federation of Farmers'
Associations; National
Federation of Student
Associations
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International
organization participation:
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ADB,
AfDB (nonregional member),
APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue
partner), Australia Group,
BIS, CD, CICA, CP, EAS, EBRD,
FAO, FATF, G-20, IADB, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA
(observer), MIGA, MINURSO,
NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner),
Paris Club (associate), PCA,
PIF (partner), SAARC
(observer), UN, UNAMID,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMOGIP,
UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
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Diplomatic
representation in the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador
HAN Duck-soo
chancery:
2450
Massachusetts Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1]
(202) 939-5600
FAX:
[1]
(202) 387-0205
consulate(s)
general: Agana
(Guam), Atlanta, Boston,
Chicago, Honolulu, Houston,
Los Angeles, New York, San
Francisco, Seattle
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Diplomatic
representation from the US:
|
chief
of mission: Ambassador
Kathleen STEPHENS
embassy:
32
Sejongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul
110-710
mailing
address: US
Embassy Seoul, APO AP
96205-5550
telephone:
[82]
(2) 397-4114
FAX:
[82]
(2) 738-8845
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Flag
description:
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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; the Korean
national flag is called
Taegukki; white is a
traditional Korean color and
represents peace and purity;
the blue section represents
the negative cosmic forces
of the yin, while the red
symbolizes the opposite
positive forces of the yang;
each trigram (kwae) denotes
one of the four universal
elements, which together
express the principle of
movement and harmony
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National
anthem:
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name:
"Aegukga"
(Patriotic Song)
lyrics/music:
YUN
Ch'i-Ho or AN Ch'ang-Ho/AHN
Eaktay
note:
adopted
1948, well known by 1910;
both North Korea and South
Korea's anthems share the
same name and have a vaguely
similar melody but have
different lyrics
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Economy
::Korea, South
Since
the 1960s, South Korea
has achieved an
incredible record of
growth and global
integration to become
a high-tech
industrialized
economy. Four decades
ago, GDP per capita
was comparable with
levels in the poorer
countries of Africa
and Asia. In 2004,
South Korea joined the
trillion dollar club
of world economies,
and currently is among
the world's 20 largest
economies. Initially,
a system of close
government and
business ties,
including directed
credit and import
restrictions, made
this success possible.
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
longstanding
weaknesses in South
Korea's development
model including high
debt/equity ratios and
massive short-term
foreign borrowing. GDP
plunged by 6.9% in
1998, and then
recovered by 9% in
1999-2000. Korea
adopted numerous
economic reforms
following the crisis,
including greater
openness to foreign
investment and
imports. Growth
moderated to about
4-5% annually between
2003 and 2007. With
the global economic
downturn in late 2008,
South Korean GDP
growth slowed to 0.2%
in 2009. In the third
quarter of 2009, the
economy began to
recover, in large part
due to export growth,
low interest rates,
and an expansionary
fiscal policy, and
growth exceeded 6% in
2010. The South Korean
economy's long term
challenges include a
rapidly aging
population, inflexible
labor market, and
overdependence on
manufacturing exports
to drive economic
growth.
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GDP
(purchasing power
parity):
|
$1.467
trillion (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
13
$1.383
trillion (2009 est.)
$1.38
trillion (2008 est.)
note:
data
are in 2010 US dollars
|
|
GDP
(official exchange
rate):
|
$986.3
billion (2010 est.)
|
|
GDP
- real growth rate:
|
6.1%
(2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
35
0.2%
(2009 est.)
2.3%
(2008 est.)
|
|
GDP
- per capita (PPP):
|
$30,200
(2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
45
$28,500
(2009 est.)
$28,500
(2008 est.)
note:
data
are in 2010 US dollars
|
|
GDP
- composition by
sector:
|
agriculture:
3%
industry:
39.4%
services:
57.6%
(2008 est.)
|
|
Labor
force:
|
24.62
million (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
25 |
|
Labor
force - by occupation:
|
agriculture:
7.3%
industry:
24.3%
services:
68.4%
(2010 est.)
|
|
Unemployment
rate:
|
3.7%
(2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
33
3.7%
(2009 est.)
|
|
Population
below poverty line:
|
15%
(2006 est.)
|
|
Household
income or consumption
by percentage share:
|
lowest
10%: 2.7%
highest
10%: 24.2%
(2007)
|
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Distribution
of family income -
Gini index:
|
31.4
(2009)
country
comparison to the world:
104
35.8
(2000)
|
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Investment
(gross fixed):
|
28.7%
of GDP (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
23 |
|
Public
debt:
|
23.7%
of GDP (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
101
23.5%
of GDP (2009 est.)
|
|
Inflation
rate (consumer prices):
|
3%
(2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
91
2.8%
(2009 est.)
|
|
Central
bank discount rate:
|
1.25%
(31 December 2009)
country
comparison to the world:
133
1.75%
(31 December 2008)
|
|
Commercial
bank prime lending
rate:
|
5.65%
(31 December 2009
est.)
country
comparison to the world:
126
7.17%
(31 December 2008
est.)
|
|
Stock
of narrow money:
|
$101.9
billion (31 December
2010 est)
$82.54
billion (31 December
2009 est)
|
|
Stock
of broad money:
|
$1.346
trillion (31 December
2009)
$1.132
trillion (31 December
2008)
|
|
Stock
of domestic credit:
|
$1.057
trillion (31 December
2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
15
$935.4
billion (31 December
2009 est.)
|
|
Market
value of publicly
traded shares:
|
$836.5
billion (31 December
2009)
country
comparison to the world:
17
$494.6
billion (31 December
2008)
$1.124
trillion (31 December
2007)
|
|
Agriculture
- products:
|
rice,
root crops, barley,
vegetables, fruit;
cattle, pigs,
chickens, milk, eggs;
fish
|
|
Industries:
|
electronics,
telecommunications,
automobile production,
chemicals,
shipbuilding, steel
|
|
Industrial
production growth rate:
|
12.1%
(2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
6 |
|
Electricity
- production:
|
417
billion kWh (2009
est.)
country
comparison to the world:
11 |
|
Electricity
- consumption:
|
402
billion kWh (2009
est.)
country
comparison to the world:
11 |
|
Electricity
- exports:
|
0
kWh (2009)
|
|
Electricity
- imports:
|
0
kWh (2009)
|
|
Oil
- production:
|
48,180
bbl/day (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
65 |
|
Oil
- consumption:
|
2.185
million bbl/day (2010
est.)
country
comparison to the world:
10 |
|
Oil
- exports:
|
907,100
bbl/day
country
comparison to the world:
21
note:
exports
consist of oil
derivatives (gasoline,
light oil, and
diesel), not crude oil
(2009)
|
|
Oil
- imports:
|
3.074
million bbl/day (2009)
country
comparison to the world:
5 |
|
Oil
- proved reserves:
|
0
bbl (1 January 2010
est.)
country
comparison to the world:
162 |
|
Natural
gas - production:
|
651
million cu m (2009
est.)
country
comparison to the world:
66 |
|
Natural
gas - consumption:
|
34.09
billion cu m (2009
est.)
country
comparison to the world:
25 |
|
Natural
gas - exports:
|
0
cu m (2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
79 |
|
Natural
gas - imports:
|
32.69
billion cu m (2009
est.)
country
comparison to the world:
10 |
|
Natural
gas - proved reserves:
|
50
billion cu m (1
January 2008 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
64 |
|
Current
account balance:
|
$36.35
billion (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
12
$42.67
billion (2009 est.)
|
|
Exports:
|
$466.3
billion (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
7
$373.6
billion (2009 est.)
|
|
Exports
- commodities:
|
semiconductors,
wireless
telecommunications
equipment, motor
vehicles, computers,
steel, ships,
petrochemicals
|
|
Exports
- partners:
|
China
21.5%, US 10.9%, Japan
6.6%, Hong Kong 4.6%
(2008)
|
|
Imports:
|
$417.9
billion (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
9
$317.5
billion (2009 est.)
|
|
Imports
- commodities:
|
machinery,
electronics and
electronic equipment,
oil, steel, transport
equipment, organic
chemicals, plastics
|
|
Imports
- partners:
|
China
17.7%, Japan 14%, US
8.9%, Saudi Arabia
7.8%, UAE 4.4%,
Australia 4.1% (2008)
|
|
Reserves
of foreign exchange
and gold:
|
$274.6
billion (31 December
2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
7
$270
billion (31 December
2009 est.)
|
|
Debt
- external:
|
$370.1
billion (31 December
2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
24
$370.8
billion (31 December
2009 est.)
|
|
Stock
of direct foreign
investment - at home:
|
$112.1
billion (31 December
2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:
30
$110.8
billion (31 December
2009 est.)
|
|
Stock
of direct foreign
investment - abroad:
|
$115.6
billion (31 December
2009)
country
comparison to the world:
25
$74.6
billion (30 June 2008)
|
|
Exchange
rates:
|
South
Korean won (KRW) per
US dollar - 1,153.77
(2010), 1,276.93
(2009), 1,101.7
(2008), 929.2 (2007),
954.8 (2006)
Communications
::Korea, South
Telephones
- main lines
in use:
|
19.289
million (2009)
country
comparison to
the world:
15 |
|
Telephones
- mobile
cellular:
|
47.944
million (2009)
country
comparison to
the world:
25 |
|
Telephone
system:
|
general
assessment: excellent
domestic and
international
services
featuring
rapid
incorporation
of new
technologies
domestic:
fixed-line
and
mobile-cellular
services
widely
available with
a combined
telephone
subscribership
of roughly 140
per 100
persons; rapid
assimilation
of a full
range of
telecommunications
technologies
leading to a
boom in
e-commerce
international:
country
code - 82;
numerous
submarine
cables provide
links
throughout
Asia,
Australia, the
Middle East,
Europe, and
US; satellite
earth stations
- 66
|
|
Broadcast
media:
|
multiple
national
television
networks with
2 of the 3
largest
networks
publicly
operated; the
largest
privately-owned
network, Seoul
Broadcasting
Service (SBS),
has ties with
other
commercial TV
networks;
cable and
satellite TV
subscription
services are
available;
publicly-operated
radio
broadcast
networks and a
large number
of
privately-owned
radio
broadcasting
networks, each
with multiple
affiliates,
and
independent
local stations
(2008)
|
|
Internet
country code:
|
.kr
|
|
Internet
hosts:
|
291,329
(2010)
country
comparison to
the world:
58 |
|
Internet
users:
|
39.4
million (2009)
country
comparison to
the world:
11
Transportation
::Korea, South
Airports:
|
116
(2010)
country
comparison
to the
world:
53 |
|
Airports
- with
paved
runways:
|
total:
72
over
3,047 m:
4
2,438
to 3,047
m: 21
1,524
to 2,437
m: 13
914
to 1,523
m: 12
under
914 m: 22
(2010)
|
|
Airports
- with
unpaved
runways:
|
total:
44
914
to 1,523
m: 2
under
914 m: 42
(2010)
|
|
Heliports:
|
510
(2010)
|
|
Pipelines:
|
gas
1,423
km;
refined
products
827 km
(2009)
|
|
Railways:
|
total:
3,381
km
country
comparison
to the
world:
51
standard
gauge: 3,381
km
1.435-m
gauge
(1,843
km
electrified)
(2008)
|
|
Roadways:
|
total:
103,029
km
country
comparison
to the
world:
41
paved:
80,642
km
(includes
3,367 km
of
expressways)
unpaved:
22,387
km
(2008)
|
|
Waterways:
|
1,608
km;
(most
navigable
only by
small
craft)
(2010)
country
comparison
to the
world:
50 |
|
Merchant
marine:
|
total:
819
country
comparison
to the
world:
14
by
type: bulk
carrier
201,
cargo
246,
carrier
5,
chemical
tanker
132,
container
69,
liquefied
gas 40,
passenger
5,
passenger/cargo
21,
petroleum
tanker
67,
refrigerated
cargo
15, roll
on/roll
off 9,
vehicle
carrier
9
foreign-owned:
33
(China
9,
France
1, Japan
15, US
8)
registered
in other
countries:
438
(Cambodia
11,
Ghana 1,
Honduras
6, Hong
Kong 3,
Indonesia
1,
Kiribati
2,
Liberia
1, Malta
3,
Marshall
Islands
25,
North
Korea 1,
Panama
366,
Philippines
1,
Russia
1,
Singapore
9,
Tuvalu
1,
unknown
6)
(2010)
|
|
Ports
and
terminals:
|
Inch'on,
P'ohang,
Pusan,
Ulsan,
Yosu
|
Military
::Korea,
South
Military
branches:
|
Republic
of
Korea
Army,
Navy
(includes
Marine
Corps),
Air
Force
(2009)
|
|
Military
service
age
and
obligation:
|
20-30
years
of
age
for
compulsory
military
service,
with
middle
school
education
required;
conscript
service
obligation
-
21
months
(Army,
Marines),
23
months
(Navy),
24
months
(Air
Force);
18-26
years
of
age
for
voluntary
military
service;
women,
in
service
since
1950,
admitted
to
7
service
branches,
including
infantry,
but
excluded
from
artillery,
armor,
anti-air,
and
chaplaincy
corps;
some
4,000
women
serve
as
commissioned
and
noncommissioned
officers,
approx.
2.3%
of
all
officers;
HIV-positive
individuals
are
exempt
from
military
service
(2010)
|
|
Manpower
available
for
military
service:
|
males
age
16-49:
13,274,442
females
age
16-49:
12,542,699
(2010
est.)
|
|
Manpower
fit
for
military
service:
|
males
age
16-49:
10,929,625
females
age
16-49:
10,264,608
(2010
est.)
|
|
Manpower
reaching
militarily
significant
age
annually:
|
male:
370,645
female:
321,765
(2010
est.)
|
|
Military
expenditures:
|
2.7%
of
GDP
(2006)
country
comparison
to
the
world:
53
|
|
Transnational
Issues
::Korea,
South |
Disputes
-
international:
|
Military
Demarcation
Line
within
the
4-km
wide
Demilitarized
Zone
has
separated
North
from
South
Korea
since
1953;
periodic
incidents
with
North
Korea
in
the
Yellow
Sea
over
the
Northern
Limit
Line,
which
South
Korea
claims
as
a
maritime
boundary;
South
Korea
and
Japan
claim
Liancourt
Rocks
(Tok-do/Take-shima),
occupied
by
South
Korea
since
1954
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