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Communications

Internet country code [time series]

.kr

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

694,206 (2001)

Internet users [time series]

29.22 million (2003)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 58, FM 150, shortwave 2 (2004)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: excellent domestic and international services domestic: NA international: country code - 82; 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 - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

22.877 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

33,591,800 (2003)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

64 (additionally 119 Cable Operators; 239 Relay Cable Operators) (2004)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $135.5 billion expenditures: $128.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $23.5 billion (2003)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

South Korean won (KRW)

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

KRW

Current account balance [time series]

$12.32 billion (2003)

Debt - external [time series]

$130.3 billion (2003 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

31.6 (1993)

Economic aid (Economic aid - donor) [time series]

ODA $200 million

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Since the early 1960s, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth and integration into the high-tech modern world economy. Four 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 National Assembly approved legislation reducing the six-day work week to five days.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

270.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production [time series]

290.7 billion kWh (2001)

Exchange rates [time series]

South Korean won per US dollar - 1,191.61 (2003), 1,251.09 (2002), 1,290.99 (2001), 1,130.96 (2000), 1,188.82 (1999)

Exports [time series]

$201.3 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

Semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment, motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals

Exports - partners [time series]

China 18.2%, US 17.8%, Japan 9%, Hong Kong 7.6% (2003)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $857.8 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 3.6% industry: 36.4% services: 60% (2003 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $17,800 (2003 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

3.1% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 22.5% (1999 est.)

Imports [time series]

$175.6 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics

Imports - partners [time series]

Japan 20.3%, US 13.9%, China 12.3%, Saudi Arabia 5.2% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

5.1% (2003 est.)

Industries [time series]

electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3.6% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed) [time series]

29.6% of GDP (2003)

Labor force [time series]

22.92 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture 8.8%, industry 19.1%, services 72.1% (2001)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

20.92 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports [time series]

21.11 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption [time series]

2.14 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

804,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports [time series]

2.965 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

4% (2001 est.)

Public debt [time series]

13.8% of GDP (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold (Reserves of foreign exchange & gold) [time series]

$155.4 billion (2003)

Unemployment rate [time series]

3.4% (2003 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

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

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly larger than Indiana

Climate [time series]

temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Coastline [time series]

2,413 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates [time series]

37 00 N, 127 30 E

Geography - note [time series]

strategic location on Korea Strait

Irrigated land [time series]

11,590 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 238 km border countries: North Korea 238 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 17.18% permanent crops: 1.95% other: 80.87% (2001)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Asia

Maritime claims [time series]

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

Natural hazards [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Seoul

Constitution [time series]

17 July 1948

Country name [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher R. HILL 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 [time series]

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

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President ROH Moo-hyun (since 25 February 2003) head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hae-chan (since 25 May 2004); Deputy Prime Ministers KIM Jin-pyo (since 28 January 2005), LEE Hun-jai (since 10 February 2004), and OH Myung (since 18 October 2004) cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation elections: president elected by popular vote for single five-year term; election last held 19 December 2002 (next to be held in December 2007); prime minister appointed by president with consent of National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by president on prime minister's recommendation election results: results of the 19 December 2002 election - ROH Moo-hyun elected president; percent of vote - ROH Moo-hyun (MDP) 48.9%; LEE Hoi-chang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5%

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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 [time series]

republic

Independence [time series]

15 August 1945 (from Japan)

International organization participation [time series]

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

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court (justices appointed by president with consent of National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices appointed by president based partly on nominations by National Assembly and Chief Justice of the court)

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats -- members elected for four-year terms; 243 in single-seat constituencies, 56 by proportional representation elections: last held 15 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2008; by-elections scheduled for April 2005)) election results: percent of vote by party - Uri 51%, GNP 41%, DLP 3%, MDP 3%, others 2%; seats by party - Uri 152, GNP 121, DLP 10, MDP 9, others 7 (2004)

National holiday [time series]

Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Democratic Labor Party or DLP [KIM Hye-kyung, chairwoman]; Grand National Party or GNP [PARK Geun-hye, chairwoman]; Millennium Democratic Party or MDP [HAHN Hwa-kap, chairman]; United Liberal Democrats or ULD [KIM Hak-won, chairman]; Uri Party [LIM Chae-jung, interim chairman]

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

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 [time series]

20 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

Korea was an independent kingdom under Chinese suzerainty for most of the past millennium. Following its victory in the Russo-Japanese War in 1905, Japan occupied Korea; five years later it formally annexed the entire peninsula. 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 18 times the level of North Korea. In 1987, South Korean voters elected ROH Tae-woo to the presidency, ending 26 years of military dictatorships. South Korea today is a fully functioning modern democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took place between the South's President KIM Tae-chung and the North's leader KIM Jong Il.

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$14.522 billion (FY03)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

2.7% (FY03)

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 14,233,895 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males age 15-49: 8,966,241 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - military age and obligation [time series]

20-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 24-28 months, depending on the military branch involved; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually [time series]

males: 341,697 (2004 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 20.4% (male 5,223,344; female 4,681,594) 15-64 years: 71.4% (male 17,625,302; female 17,072,029) 65 years and over: 8.2% (male 1,597,085; female 2,398,821) (2004 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

12.33 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6.13 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

8,300 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 7.18 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.64 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages [time series]

Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 75.58 years male: 71.96 years female: 79.54 years (2004 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.9% male: 99.2% female: 96.6% (2002)

Median age [time series]

total: 33.7 years male: 32.8 years female: 34.7 years (2004 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population [time series]

48,598,175 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.62% (2004 est.)

Religions [time series]

no affiliation 46%, Christian 26%, Buddhist 26%, Confucianist 1%, other 1%

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.56 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic maritime disputes with North Korea over the Northern Limit Line; unresolved dispute with Japan over Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima) and occasional protests over fishing rights in grounds also claimed by Japan

Transportation

Airports [time series]

102 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 88 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 21 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 38 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 91 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 88 (2004 est.)

Heliports [time series]

206 (2003 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 535 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,978,949 GRT/9,761,699 DWT by type: bulk 97, cargo 174, chemical tanker 61, combination bulk 10, container 60, liquefied gas 19, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 73, refrigerated cargo 20, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea/passenger 2, specialized tanker 6, vehicle carrier 3 foreign-owned: Bahrain 1, China 1, Gibraltar 1, Honduras 1, Indonesia 1, Japan 3, Malaysia 1, Panama 1, Philippines 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, United Kingdom 1, United States 1 registered in other countries: 442 (2004 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

gas 1,433 km; refined products 827 km (2004)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

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

Railways [time series]

total: 3,125 km standard gauge: 3,125 km 1.435-m gauge (661 km electrified) (2003)

Waterways [time series]

1,608 km note: most navigable only by small craft (2004)

Korea, South