Korea, South

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

11 (2000)

Internet country code

.kr

Internet users

25.6 million (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 104, FM 136, shortwave 5 (2001)

Telephone system

general assessment: excellent domestic and international services domestic: NA international: fiber-optic submarine cable to China; the Russia-Korea-Japan submarine cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)

Telephones - main lines in use

24 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular

28 million (September 2000)

Television broadcast stations

121 (plus 850 repeater stations and the eight-channel American Forces Korea Network) (1999)

Agriculture - products

rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish

Budget

revenues: $118.1 billion expenditures: $95.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $22.6 billion (2000)

Currency

South Korean won (KRW)

Currency code

KRW

Debt - external

$135.2 billion (yearend 2002 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

31.6 (1993)

Economic aid - donor

ODA $200 million

Economy - overview

As one of the Four Tigers of East Asia, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth and integration into the high-tech modern world economy. Three decades ago GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. Today its GDP per capita is 18 times North Korea's and equal to the lesser economies of the European Union. This success through the late 1980s was achieved by a system of close government/business ties, including directed credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of specific industries, and a strong labor effort. The government promoted the import of raw materials and technology at the expense of consumer goods and encouraged savings and investment over consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-99 exposed longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model, including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an undisciplined financial sector. Growth plunged to a negative 6.6% in 1998, then strongly recovered to 10.8% in 1999 and 9.2% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.3% in 2001 because of the slowing global economy, falling exports, and the perception that much-needed corporate and financial reforms had stalled. Led by consumer spending and exports, growth in 2002 was an impressive 6.2%, despite anemic global growth, followed by moderate 2.8% growth in 2003. In 2003 the six-day work week was reduced to five days.

Electricity - consumption

270.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

290.7 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 62.4% hydro: 0.8% other: 0.2% (2001) nuclear: 36.6%

Exchange rates

South Korean won per US dollar - 1,251.09 (2002), 1,290.99 (2001), 1,130.96 (2000), 1,188.82 (1999), 1,401.44 (1998)

Exports

$162.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

electronic products, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, steel, ships; textiles, clothing, footwear; fish

Exports - partners

US 20.4%, China 14.7%, Japan 9.4%, Hong Kong 6.3% (2002)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $941.5 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 4.4% industry: 41.6% services: 54% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $19,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

6.3% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 24.8% (1998 est.)

Imports

$148.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, textiles, organic chemicals, grains

Imports - partners

Japan 19.6%, US 15.2%, China 11.4%, Saudi Arabia 5% (2002)

Industrial production growth rate

6.5% (2002 est.)

Industries

electronics, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel, textiles, clothing, footwear, food processing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.8% (2002 est.)

Labor force

22 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation

services 69%, industry 21.5%, agriculture 9.5% (2001)

Natural gas - consumption

20.92 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

21.11 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption

2.14 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

804,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

2.965 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

4% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate

3.1% (2002 est.)

Area

total: 98,480 sq km land: 98,190 sq km water: 290 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Indiana

Climate

temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Coastline

2,413 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m

Environment - current issues

air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing

Environment - international agreements

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geographic coordinates

37 00 N, 127 30 E

Geography - note

strategic location on Korea Strait

Irrigated land

11,590 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 238 km border countries: North Korea 238 km

Land use

arable land: 17.44% permanent crops: 2.05% other: 80.51% (1998 est.)

Location

Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM; between 3 NM and 12 NM in the Korea Strait continental shelf: not specified exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Natural hazards

occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest

Natural resources

coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential

Terrain

mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south

Administrative divisions

9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7 metropolitan cities* (gwangyoksi, singular and plural); Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto, Cholla-namdo, Ch'ungch'ong-bukto, Ch'ungch'ong-namdo, Inch'on-gwangyoksi*, Kangwon-do, Kwangju-gwangyoksi*, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto, Kyongsang-namdo, Pusan-gwangyoksi*, Soul-t'ukpyolsi*, Taegu-gwangyoksi*, Taejon-gwangyoksi*, Ulsan-gwangyoksi*

Capital

Seoul

Constitution

17 July 1948

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Korea conventional short form: South Korea local short form: none note: the South Koreans generally use the term "Han'guk" to refer to their country local long form: Taehan-min'guk abbreviation: ROK

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. HUBBARD embassy: 82 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710 mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-5550 telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114 FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador HAN Sung-chu (HAN Sung-joo) consulate(s): New York, Tamuning (Guam) consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205 telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600 chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Executive branch

chief of state: President NO Mu-hyun (ROH Moo-hyun) (since 25 February 2003) head of government: Prime Minister KO Kun (KOH Kun) (since 27 February 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers KIM Chin-p'yo (KIM Jin-pyo) (since 27 February 2003) and YUN Tok-hong (since 6 March 2003) cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 19 December 2002 (next to be held NA December 2007); prime minister appointed by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation election results: results of the 19 December 2002 election - NO Muh-hyun elected president, took office 25 February 2003; percent of vote - NO Muh-hyun (MDP) 48.9%; YI Hoe-ch'ang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5%

Flag description

white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field

Government type

republic

Independence

15 August 1945 (from Japan)

International organization participation

AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (justices are appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly)

Legal system

combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (273 seats total - 227 elected by direct, popular vote; members serve four-year terms); note - beginning in 2004, all members will be directly elected; possible redistricting before 2004 may affect the number of seats in the National Assembly elections: last held 13 April 2000 (next to be held NA April 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - GNP 133, MDP 115, ULD 17, other 8; note - the distribution of seats as of April 2003 was: GNP 153, MDP 101, ULD 11, DPP 1, PPR 1, independents 5; one seat vacant

National holiday

Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic People's Party or DPP [leader NA]; Grand National Party or GNP [CH'OE Pyong-ryol, chairman]; Millennium Democratic Party or MDP [CHO Sun-hyong, chairman]; United Liberal Democrats or ULD [KIM Chong-p'il, president]; Uri Party [KIM Kun-t'ae, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean Trade Unions; Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National Council of Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans' Association; National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic Alliance of Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National Federation of Student Associations

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal

Background

After World War II, a republic was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in the north. During the Korean War (1950-1953), US and other UN forces intervened 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 roughly 20 times the level of North Korea. South Korea has maintained its commitment to democratize its political processes. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took place between the South's President KIM Dae-jung and the North's leader KIM Chong-il.

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Maritime Police (Coast Guard)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$13,094.3 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.8% (FY02)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 14,252,851 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 8,994,941 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 345,331 (2003 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 20.6% (male 5,256,451; female 4,703,853) 15-64 years: 71.5% (male 17,527,407; female 16,991,229) 65 years and over: 7.9% (male 1,512,157; female 2,297,940) (2003 est.)

Birth rate

12.6 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate

6.03 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ethnic groups

homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

220 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

4,000 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 7.31 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 7.77 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.36 years male: 71.73 years female: 79.32 years (2003 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.1% male: 99.3% female: 97% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 33.2 years male: 32.2 years female: 34.2 years (2002)

Nationality

noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Population

48,289,037 (July 2003 est.)

Population growth rate

0.66% (2003 est.)

Religions

Christian 49%, Buddhist 47%, Confucianist 3%, Shamanist, Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way), and other 1%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.56 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Disputes - international

Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; Liancourt Rocks (Take-shima/Tok-do) are disputed with Japan

Airports

102 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 69 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 21 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 33 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 31 (2002)

Heliports

204 (2002)

Highways

total: 86,990 km paved: 64,808 km (including 1,996 km of expressways) unpaved: 22,182 km (1999 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 541 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,490,521 GRT/10,602,751 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 1, Bulgaria 1, China 1, Greece 1, Japan 1, Malaysia 1, Norway 1, Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, UK 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 114, cargo 174, chemical tanker 63, combination bulk 9, container 52, liquefied gas 17, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 69, refrigerated cargo 21, roll on/roll off 6, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 6, vehicle carrier 5

Pipelines

gas 1,433 km; refined products 827 km (2003)

Ports and harbors

Chinhae, Inch'on, Kunsan, Masan, Mokp'o, P'ohang, Pusan, Tonghae-hang, Ulsan, Yosu

Railways

total: 3,125 km standard gauge: 3,125 km 1.435-m gauge (661 km electrified) (2002)

Waterways

1,609 km note: restricted to small native craft