South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea ( Korean : Daehan Minguk), is a country in the northeastern part of the Asian continent in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula after the division of the country Korea in 1945 was known officially as the Republic Korea. South Korea borders the demilitarized zone with North Korea, theYellow Sea , the Korea Strait and the Sea of Japan . South Korea has about 3,000 islands which lie particularly in the southern and western coast. There are approximately 50 million people in South Korea.



Contents
*1 History  ==History [  edit ] == After the Korean War, the Government of the Republic of Korea returned in September 1953, back from Busan, where she was located during the war, to Seoul. The south received much financial help from the United States, sometimes almost the size of the national budget. Syngman Rhee improperly reinforced its position in the government and dropped in 1954 re-elected for a period of eight years. But his reign came to an end after a student uprising in 1960 . Yun Bo-seon was then elected president, but it was in 1961 by Major General Park Chung-hee deposited by a coup again. Park Chung-hee was dissatisfied with the measures taken by the government.
 * 2 Demographics
 * 2.1 Population
 * 2.2 Language
 * 2.3 Religion
 * 3 Administrative divisions
 * 4 Geography
 * 4.1 Cities
 * 5 Sights
 * 6 Climate
 * 7 Culture
 * 7.1 Literature
 * 7.2 Three Kingdoms and Unified Silla
 * 7.3 Koryo and Chosŏn
 * 7.4 Modern Period
 * 7.5 Food and drink
 * 8 Sports
 * 9 Economy
 * 9.1 Economic Growth
 * 9.2 Korean Wave
 * 9.3 Labour
 * 9.4 Agriculture
 * 9.5 Forestry and Fisheries
 * 9.6 Mining
 * 9.7 Production
 * 9.8 Energy
 * 9.9 Transport
 * 9:10 Communication
 * 9:11 Currency and Banking
 * 9:12 Foreign Trade
 * 10 Political and civics
 * 11 Climate
 * 12 Traffic and transport
 * 13 National Heroes
 * 14 See also

The new military leaders promised to give the land quickly a democratically elected government. Although the military also promised not to stand for the presidency, Park Chung-hee broke those promises and won the election of 1963 by a narrow majority. In 1967 Park won the elections. According to South Korean law could a president but remain two installments. Through an amendment to the park was made ​​possible also in 1971 to again available. He won the election of Kim Dae-jung by a small majority.

Under Park Chung-hee ties with Japan were normalized and strengthen the relationship with the United States. This meant that fought alongside South Korean soldiers in Vietnam .

In 1971, Park put Korea back under military rule and dissolved the House of Commons and a new constitution was adopted in 1972, which gave Park the control of parliament. In the following years many dissidents were arrested. In 1979 Park Chung-hee was in the Blue House was shot by a member of the Korean secret service,Kim Jae-kyu . In 1980 grip General Chun Doo-hwan in power. His right hand was Roh Tae-woo in 1988 took over the presidency of Chun Doo-hwan. On May 18, 1980, broke into the city of Gwangju student protests that bloody head was pressed by the army. The audience was shocked and the call for a democratic government grew. In 1987 it was time, on the eve of the summer Olympics were taken drastic measures by the South Korean government that the country on the way helped to be a democratic nation.

In 1992 was first elected a president in 30 years who had no military background, Kim Young-sam . In the years that followed, the path of democratization continued. In 1997, the year of economic crisis in Asia, Kim Dae-jung was elected president. Kim was a former dissident who was wrongfully convicted as an instigator of the incident in Gwangju. Kim suggested the 'Sunshine policy' (sunshine policy) to search that way rapprochement with North Korea. This eventually led to a visit by Kim Dae-jung to Kim Jong-il, leader of North Korea . For his efforts, Kim Dae-jung was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 . Allegations of corruption, however, cast a shadow over Kim Dae-Jung's presidency and in 2002 became Roh Mu-hyun, the new president of South Korea. On 25 February 2008, took Lee Myung-bak over the helm of President Roh. Lee was the former mayor of Seoul and enjoyed fame as one who Cheonggyecheon restored. This was a stream that used to flow across the old town and once muted initiated by Lee was to build a road. ==[Demographics  edit ] == ===Population [  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The ancestors of Koreans are likely to come from Mongol tribes who settled in Korea in the 3rd millennium BC.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The growth of the population has for centuries been slight. Although there was a high birth rate, but also the mortality rate was very high. In the first half of the 20th century, the population began to grow rapidly, particularly through improved hygiene and vaccinations. This was reinforced in the 2nd half of the 20th century when the standard of living has been further increased. The birth rate remained high in tradition, while the death rate was low and life expectancy also rose sharply. Between 1958 and 2001 the population more than doubled. Action by the Korean government (promotion of family planning) the average number of children per family of 6 was lowered in 1960 to less than 2 in the nineties. It is expected that the maximum population size is reached around 2020.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Despite the domination by foreign nations the population of Korea is very ethnically homogeneous: 99.8% of the Korean population is ethnically Korean. In April 2005, there were 378,000 foreigners in Korea. These are mainly industrial workers, those from South Asian countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar (Burma) strains. ===Language <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">If language is the Korean spoken. Exact classification of Korean is debatable, but it is considered by many as an isolate . Some linguists classify it in the Altaic language family.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The Korean script ( Hangul ) is alphabetically and phonetically . Also used the Sino-Korean characters ( Hanja ) and more than 50% of the Korean vocabulary, directly or indirectly, derived from the Chinese . ===<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[Religion  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">In 2005, about 22 million or 46.5% of the South Korean population no religious affiliation. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-koreastat_1-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1] For the remainder is 13.7 million Christians (29.3%), of whom 8.6 million (18, 3%), Protestants and 5.1 million Catholics(10.9%); 10.7 million is Buddhist (22.8%) and less than half a million (1.0%) is among several smaller religions including Confucianism , chondogyo and wonboeddhisme .

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The largest parish in South Korea, Yoido Full Gospel Church of Paul Cho, is based in Seoul. In 2007, the membership of these was Pentecostal Church on 830,000, with seven Sunday services translated into 16 languages. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-economist_5-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[5] With Yoido Full Gospel, 11 of the 12 largest churches in the world located in Seoul. South Korea is the country, after the US, the largest number of missionaries sent out over the earth. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-6" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The Islam in Korea is estimated to be 45,000 as a result of some 100,000 foreign workers from Muslim countries . <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-7" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[7] ==Administrative divisions <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The country is administratively divided into sixteen administrative units, namely nine provinces and seven cities. See: administrative units of South Korea . <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">a = Korean Revised Romanization b = Name of Seoul ==<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[Geography  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == South Korea<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">South Korea lies in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula . This mountainous peninsula is flanked by the Yellow Sea to the west and the Sea of Japanin the east. The southern tip lies on the Korea Strait and the East China Sea .

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The country, including all the islands, located between latitudes 33 ° and 39 ° north latitude and 124 ° and 130 ° east longitude. The total area is 100,032 square kilometers.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">South Korea can be divided into four general regions: an eastern region of high mountains 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 the Nakdong.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">South Korea has about three thousand islands, mostly small and uninhabited, which lie off the western and southern coast. Jeju-do is located about 100 kilometers off the southern coast of South Korea. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-8" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[8] It is the largest island, with an area of 1,845 square kilometers. Jeju is also the place with the highest point in South Korea: Hallasan, an extinct volcano, reaches 1,950 meters above sea level. The most eastern islands of South Korea include Ulleungdoand Liancourt Rocks (Dokdo), while Marado and Socotra Rock the southernmost islands of South Korea.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The country has many reclamations, the largest is the Saemangeum . This polder was created by the damming of an estuary. By constructing a seawall of 33.1 kilometers long (longer than the Dam, until then the longest seawall in the world) is the shoreline shortened by nearly 100 kilometers. The dam was completed in 2006. After that, the area behind reclaimed, creating a polder was created with an area of 401 square kilometers, slightly smaller than South Flevoland . ===<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[City  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The capital of South Korea is Seoul .

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Some other cities are:

==<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[Sights  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == Changdeokgung Palace Complex*Haeinsa Janggyeong Panjeon, repository of the Korean Tripitaka-logs ==<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[Climate  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The climate in South Korea tends to have a humid continental climate and a humid subtropical climate and is affected by the East Asian monsoon with heavy rain in the summer during a short rainy season called " jangma "between early June and late July. Winter can be extremely cold with minimum temperature can drop to below -22 ° C in the interior. ==Culture <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == ===<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[References  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Korean literature can be divided chronologically into classical and modern periods. The Korean classical literature combined indigenous folk traditions with the religious and philosophical principles of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism. A male dominated, educated elite developed the classical literature, from the earliest times to the end of the Chosŏndynastie in 1910, using Chinese characters. The Korean characters,Hangeul, were introduced in 1446 but not obtained widespread approval as a literary language until the 20th century. The accessibility of Hangeul for all classes expanded the social base of Korean literature in the modern period. ===Three Kingdoms and Unified Silla <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The earliest examples of literature in Korean sources are hyangga (native songs) that originated from an ancient oral literary tradition and have both religious and folk overtones. To our knowledge, there are only 25 hyangga betrayed some originally dating from the 6th century; 14 of them are kept in an early historic text, Samguk-yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms, 1285).
 * Busan
 * Daegu
 * Daejeon
 * Gwangju
 * Gyeongju
 * Incheon
 * Seogwipo
 * Suwon
 * Ulsan
 * Jongmyo Shrine
 * Changdeokgung Palace Complex
 * Hwaseong Fortress
 * dolmen places Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa
 * Gyeongbokgung

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Buddhism became the dominant system of thought during the period of the Unified Silla and exerted great influence on literature and art. At the same time the rise of Confucianism encouraged the use of Chinese as a literary language and promoted the study of Chinese classics. Poetry Hanshi, in classical Chinese and compiled according to Chinese principles of poetry, but written by Koreans, became widespread among the literary elite of the United Silla. ===<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);"><span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[Koryo  and Chosŏn <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">]  === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Buddhism continued to exert an important influence on the literary development of the Koryŏperiode. In 1236, King Kojong, the Koryŏdynastie, commissioned by Buddhist monks, the entire Mahayana Buddhist canon (a collection of sutras, treatises, and as the Tripitaka reputable commentaries) record to provide divine protection against Mongol invasions from the north. Using traditional block printing methods, the monks cut the text in Chinese characters using more than 81,000 wooden blocks, a total of 6,791 volumes. Today, the original collection, which is considered the most complete version of the Mahayana Tripitaka in the world, preserved in the Haeinsa Buddhist temple in southern South Korea, and the wooden blocks are still used for the printing of the holy texts.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The literature became more important during Koryŏ- and Chosŏnperiodes when properly trained officials Yangban called, took the place of the hereditary ruling elite. In the tradition of Confucianism the Yangban were selected by a national examination that mastery of literature and other subjects required. Their works form the majority of captured Korean literature from the Koryŏ- and Chosŏnperiodes.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Sijo, a lyric with a simple yet sophisticated three-hit construction, originated in the early 13th century during Koryŏperiode and in bloom during Chosŏnperiode. Early sijopoëzie crowds Confucian ideals using themes from nature, were later incorporated elements of satire and humor. Renowned sijodichters included Hwang Chin-I, an educated courtesan of the 16th century as the main Korean poet is regarded, and Yun Song-do, a master of the form who lived from 1587 to 1671. Sijopoëzie was written into the 21st century and, as Japanese haiku, gained international popularity. ===Modern Period <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">In modern times, beginning in the early 20th century Korean writers took many different Western literary influences on, especially realism, surrealism and existentialism, in their attempts to express a series of difficult national experience: Japanese colonial rule, the division of Korea and the ensuing Korean War and a period of authoritarian rule. One of the major achievements of modern Korean literature, the epic novel in 16 parts T'oji (Land), which was written by Park Kyong-ni in a span of 25 years (1969 to 1994). The work provides a lively overview of Korea from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century. ===Food and drink <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Korean cuisine has a lot of ingredients and dishes vary by province. There are many regional dishes that have spread in different variations throughout the country. Korean cuisine is largely based on rice, noodles, tofu, vegetables, fish and meat. Traditional Korean meals are noted for the number of side dishes, banchan that accompany the short-grain rice. Each meal is accompanied by a large number banchan. Kimchi, a fermented, usually spicy vegetable dish is often served with every meal and is one of the best known Korean dishes. Korean cuisine is usually pretty seasoned with sesame oil, doenjang (a type of fermented soybean paste), soy sauce, salt, garlic, ginger and gochujang (hot pepper paste).

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Soups are also a general part of a Korean meal and are usually served as a part of the main course, instead of at the beginning or the end of the meal. Soups, known as Guk, are often made with meat, seafood and vegetables. Tang has less water and is served more often in restaurants. Another type is jjigae, more a stew that is typically heavily seasoned with chili pepper and served piping hot. ==<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[Sports  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == A taekwondo practitioner demonstrates the dollyo chagitechnique.<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The martial art taekwondo originated in Korea. In the 1950s and 1960s, the rules were standardized in 2000 and became an official Olympic sport taekwondo. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-9" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[9] Other Korean martial arts include Taekgyeon , hapkido , Tang Soo Do , Kuk Sool Won , Kumdo and Subak . <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-10" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[10]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Football is traditionally one of the most popular sports in Korea. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-11" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[11] A recent poll indicates that a large proportion (40.6%) of the South Korean sports fans continue to identify themselves as football fans, with baseball in second place at 25.3% of respondents. The poll did not give the extent to which respondents followed both sports. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-12" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[12] The national team was the first team in the Asian Football Confederation knew the semifinals to reach the FIFA World Cup during the 2002 World Cup jointly by South Korea and Japan took place. The national team has qualified for every World Cup since the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. ==Economy <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Since the sixties of the last century has changed the economy of South Korea from an agrarian to an industrial manufacturing industry with a large tertiary sector. The population migrated from the country to the industrial centers. The population of South Korea is currently concentrated in the cities; more than 85% live in urban centers, especially in Seoul and surrounding area, Busan and Daegu . ===Economic growth <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">In the sixties, South Korea began an economic rise. The country changed in forty years of an agrarian society, which was devastated by a civil war in an industrialized society.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">In the 80s and 90s of the 20th century, the country was known as one of the Asian Tigers : four countries in Southeast Asia went through a rapid and massive economic growth. This growth came to an end before the new millennium. Nevertheless, the South Korean economy remained one of the largest in Asia and at the global level, they play an important role. South Korea is a major producer of high-tech goods, but also the steel, shipbuilding, automobile manufacturing and production of electronic goods will make South Korea a key player on the international market. ===Korean Wave <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Another important export product in recent years, the Korean culture. In particular, Korean movies, music and television are warmly welcomed in neighboring countries, but also have a growing fan base outside the Asian continent. This phenomenon is called hallyu, Korean wave. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-13" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[13] ===Labour <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">In 2005 the total workforce 24 million. Of that about 8 percent employed in agriculture, forestry and fisheries; 27 percent in the industry; and 65 percent in services. Women constituted 41 per cent of the workforce.The main labor organization, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, with about 1.5 million members. ===Agriculture <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">In the late forties was conducted a land distribution program, which led to an agricultural system with mainly small private farms. The rapid industrialization and increasing urbanization reduced the share of agriculture in the economy; the number of families depend on agriculture for their livelihood has been decreasing steadily since the seventies. South Korea has 1.3 million farms, and the average cultivated farmland for each is 1 hectare.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">About 17 percent of the land is cultivated. The main food crop of the country, rice is grown on almost 60 percent of the farmland. Other important crops are soybeans , chilies , barley , cabbage , watermelons , garlic, onions , radishes , white potatoes , red beans , corn and sweet potatoes . An important development is the large increase in the yield of fruit, especially apples , oranges , grapes , persimmons , pears , andpeaches . Other crops include cotton , hemp and silk . The estimated livestock population in 2006 was 9.1 million pigs, 2.5 million cattle and 570,000 goats. ===<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);"><span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[Forestry  and Fisheries <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">]  === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Since the late sixties, South Korea has become one of the major fishing nations of the world, with a fleet of over 650 ships operating in distant waters. Also fished in nearby coastal waters. The ports of Ulsan and Masan developed as deep sea bases with fish processing plants. The catch in 2007 was 3 million metric tons. Squid, mollusks, anchovies, tuna, mackerel and perch are the main catches. South Korea imports the majority of its timber, but the reforestation has strengthened some tree plantations for commercial use. The wood yield from the country in 2007 amounted to 5.2 million cubic meters of timber. ===<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[Mining  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">South Korea has limited supplies of minerals. In 2003, 3.3 million metric tons of anthracite coal, the main mineral of the country, extracted, and 6,000 metric tons of zinc. There are also small amounts of graphite, iron ore, lead, tungsten, gold, silver, and kaolin (a fine clay) from the ground. The mining of limestone is important, since much of the revenue for the production of cement is used, the main material used in construction. ===<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[Production  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The division of the Korean peninsula in 1948 created two out of their unbalanced economic units. North Korea was the most natural resources and heavy industries that were developed during the occupation by the Japanese; South Korea, the major part of the agricultural resources and a large number of workers. The industrial development in the south focused initially on the light production of export-oriented goods, especially in labor-intensive industries such as textiles and clothing, footwear, and food. In the early seventies, however, began to shift the focus towards heavy industry. In the eighties and nineties, the Korean manufacturers also threw himself on high technology industries such as computer components and semiconductors. Production is dominated by chaebol, big business conglomerates with very diverse interests.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">South Korea is a major manufacturer of telecommunications and sound equipment (mainly radios, televisions, telephones and video recorders) and transport (mainly cars). Shipbuilding is an important industry. Other important industries include the manufacture of chemicals, machinery, food and beverage, base metal, and textiles. ===Energy <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Electricity plants in mainly imported oil produced 62 percent of the flow of South Korea in 2006. In the seventies, the country began to build nuclear power plants to reduce its dependence on imported oil, and in 2006 gave nuclear power 38 percent of the electricity. Another 1 percent came from hydroelectric plants. The annual electricity production was 326 billion kilowatt hours. ===<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[Transportation  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">A well-developed road network links the main urban centers of South Korea. The country has about 100,000 km of main roads, of which more than 2500 km highway, including two new roads, one running south from Seoul to Mokpo along the west coast, and the other east of Seoul International Airport Incheon . The rail network covers 3,400 km, including 250 km high-speed railway between Seoul and Busan. In May 2007 the rail link between North and South Korea was once used by a passenger train. Although a largely symbolic trial involved many South Koreans regarded the brief resumption of traffic between the two countries as an extremely important event. The main ports of the country are Busan, Incheon, Gunsan, and Mokpo. The Korean merchant fleet consists of 3,000 vessels.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Korean Air and Asiana its national airlines operating domestic and international air traffic. Air traffic is growing rapidly in South Korea. In April 2001, the Incheon International Airport was opened, the hub for international flights. The airport is located 52 km west of Seoul, and covers 5,600 acres acquired land between two islands off the coast. ===<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[Communication  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The mass media have assumed great importance in South Korea. Freedom of the press is constitutionally guaranteed since 1987, when a democratic government system was instituted. This resulted in the reappearance of newspapers which were banned under the previous military regime, and to the launch of many new newspapers. South Korea has 139 daily newspapers, some of which are rural. In 2000 there were 364 televisions and 1,039 radios per 1,000 inhabitants. In 2005 there were 794 mobile phone subscribers per 1,000 inhabitants. ===Currency and Bank <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The currency in South Korea is the Won (KRW; 1000 won is about 82 cents, 1 euro has gained about 1208, May 2015), published by the central bank of South Korea. ===Foreign Trade <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">After the disruption of trade during the Korean War and its aftermath exports increased from 1965 to 1980 with a remarkable annual average of 27.2 percent and increased sixfold from 1980 to 1995. The country, with few natural resources and a relatively small domestic market, fueled its rapid economic growth fueled by its skilled workforce to use to produce goods for export. In 1996, South Korea joined the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ), an international organization that works to coordinate the economic policies of industrialized nations.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The main imports (much of it is used for the production of goods for export) consists of industrial machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, electronic equipment, iron and steel, transport equipment and chemicals. The output includes electronic equipment, materials, vehicles, telecommunications and sound equipment, iron and steel, metal products, computer components and clothing. Import was valued in 2004 at US $ 224.5 billion and exports at US $ 253.8 billion. The main trading partners for exports were the United States, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Germany. The main partners for imports were the United States, Japan, Germany, Saudi Arabia and Australia. ==<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);"><span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;">[Politics  and polity <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;">edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">]  == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">South Korea is a parliamentary democracy . The establishment of South Korea in 1948 is primarily associated with the name Syngman Rhee, the first president. The president is elected directly by the people for a period of 5 years. The prime minister of the government is chosen by the president, who leads a cabinet of 15 to 30 people.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The South Korean parliament (Gukhoe) consists of 299 deputies who are elected for a period of 4 years. There is no Senate. Some political parties in South Korea are the ruling right-wingconservativeSaenuri Party, the center-leftLiberalDemocratic United Party, the left- liberal United Progressive Party and the New Progressive Party .

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The current president of South Korea Park Geun-hye . She is the first female president in the history of the country. ==<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[Climate  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The climate of South Korea has a temperate climate with four seasons. During the winter the climate is controlled by cold and dry air from the Asian continent. In the summer dominate the warm and humid air masses from the Pacific Ocean are supplied. Most rain also falls during the summer. The spring in late March, early April starts, is pleasant, except when fine yellow dust from the Gobi -woestijn landed. The best time for a stay in South Korea this autumn.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The annual rainfall is about 1000 mm in the north and 1,300 mm in the south of the country. ==Traffic and transport <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The major international airport Incheon International Airport, but also the airports Gimhae International Airport , Gimpo International Airport and Jeju International Airport have regular international air traffic. South Korean airlines Korean Air and Asiana Airlines .

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">In Seoul include a subway . Between major cities, trains operated by Korail ; the high-speed KTX has been in use since December 2004. ==National heroes <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == ==See also <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] ==
 * Hendrick Hamel
 * Guus Hiddink
 * Park Ji-sung
 * Yi Jun
 * Yi Sun-sin
 * Park Jae-sang
 * Lee Byung-Chull
 * Korea
 * North Korea
 * List of major South Korean cities