More to know about SOUTH KOREA - Introduction

About South Korea

The Republic of Korea commonly called as South Korea is a developed country on the far-east Asia, constituting southern part of the Korean Peninsula. The Korean peninsula is surrounded by Yellow Sea to the west and East Sea to the east. Taebaeksan Mountain Range forms the backbone of the peninsula. South Korea is also called the Land of the Morning Calm. Total area of South Korea is 100,364 sq km. The capital city is Seoul. Dokdo(독도), a group of rocky islets is the eastern most part of the Korean territory. Jeju-do(제주도)is the country's largest island, with an area of 1,845 square km and is about 100 km off the southern coast of South Korea. Jeju is also the site of South Korea's highest point: Hallasan, an extinct volcano, which is 1,950 m above sea level. There is a crater lake, Baengnokdam, at its summit. The longest river on the Korean Peninsula is Nakdong River which covers a 520 km long course before flowing into the South Sea. Seoul is the capital of the Republic of Korea. Han River passes through Seoul before flowing into the West Sea. Geographically situated in a temperate climate zone at medium latitude, Korea has four distinct seasons. In general, spring (Bom, 봄) is from March to May, summer (Yeo-reum, 여름) from June to August, autumn (Ga-eul, 가을) from September to November, and winter (Kyeo-ul 겨울) from December to February. The weather in spring and autumn is clear and dry, summer is hot and humid, and winter brings cold, dry weather. Korean Standard Time is in UTC+9 Time zone, 3.5 hours ahead of Indian time.

Won is the name of the Korean currency. 100 Won = 6.15 Indian Rupees appoximately. One thousand won currency note is called Cheon-won(천원), five thousand won is called O-cheon-won(오천원) and ten thousand won is called Man-won(만원). The Korean flag is called Taegeukgi(태극기). The national flower of Korea is the Mugunghwa(무궁화), rose of Sharon. The National Anthem of Korea is Aegukga(애국가).

The population of Korea was approximately 51.71 million in 2019. Out of the total population, roughly 49.6% is concentrated in Seoul and its vicinity. South Korea consists of 8 provinces, 6 Metropolitan cities, 1 metropolitan autonomous city, 1 special self-governing province, and 1 special city (Seoul).

South Korea is a democratic republic with a presidential system in which the President is the head of the government and is elected by the direct vote of the people for a five-year term. The current President Mr. Moon Jae-in assumed post of President of South Korea on 10 May 2017. The government is composed of three independent branches: the Executive branch; the Legislative branch composed of 300 four-year term members of the National Assembly; and the Judiciary branch, which includes fourteen six-year term Supreme Court justices. There are seventeen regional local governments and 226 basic local governments. The heads of the local governments and the members of local councils are each elected for a four-year term.

Although it has the smallest land area among G20 countries, South Korea is now a center of economic, cultural, and arts activity. Today, Korea is an industrial nation standing tall on the world stage. South Korean GDP was USD 1.62 trillion in 2018, the 12th largest in the world. The per capita GDP of South Korea is almost 16.5 times that of India. Korea’s overall trade volume surpassed USD 1 trillion in 2019 for the third consecutive year. In 2018 Korea’s exports were USD 605 billion, making it the world’s 6th largest exporter and the trade surplus was USD 70 billion. It ranks 1st in commercial 5G service and value of ship-building orders. Korea's standing in the international community was highlighted in 2010 as it became the first Asian country to chair the G20 when it hosted the G20 Seoul Summit. Many high-quality brands like Samsung, LG, Hyundai, and Kia motors are from Korea, A relatively new export sector for South Korea, the export amount of cultural contents rose significantly, to USD 9.55 billion in 2018. South Korea remained the world's most innovative country in the Bloomberg Innovation Index for the sixth consecutive year in 2019. It has the world's fastest Internet speed and first rank worldwide in terms of smartphone ownership and internet usage, as nine in 10 Korean adults use the internet and own a smartphone.

South Korea’s closest neighbor is North Korea. In August 1945, four decades of Japanese colonial rule ended, and U.S. and Soviet troops came to be stationed on the Korean Peninsula to both the south and north of the 38th parallel respectively. This resulted in the division of Korea into two separate countries. On June 25, 1950, North Korea attacked the South on all fronts, igniting a three-year internecine war. The tragic war was stopped with the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement on July 27, 1953. The peninsula has remained divided ever since, but a mood for peace has recently developed after years of tension. In 2018, three summits were held between the Presidents of South Korea and North Korea in 2018. At the Winter Olympics, both marched together in the opening ceremony and fielded a united women's ice hockey team. Also, they competed as "Korea" in some events at the 2018 Asian Games. 

Know More Information related to South Korea

Click the Link below:

1. About South Korea

      READ MORE  

2. Culture of South Korea

      READ MORE  

3. Tradition and Holidays of Korea

      READ MORE  

4. Relation between India and Korea

      READ MORE  

5. Tourism in Korea

      READ MORE  

6. Korean Language

      READ MORE  

7. Conclusion

      READ MORE  

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Get notified about the latest news, amazing facts, and many more at INFINITE VIVEK.

🛩️ Fly to our official Telegram Group.

  SUBSCRIBE