South Korea in focus

 

South Korea is a country in East Asia. It occupies the southern portion of the Korean peninsula. The country is bordered by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) to the north, the East Sea (Sea of Japan) to the east, the East China Sea to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west; to the southeast it is separated from the Japanese island of Tsushima by the Korea Strait. South Korea makes up about 45 percent of the peninsula’s land area. The capital is Seoul (Sŏul).

South Korea faces North Korea across a demilitarized zone (DMZ) 2.5 miles (4 km) wide that was established by the terms of the 1953 armistice that ended fighting in the Korean War (1950–53). The DMZ, which runs for about 150 miles (240 km), constitutes the 1953 military cease-fire line and roughly follows latitude 38° N (the 38th parallel) from the mouth of the Han River on the west coast of the Korean peninsula to a little south of the North Korean town of Kosŏng on the east coast.

The Korean Peninsula extends southward from the northeastern part of the Asian continent. The country has a long history and proud tradition. Buddhism and Confucianism have influenced the nation's society and culture.
Koreans, like many other Asian peoples, are descendants of the Mongolian Tungus stock. They differ from the neighboring Japanese and Chinese, however, in that Koreans are a homogeneous ethnic group with their own language, culture, and customs.
Over the last several decades, South Korea has transformed herself from an agrarian society to an industrial leader on the world economic scene. Progress is being made in education, science and technology and social welfare.
In 2002 South Korea has co-hosted, the FIFA World Cup™ tournament.

After World War II, a republic was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula (in August 15, 1945) while a communist-style government was installed in the north.
The Korean War (1950-53) had US and other UN forces intervene 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 13 times the level of North Korea.
In 1997, the nation suffered a severe financial crisis from which it continues to make a solid recovery. South Korea has also maintained its commitment to democratize its political processes.

In June 2000, a historic first south-north summit took place between the south's then President KIM Dae-jung and the north's leader KIM Chong-il. In December 2000, President KIM Dae-jung won the Noble Peace Prize for his lifelong commitment to democracy and human rights in Asia. He was the first Korean to win a Nobel Prize.

Political system
South Korea is a presidential representative democratic republic, specified by the constitution. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the National Assembly.
Head of state is the President; the president is also the chairman of the cabinet, the chief executive of the government, and commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
If the National Assembly votes against a presidential decision, it will be declared void immediately. Head of government is the Prime minister.

 

Diplomatic Missions
Permanent Mission of The Republic of Korea to the UN
South Korea's representation to the United Nations.
Embassy of the Republic of Korea
Washington, D.C.
South Korea's' Overseas Missi ons
Directory of Korean Missions Abroad.
Diplomatic Missions in Korea
List of foreign Consulates, Embassies and Organizations in Korea.

 

South Korean Brands

Hyundai Group
The South Korean conglomerate (Chaebol) includes Hyundai Automotive Group, Hyundai Department Store Group, and Hyundai Heavy Industries Group.
KIA
South Korea's second-largest car manufacturer.
LG (short for „Lucky GoldStar“)
A Korean Global Business Group.
Samsung
The multinational company is by far the largest conglomerate (Chaebol) in South Korea, it is headquartered in Seoul.

DaeWoo Korean was a manufacturer of cars and electronic, it was dismantled by the Korean government in 1999. Daewoo was the second largest conglomerate in Korea after the Hyundai Group.

POSCO
A multinational steel-making company headquartered in Pohang, a port city at the Sea of Japan (East Sea) in Gyeongsangbuk-do province..

Hankook Tire
South Korean manufacturer of tires for passenger cars and trucks, it is the 7th largest tire company in the world.

largest tire company in the world.

Cities
Seoul
The Municipality of Seoul, the capital city of South Korea.
Seoul Culture & Tourism
The official city guide by Seoul Metropolitan Government Tourism Division.
Busan
Busan, the major port is the second largest city in South Korea after the capital Seoul, located at the southeast end of the Korean peninsula on the shores of the Sea of Japan (East Sea).
Colorful Daegu
Daegu or Taegu, is Korea's fourth largest city, located in Gyeongsangbuk-do province.
Daejeon
Daejeon or Taejon, South Korea's fifth-largest is located in the center of South Korea in Hoseo region.
Gwangju
Gwangju or Kwangju, the sixth largest city in South Korea is located in the south west of the Korean peninsula in the center of the agricultural Jeolla region.
Incheon
Incheon Metropolitan City, located in northwestern South Korea is home to Incheon International Airport (IATA: ICN), the largest airport in South Korea.

Education

Korea University
Private university in the South Korean capital Seoul. The institution was founded in 1905, partly by imperial funds, as the first modern college of the country with the name Boseong College.


Flagship Korean National Universities
The Korean Flagship Universities are designated as the provincial centers of higher learning. The Korean government created flagship National Universities for each province between 1946 and 1968.

Seoul National University (SNU)
Major teaching and research university, founded in 1946; ... designed to provide students with a sound understanding of humankind and the world...
Pusan University (PNU)
The university in Korea's second largest city Busan was established in 1946.
...a cradle for the creative technical experts who will lead the advancement of the machinery industry...
Jeju National University
Jeju University has several professional graduate colleges including a Department of Beauty and Cosmetology, the university is located in Jeju City, Jeju province, it was founded in 1952.
Kangwon National University (KNU)
Regional flagship educational institution in Chuncheon, Gangwon-do province.
Kyungpook National University (KNU)
University in Daegu Metropolitan City, it has four campuses in Gyeongbuk province.
Chonbuk National University (CBNU)
A national research university in Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do province (North Jeolla).
Chonnam National University
One of the five major national universities of South Korea, located in Gwangju, Jeonnam province.
Chungbuk National University (CBNU)
A major university in North Chungcheong Province, located in Cheongju, the province capital.
Chungnam National University (CNU)
A national university for liberal arts, agricultural sciences and engineering sciences in Daejeon in Hoseo region.
Gyeongsang National University (GNU)
A national university with degree courses in arts, social science, natural science, engineering, agriculture and life science, management, veterinary, education, nursing, and medicine. GNU is located in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province.


The National Library of Korea
The Korean National Library is located in Seoul, founded in 1945. The library has over 10 million volumes, including over 1.2 million foreign-language books and some of the national treasures of South Korea.