Country Information on South Korea

Terrain South Korea has a rugged and mountainous terrain. The dominant topographical feature is the Taebaek Range, with its lesser branch, the Sobaek Range. Only 15% of the land area is covered by plains, which are mostly located along the coast. In the north of the country the environment is alpine, with plenty of beech, fir and pine trees. The volcanic island of Cheju-do lies off the south-west coast. Most rivers rise in the mountains to the east, flowing westwards and southwards to the Yellow Sea. Climate South Korea has a continental climate with dry cold winters and hot humid summers. There is a swift transition from winter to summer conditions between April to early May with an equal reversal in late October. Due to the Asian monsoons, the cold winter winds come from Manchuria and Siberia while in summer the warm moist air comes from the Pacific Ocean winds. The wettest months are between June and September with at least one typhoon per year. Fauna/Flora The north is the only part of the country where native animals like black bear and deer are found. Along the southern coast things get a bit more tropical and the vegetation is lush. This is where Korea grows its famous ginseng supplies. The country is dotted with 20 national parks, including the very popular Soraksan, Hallasan and Chirisan parks. History/Politics The Koreans are descendants of the Tungus tribal peoples. The documented history of Korea begins in the 12th century BC, when a Chinese scholar, Ki-tze (Kija), founded a colony at Pyongyang. The kingdom of Koguryo, the first native Korean state, was established in the north near the Yalu River in the 1st century AD. In the south, two kingdoms emerged, that of Paekche (250 AD) and the powerful kingdom of Silla (350 AD). Wang Kon, who established the Koryo dynasty, peacefully overthrew the Silla in 935. In 1231, Mongol forces invaded from China, initiating a war that was waged intermittently for some 30 years. Peace came when the Koryo kings accepted Mongol rule, and a long period of Koryo-Mongol alliance followed. In 1392, Yi Songgye (with the aid of the Ming dynasty) seized the throne. In 1592 an invasion by the Japanese conqueror Hideyoshi was driven back by the Yi dynasty with Chinese support. Manchu invasions in the first half of the 17th century AD resulted in Korea becoming a vassal state of the Manchu dynasty in 1637. All non-Chinese influences were excluded until 1876, when Japan forced a commercial treaty with Korea. Japan's control was tightened after the First Sino-Japanese war (1894-95) and the Russo-Japanese War (1904-5), when Japanese troops moved through Korea to attack Manchuria. These troops were never withdrawn, and in 1905 Japan declared a virtual protectorate over Korea and in 1910 formally annexed the country. In World War II, at the Cairo Conference (1943), the US, Great Britain, and China promised Korea independence. At the end of the war Korea was arbitrarily divided into two zones as a temporary expedient; Soviet troops were north and Americans south of the line of lat. 38°N. In 1948 two separate regimes were formally established: the Republic of Korea in the South, and the Democratic People's Republic under Communist rule in the North. In June, 1950, the North Korean Army launched an attack against South Korea, initiating the Korean War, which ended in 1953. In 1960 President Rhee was forced to resign, and one year later, a military coup placed General Park Chung Hee in power. General Chun Doo Hwan assumed power in 1979 after the assassination of President Park. Democratic Justice Party (DJP) candidate Roh Tae Woo was elected president in 1987. Since 2000, Prime Minister Yi Han-tong has been head of government. In 1998, Kim Dae-jung became president. In June 2000 he met with North Korean President Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang. The summit marked the first-ever meeting of the countries' leaders. President Kim Dae Jung won the Nobel Peace Prize in October 2000 for this "Sunshine Policy" which included initiating peace and reconciliation with North Korea. Economy South Korea has only 10% of the peninsula's rich coal and iron deposits. Its minerals are widely scattered, and mining operations are generally small scale. Because of the mountainous and rocky terrain, less than 20% of Korean land is arable, and only 12% of the population is employed in the agricultural sector. 20% of the country's workforce finds employment in manufacturing, and 68% in the services sector. The unemployment rate amounted to 4.1% in 2000. The fishing waters off Korea are among the best in the world. Agar, a seaweed product, is an important export item. Culture The most important work of Korean literature is Samguk Yusa, written in the 12th century by the monk Illyon. Koreans also consider their language a form of art, and are particularly proud of their script, han'gul. Traditional painting has strong Chinese and calligraphic elements. Most traditional sculpture is Buddhist, and includes statues and pagodas.