Edition 2005 — South Korea

Administrative divisions

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 (Inch'on), Kwangju-gwangyoksi (Kwangju), Pusan-gwangyoksi (Pusan), Soul-t'ukpyolsi (Seoul), Taegu-gwangyoksi (Taegu), Taejon-gwangyoksi (Taejon), Ulsan-gwangyoksi (Ulsan)

Age structure

0-14 years: 19.4% (male 4,952,177/female 4,450,821) 15-64 years: 72% (male 17,715,267/female 17,147,808) 65 years and over: 8.6% (male 1,670,971/female 2,485,600) (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products

rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish

Airports

179 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 88 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 21 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 38 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 91 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 88 (2004 est.)

Area

land: 98,190 sq km
total: 98,480 sq km
water: 290 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Indiana

Background

Korea was an independent kingdom under Chinese suzerainty for most of the past millennium. Following its victory in the Russo-Japanese War in 1905, Japan occupied Korea; five years later it formally annexed the entire peninsula. After World War II, a republic was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in the north. During the Korean War (1950-53), US and other UN forces intervened to defend South Korea from North Korean attacks supported by the Chinese. 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 14 times the level of North Korea. In 1987, South Korean voters elected ROH Tae-woo to the presidency, ending 26 years of military dictatorships. South Korea today is a fully functioning modern democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took place between the South's President KIM Tae-chung and the North's leader KIM Jong Il. Geography Korea, South

Birth rate

10.08 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Budget

expenditures: $155.8 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
revenues: $150.5 billion

Capital

Seoul

Climate

temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Coastline

2,413 km

Constitution

17 July 1948

Country name

abbreviation: ROK
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

Currency (code)

South Korean won (KRW)

Currency code

KRW

Current account balance

$26.78 billion (2004 est.)

Death rate

6.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Debt - external

$160 billion (2004 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher R. HILL
embassy: 82 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710
FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845
mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-5550
telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
chief of mission: Ambassador Lee Tae-sik (designated)
consulate(s): Agana (Guam) and New York
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle
FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205
telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600

Disputes - international

Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic maritime disputes with North Korea over the Northern Limit Line; South Korea and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by South Korea since 1954 This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005 ======================================================================

Distribution of family income - Gini index

35.8 (2000)

Economic aid - donor

ODA $334 million (2003)

Economy - overview

Since the early 1960s, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth and integration into the high-tech modern world economy. Four decades ago GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. In 2004, it joined the trillion dollar club of world economies. Today its GDP per capita is 14 times North Korea's and equal to 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 1997-99 exposed longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model, including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an undisciplined financial sector. Growth plunged to a negative 6.9% in 1998, then strongly recovered to 9.5% in 1999 and 8.5% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.3% in 2001 because of the slowing global economy, falling exports, and the perception that much-needed corporate and financial reforms had stalled. Led by consumer spending and exports, growth in 2002 was an impressive 7.0%, despite anemic global growth. Economic growth fell to 3.1% in 2003 because of a downturn in consumer spending and recovered to an estimated 4.6% in 2004 on the strength of rapid export growth. The government plans to boost infrastructure spending in 2005. Moderate inflation, low unemployment, an export surplus, and fairly equal distribution of income characterize this solid economy.

Electricity - consumption

293.6 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - production

322.5 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 62.4%
hydro: 0.8%
nuclear: 36.6%
other: 0.2% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m
lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m

Environment - current issues

air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing

Environment - international agreements

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

Ethnic groups

homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

Exchange rates

South Korean won per US dollar - 1,145.3 (2004), 1,191.6 (2003), 1,251.1 (2002), 1,291 (2001), 1,131 (2000)

Executive branch

cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation
chief of state: President ROH Moo-hyun (since 25 February 2003)
election results: results of the 19 December 2002 election - ROH Moo-hyun elected president; percent of vote - ROH Moo-hyun (MDP) 48.9%; LEE Hoi-chang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5%
elections: president elected by popular vote for single five-year term; election last held 19 December 2002 (next to be held in February 2008); prime minister appointed by president with consent of National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by president on prime minister's recommendation
head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hae-chan (since 25 May 2004); Deputy Prime Ministers HAN Duck-soo (14 March 2005), KIM Jin-pyo (since 28 January 2005), and OH Myung (since 18 October 2004)

Exports

$250.6 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment, motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals

Exports - partners

China 19.7%, US 17%, Japan 8.6%, Hong Kong 7.2% (2004)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Korea, South

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 Korea, South

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 3.2%
industry: 40.4%
services: 56.3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $19,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4.6% (2004 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$925.1 billion (2004 est.)

Geographic coordinates

37 00 N, 127 30 E

Geography - note

strategic location on Korea Strait People Korea, South

Government type

republic

Heliports

206 (2004 est.) Military Korea, South

Highways

paved: 66,721 km (including 1,996 km of expressways)
total: 86,990 km
unpaved: 20,269 km (2001)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

8,300 (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 22.5% (1999 est.)

Imports

$214.2 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics

Imports - partners

Japan 20.6%, China 13.2%, US 12.9%, Saudi Arabia 5.3% (2004)

Independence

15 August 1945 (from Japan)

Industrial production growth rate

10.1% (2004 est.)

Industries

electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel

Infant mortality rate

female: 6.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
male: 7.5 deaths/1,000 live births
total: 7.05 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.6% (2004 est.)

International organization participation

AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CP, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Internet country code

.kr

Internet hosts

694,206 (2001)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

11 (2000)

Internet users

29.22 million (2003) Transportation Korea, South

Investment (gross fixed)

28.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Irrigated land

11,590 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (justices appointed by president with consent of National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices appointed by president based partly on nominations by National Assembly and Chief Justice of the court)

Labor force

22.9 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 8%, industry 19%, services 73% (2004 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries: North Korea 238 km
total: 238 km

Land use

arable land: 17.18%
other: 80.87% (2001)
permanent crops: 1.95%

Languages

Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school

Legal system

combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats - members elected for four-year terms; 243 in single-seat constituencies, 56 by proportional representation
election results: percent of vote by party - Uri 51%, GNP 41%, DLP 3%, DP 3%, others 2%; seats by party - Uri 146, GNP 125, DLP 10, DP 9, ULD 3, independents 6 note: percent of vote is for 2004 general election; seats by party reflect results of 2005 byelections involving six seats; MDP became DP in May 2005 (2005)
elections: last held 15 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2008; byelections held on 30 April 2005)

Life expectancy at birth

female: 80.57 years (2005 est.)
male: 73.42 years
total population: 76.85 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
female: 96.6% (2002) Government Korea, South
male: 99.2%
total population: 97.9%

Location

Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea

Manpower available for military service

males age 20-49: 12,458,257 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 20-49: 9,932,026 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males: 344,723 (2005 est.)

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: not specified
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait

Median age

female: 35.53 years (2005 est.)
male: 33.53 years
total: 34.51 years

Merchant marine

by type: bulk carrier 125, cargo 196, chemical tanker 88, container 71, liquefied gas 20, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 22, petroleum tanker 51, refrigerated cargo 15, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle carrier 3
foreign-owned: 2 (Germany 1, United Kingdom 1)
registered in other countries: 366 (2005)
total: 601 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,992,656 GRT/11,081,142 DWT

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Maritime Police (Coast Guard)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$16.18 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.8% (2004) Transnational Issues Korea, South

Military service age and obligation

20-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 24-28 months, depending on the military branch involved; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; some 4,000 women serve as commissioned and noncommissioned officers, approx. 2.3% of all officers; women, in service since 1950, are admitted to seven service branches, including infantry; excluded from artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps (2005)

National holiday

Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

Nationality

adjective: Korean
noun: Korean(s)

Natural gas - consumption

20.92 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - imports

21.11 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural hazards

occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest

Natural resources

coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

2.07 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

630,100 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports

2.263 million bbl/day (2003)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Pipelines

gas 1,433 km; refined products 827 km (2004)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Labor Party or DLP [KIM Hye-kyung, chairwoman]; Democratic Party or DP [HAHN Hwa-kap, chairman]; Grand National Party or GNP [PARK Geun-hye, chairwoman]; United Liberal Democrats or ULD [KIM Hak-won, chairman]; Uri Party [MOON Hee-sang, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders

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

Population

48,422,644 (July 2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

4% (2001 est.)

Population growth rate

0.38% (2005 est.)

Ports and harbors

Inch'on, Masan, P'ohang, Pusan, Ulsan

Public debt

21.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 58, FM 150, shortwave 2 (2004)

Radios

47.5 million (2000)

Railways

standard gauge: 3,472 km 1.435-m gauge (1,342 km electrified) (2004)
total: 3,472 km

Religions

no affiliation 46%, Christian 26%, Buddhist 26%, Confucianist 1%, other 1%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$199.1 billion (2004 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic: NA
general assessment: excellent domestic and international services
international: country code - 82; fiber-optic submarine cable to China; the Russia-Korea-Japan submarine cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)

Telephones - main lines in use

22.877 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

33,591,800 (2003)

Television broadcast stations

64 (additionally 119 Cable Operators; 239 Relay Cable Operators) (2004)

Televisions

15.9 million (1997)

Terrain

mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south

Total fertility rate

1.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate