[158] The capital city of Seoul is also the country's largest city and chief industrial center. [364], 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. Exercise normal precautions in South Korea. In May 2011, Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd., South Korea's largest plane maker, signed a $400 million deal to sell 16 T-50 Golden Eagle trainer jets to Indonesia, making South Korea the first country in Asia to export supersonic jets.[272]. [254] The Soviet Union and China backed North Korea, with the later participation of millions of Chinese troops. [402] In the 2008 Summer Olympics, South Korea won the gold medal in baseball. [329] An estimated 90% of South Koreans own a mobile phone. However, after World WarII, the People's Republic of China embraced Maoism while South Korea sought close relations with the United States. South Korean singer Psy became an international sensation when his song "Gangnam Style" topped global music charts in 2012. [255] [140] Efforts have also been made with afforestation projects. Korean art has been highly influenced by Buddhism and Confucianism, which can be seen in the many traditional paintings, sculptures, ceramics and the performing arts. [123], On 29 October 2022, at least 153 people were crushed to death when a crowd surged in an alleyway during Halloween festivities in Seoul's Itaewon district. [223] It also has the third highest health adjusted life expectancy in the world.[224]. [382], In addition to domestic consumption, South Korea has a thriving entertainment industry where various facets of South Korean entertainment, including television dramas, films, and popular music, has generated significant financial revenues for the nation's economy. However, it has retained many broad characteristics and with the exception of the short-lived Second Republic of South Korea, the country has always had a presidential system with an independent chief executive. Most states worldwide work under a unitary system of government, for . South Korea has a government which is a Unitary State. Limited Government South Korea North Korea's main rule that no one disobeys without very good reason is to obey all the rules. It has participated in most major conflicts that the United States has been involved in the past 50 years. [241] In 2007, a free trade agreement known as the Republic of Korea-United States Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) was signed between South Korea and the United States, but its formal implementation was repeatedly delayed, pending approval by the legislative bodies of the two countries. [167] Currently, South Korea has one of the highest rates of growth of foreign born population, with about 30,000 foreign born residents obtaining South Korean citizenship every year since 2010. The U.S. troops, which are primarily ground and air units, are assigned to USFK and mainly assigned to the Eighth United States Army of the U.S. Army and Seventh Air Force of the U.S. Air Force. South Korea has the fastest Internet download speeds in the world,[332] with an average download speed of 25.3 Mbit/s. During World WarII, more than 100,000 Koreans served in the Imperial Japanese Army. On 6 July 2011, Pyeongchang was chosen by the IOC to host the 2018 Winter Olympics. In response to then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, former President Roh Moo-hyun suspended all summit talks between South Korea and Japan in 2009. In recent years, the country has been facing an aging population and the lowest fertility rate in the world. The U.S. government estimates the total population at 51.7 million (midyear 2021). [245], South Korea and Russia are participants in the Six-party talks on the North Korea's nuclear proliferation issue. The country adopted a new educational program to increase the number of their foreign students through 2010. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. It has a population of 51.75 million, of which roughly half live in the Seoul Capital Area, the fourth most populous metropolitan area in the world. The constitution has been revised several times since its first promulgation in 1948 at independence. The Seoul Olympic Museum is dedicated to the 1988 Summer Olympics. [205] Further criticism has been stemmed for causing labor shortages in various skilled blue collar labor and vocational occupations, where many go unfilled as the negative social stigma associated with vocational careers and not having a university degree continues to remain deep-rooted in South Korean society.[206][207][208]. [citation needed] Many of these forces are concentrated near the Korean Demilitarized Zone. [302] There are also many heliports. The Korean high-speed rail system, KTX, provides high-speed service along Gyeongbu and Honam Line. [300], South Korea's main gateway and largest airport is Incheon International Airport, serving 58 million passengers in 2016. [306], South Korea is the world's fifth-largest nuclear power producer and the second-largest in Asia as of 2010[update]. [261], The EU has been the single largest foreign investor in South Korea since 1962, and accounted for almost 45% of all FDI inflows into Korea in 2006. However, it is not a direct translation of the Korean name. Contents 1 History 2 Types 3 Administration EveR-1 has been succeeded by more complex models with improved movement and vision. [137], In 2017, South Korea was the world's seventh largest emitter of carbon emissions and the fifth largest emitter per capita. "M" means multiple times. Buddhism was introduced to Korea in the 4th century. 3 October is National Foundation Day. [126] South Korea is home to three terrestrial ecoregions: Central Korean deciduous forests, Manchurian mixed forests, and Southern Korea evergreen forests.[127]. [230] North and South Korea are still technically at war (having never signed a peace treaty after the Korean War) and share the world's most heavily fortified border. [385] Western-style pop, hip hop, rhythm and blues, rock, folk, electronic dance oriented acts have become dominant in the modern South Korean popular music scene, though trot is still enjoyed among older South Koreans. [262] In 1967, South Korea obliged the mutual defense treaty, by sending a large combat troop contingent to support the United States in the Vietnam War. foreign direct investment in the U.S. has nearly doubled since 2011 from $19.7 billion to $38.8 billion in 2016, making the R.O.K. Other major cities include Busan (3.5 million), Incheon (3.0 million), Daegu (2.5 million), Daejeon (1.4 million), Gwangju (1.4 million) and Ulsan (1.1 million). [303], The national carrier, Korean Air served over 26,800,000 passengers, including almost 19,000,000 international passengers in 2016. South Koreans drink 13.7 shots of liquor per week on average and, of the 44 other countries analyzed, Russia, the Philippines, and Thailand follow.[368]. According to a 2015 census conducted by the Korea Statistical Information Service, of the 44 percent of the population espousing a religion, 45 percent are Protestant, 35 percent Buddhist, 18 percent Roman Catholic, and 2 percent . It remained the state religion in Later Silla (North South States Period) and Goryeo. The president is elected for a five-year term by the people. South Korea is a democracy, and specifically, a unitary presidential republic, a type of democracy where the state is a single entity with an elected president, i.e., there is no state. The winners were announced on 29 September 2013 and shared a total prize pool of 80 million won (US$74,000). The free trade agreement was approved in September 2010, and took effect on 1 July 2011. In 1910, Japan began a 35-year period of colonial rule over Korea. The Korean Peninsula was inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic period. There are large-scale flows of manufactured goods, agricultural products, services, and technology between the two countries. Follow @SecBlinken for more from the Secretary. South Korea, Officially Known As Federal Republic Of Korea (Hangul: [Romaja: Daehan Yeonbang Gonghwaguk]) (Spanish: Repblica Federal de Corea) Is A Sovereign State In East Asia, constituing the Southern Part Of Korean Peninsula. Since June, 2021 the United States has shared 1,412,800 safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine doses with the people of South Korea - free of cost. [156] The country is noted for its population density, which was an estimated 505 per square kilometer in 2015,[152] more than 10 times the global average. [125], South Korea can be divided into four general regions: an eastern region of high mountain ranges and narrow coastal plains; a western region of broad coastal plains, river basins, and rolling hills; a southwestern region of mountains and valleys; and a southeastern region dominated by the broad basin of the Nakdong River. [292] Although it was severely harmed by the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the South Korean economy managed a rapid recovery and subsequently tripled its GDP. [25][26] However, the name Joseon was still widely used by Koreans to refer to their country, though it was no longer the official name. [147] South Korea is ranked 45th on the Corruption Perceptions Index (9th in the Asia-Pacific region), with a score of 57 out of 100.[148]. South Korea regularly performs well in archery, shooting, table tennis, badminton, short track speed skating, handball, field hockey, freestyle wrestling, Greco-Roman wrestling, baseball, judo, taekwondo, speed skating, figure skating, and weightlifting. [299] Express bus terminals are available in most cities. The succeeding Korean Empire (18971910) was annexed in 1910 into the Empire of Japan. [194][198], The system's rigid and hierarchical structure has been criticized for stifling creativity and innovation;[199][200] described as intensely and "brutally" competitive,[201] the system is often blamed for the high suicide rate in the country, particularly the growing rates among those aged 1019. Kitts-Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South America . In 1897, the Joseon dynasty changed the official name of the country from Joseon to Daehan Jeguk (Korean Empire). Winters can be extremely cold with the minimum temperature dropping below 20C (4F) in the inland region of the country: in Seoul, the average January temperature range is 7 to 1C (19 to 34F), and the average August temperature range is 22 to 30C (72 to 86F). Christianity's similarity to native religious narratives has been studied as another factor that contributed to its success in the peninsula. TOURIST VISA REQUIRED: Yes - visa or Korean Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) as of September 1, 2021. Individuals age of 55 and younger than 60 who are not engaged in activities yielding earned income are eligible to be covered under the 'early old-age pension' scheme. South Korean television dramas, known as K-dramas, have begun to find fame internationally. There is heavy anti-Japanese sentiment in South Korea because of a number of unsettled Japanese-Korean disputes, many of which stem from the period of Japanese occupation after the Japanese annexation of Korea. Learn more about our workDelivering Vaccinesand onCOVID-19 Recovery. [d]The country's western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eastern border is defined by the Sea of Japan. Photos and Videos National anthem of South Korea See All Videos, Images and Audio Although South Korea experienced a series of military dictatorships from the 1960s until the 1980s, it has since developed into a successful liberal democracy. There had also been strong anti-American sentiment during certain periods, which has largely moderated in the modern day. [146] Under its current constitution the state is sometimes referred to as the Sixth Republic of South Korea. Chun's assumption of the presidency through the events of 17 May triggered nationwide protests demanding democracy; these protests were particularly focused in the city of Gwangju, to which Chun sent special forces to violently suppress the Gwangju Democratization Movement. It is the country's largest island, with an area of 1,845 square kilometers (712 square miles). Traditional Korean meals are noted for the number of side dishes, banchan (), which accompany steam-cooked short-grain rice. President Lee Myung-bak declared in May 2010 that Seoul would cut all trade with North Korea as part of measures primarily aimed at striking back at North Korea diplomatically and financially, except for the joint Kaesong Industrial Project and humanitarian aid. Ancient architects adopted the bracket system characterized by thatched roofs and heated floors called ondol. Major cities including Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Daegu, Daejeon and Gwangju have urban rapid transit systems. [409], Domestic horse racing events are also followed by South Koreans and Seoul Race Park in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do is located closest to Seoul out of the country's three tracks.[410]. Similar to guk, tang (; ) has less water, and is more often served in restaurants. South Korea's smaller but more advanced artillery force and wide range of airborne reconnaissance platforms are pivotal in the counter-battery suppression of North Korea's large artillery force, which operates more than 13,000 artillery systems deployed in various state of fortification and mobility. This includes 1,412,800 J&J, doses. The two countries sought to improve bilateral relations and lifted the forty-year-old trade embargo,[239] and South KoreanChinese relations have improved steadily since 1992. [177] In 2015, National Statistical Office estimated that the population of the country will have reached its peak by 2035. Gija Joseon was purportedly founded in the 12th century BCE, but its existence and role have been controversial in the modern era. [239] The Republic of Korea broke off official relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan) upon gaining official relations with the People's Republic of China, which does not recognize Taiwan's sovereignty. South Korea went on to sign a Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Australia in 2014, and another with New Zealand in 2015. The name Goryeo itself was first used by the ancient kingdom of Goguryeo, which was considered a great power of East Asia during its time, in the 5th century as a shortened form of its name. "[259], The European Union (EU) and South Korea are important trading partners, having negotiated a free trade agreement for many years since South Korea was designated as a priority FTA partner in 2006. [196] Meals consumed both by the royal family and ordinary Korean citizens have been regulated by a unique culture of etiquette. ", "South Korea's president is removed from office as court upholds her impeachment", "New Korean president willing to work with North DW 05/10/2017", "South Korea's Moon may be on brink of legacy-defining moment", "Park Geun-hye: South Korea's ex-leader jailed for 24 years for corruption", "As Birthrate Falls, South Korea's Population Declines, Posing Threat to Economy", "Who is South Korea's new president Yoon Suk-yeol? Life expectancy has been rising rapidly and South Korea ranked 11th in the world for life expectancy at 82.3 years by the WHO in 2015. The greening initiative includes such efforts as a nationwide bike network, solar and wind energy, lowering oil dependent vehicles, backing daylight saving time and extensive usage of environmentally friendly technologies such as LEDs in electronics and lighting. This category comprises retirees who voluntarily choose to have additional benefits, individuals under the age of 27 without income, and individuals whose spouses are covered under a public welfare system, whether military, governmental, or private school teacher pensions. South Korea is a constitutional democracy. [235] Memorial Day is celebrated on 6 June, and its purpose is to honor the men and women who died in South Korea's independence movement. In 936, the Later Three Kingdoms were united by Wang Geon, a descendant of Goguryeo nobility,[76] who established Goryeo as the successor state of Goguryeo. Busan, Incheon, Daegu, Daejeon and Gwangju have urban rapid transit systems also been strong anti-American during! Thatched roofs and heated floors called ondol find fame internationally Korean high-speed rail,. The president is elected for a five-year term by the IOC to host the Winter... 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is south korea a unitary state