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Gateway to Korea. |
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Information from the CIA World Factbook |
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Information from Lonely Planet's website | |
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+ About South Korea
South Korea
| Republic of Korea
대한민국
大韓民國
Daehan-minguk |
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Motto: 널리 인간을 이롭게 하라 (홍익인간)
Benefit all humankind |
Anthem: Aegukga (애국가)
The Patriotic Song
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Capital
(and largest city) |
Seoul
 37°35′N 127°0′E / 37.583, 127 |
| Official languages |
Korean |
| Demonym |
South Korean, Korean |
| Government |
Presidential republic |
| - |
President |
Lee Myung-bak |
| - |
Prime Minister |
Han Seung-soo |
| Establishment |
| - |
National Foundation Day |
October 3, 2333 BCE |
| - |
Independence declared |
March 1, 1919 (de jure) |
| - |
Provisional Government |
April 13, 1919 |
| - |
Liberation |
August 15, 1945 |
| - |
First Republic |
August 15, 1948 |
| - |
United Nations recognition |
December 12, 1948 |
| Area |
| - |
Total |
100,032 km2 (108th)
38,622 sq mi |
| - |
Water (%) |
0.3 |
| Population |
| - |
estimate |
49,044,790 (24th) |
| - |
Density |
493/km2 (12th)
1,274/sq mi |
| GDP (PPP) |
2007 estimate |
| - |
Total |
$1.201 trillion[1] (13th) |
| - |
Per capita |
$24,803[1] (28th) |
| GDP (nominal) |
2007 estimate |
| - |
Total |
$969.871 billion[1] (13th) |
| - |
Per capita |
$20,015[1] (28th) |
| Gini (2006) |
35.1 |
| HDI (2007) |
▲ 0.921 (high) (26th) |
| Currency |
International symbol ₩ Pronounced Won (KRW) |
| Time zone |
Korea Standard Time (UTC+9) |
| - |
Summer (DST) |
not observed (UTC+9) |
| Date formats |
yyyy년 mm월 dd일
yyyy/mm/dd (CE) |
| Drives on the |
right |
| Internet TLD |
.kr |
| Calling code |
82 |
| 1 |
Mobile phone system CDMA, WCDMA, HSDPA and WiBro |
| 2 |
Domestic power supply 220V/60 Hz, CEE 7/7 sockets |
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK) and often referred to as Korea (Korean: 대한민국, IPA: [tɛː.han.min.ɡuk̚], Hanja: 大韓民國), listen (help·info)) is a presidential republic in East Asia, occupying the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. Also known as the "Land of the Morning Calm", it is neighbored by China to the west, Japan to the east and borders North Korea to the north. Its capital is Seoul, a major global city and a leading international financial centre in Asia, being the second largest metropolitan city in the world.[2]
Korea is one of the oldest civilizations in the world,[3] first inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic.[4] Following the unification of the Three Korean Kingdoms under Silla in 668 AD, Korea went through the Goryeo and Joseon Dynasty as one nation until the end of the Korean Empire in 1910. After liberation and division, South Korea was established in 1948 and has since become one of the two most advanced democracies in Asia. Following the Korean War, the South Korean economy grew significantly, transforming the country into an industrial powerhouse[5] and an influential military power[6] in the world. South Korea has an international outlook with memberships in the United Nations, WTO, OECD and G-20 major economies. It is also a founding member of APEC and the East Asia Summit, being a visa waiver and major non-NATO ally of the United States. South Korea is now working towards a peaceful reunification with North Korea.
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