Simple Facts
| Geography: 98,480 sq. km |
| Location: Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan (East Sea) and the Yellow Sea |
| Population: 48.3 million |
| Capital: Seoul |
| Ethnic Make-up: homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese) |
| Language: Korean |
| Currency: South Korean Won |
Economic Snapshot
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 roughly 20 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. 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 have stalled. Led by industry and construction, growth in 2002 was an impressive 5.8%, despite anemic global growth.
Cost of Living
| One bedroom apartment: from 400,000 Won ($333 US) |
| Monthly tram ticket: 30,000 Won ($25 US) |
| Cost of meal in a restaurant: 6,000 Won ($5 US) |
| Glass of beer: 5,000 Won ($4.20 US) |
| Coffee: 2500 Won ($2.10 US) |
| Big Mac: 2,700 Won ($2.25 US) |
| Cinema Ticket: 7,000 Won ($5.80 US) |
Recent History
| 1910 | The Japanese invade and annex Korea, ending the Choson Dynasty rule. |
| 1919 | The March Independence Movement against Japan is brutally suppressed. South Korea becomes an important economic and military base for Japan's expansion. |
| 1937-45 | Japan takes control of all South Korean industry and reorganizes the economy. |
| 1945 | The allies defeat the Japanese in WWII. Korea is divided along the 38th parallel between the U.S. and the Soviets in a joint trusteeship. |
| 1948 | The Republic of South Korea is inaugurated in the south. The Democratic People's Republic of South Korea is inaugurated in the north. |
| 1950-53 | The Korean War. North Korea invades South Korea. |
| 1960 | South Korea's first president, Syngman Rhee, is forced to resign due to rigged elections. |
| 1961 | A coup d'etat by a military junta, led by Park Chung Hee, consolidates all political parties in South Korea. |
| 1963 | Park officially becomes president through an election by popular vote. |
| 1971 | Park forces a bill through the National Assembly that grants him dictatorial powers. Martial law is proclaimed. |
| 1979 | Kim Chae-kyu, chief of military intelligence, assassinates Park over the management of student protests who demand the restoration of democracy. |
| 1980 | General Chun Doo Hwan becomes president of South Korea. |
| 1988 | Military officer Roh Tae-Woo becomes first democratically elected president in the South. |
| 1993 | Kim Young Sam is elected president in South Korea. |
| 1994 | Kim Jong Il becomes the leader of North Korea after his father, Kim Il Sung, dies. |
| 1997 | South Korea's government agrees to the terms of a $57-billion international economic bailout aimed at stabilizing the country's economy. |
| 1998 | Former dissident and pro-democracy advocate, Kim Dae-jung, elected President. |
| 2000 | In June, South Korean President Kim Dae-jung meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, signifying a warming of relations between the two countries after 50 years of animosity. In October US Secretary of State Madeline Albright meets with North Korean Premier Kim Jong Il in Pyonyang. |
| 2001 | Opening of Incheon International airport built on tidal land off Port of Incheon. |
| 2002 | A group of 25 North Koreans defects to South Korea through the Spanish embassy in Beijing, highlighting the plight of tens of thousands hiding in China after fleeing famine and repression in the North. In December, Roh Moo-hyun, from the governing Millennium Democratic Party, wins closely-fought presidential elections. He is inaugurated on 25 February 2003. |
Culture Tips
- Korean names consist of a family name, a generational or clan name, and a given name, in that order. Address people with their title alone or with their title and family name.
- Men usually greet each other with a bow and shake of the hands (can be soft). Bowing is not as ritualized as Japan. The junior person initiates the greeting and bows; the senior person is the first to extend his hand.
- Korean women traditionally do not shake hands, especially with men, but usually just nod slightly. Western women will usually have to initiate a handshake.
- Maintain good eye contact; contrary to most Asians, breaking eye contact, except in cases where there is clearly a superior and significant subordinate, is not a good idea. Koreans may stare through you for interminable moments of silence. Bear with this humbly, if you can.
- Do not slouch, remain more formal, keep your feet off chairs and furniture. Always rise when someone older enters the room.
- It is impolite to make someone walk around your back. Therefore, if someone is nearby while you are speaking with an individual, they might walk between the two of you rather than around you; allow this to happen - step aside.
- Take off your shoes before entering a Korean home, and place them facing outward so that you can easily slip into them when leaving.
- Koreans use chopsticks and spoons while dining, not forks or knives. Never stick your chopsticks spear-like into your rice. Never use your chopsticks to point. Place them parallel on the side of the plate when you are finished; do not cross them on your plate. You may reverse your chopsticks if there is no serving pair or spoon in order to pick up any food served from a communal plate. Once your food has been placed on your plate, you then return the chopsticks to the original position, and eat from them using the correct end.
- You should not lift the rice bowl to your mouth and shovel the rice in - that is more Japanese than Korean. Also, do not slurp noodles, etc.; that, too, is more Japanese and is considered bad form in Korea. Leave a little food in your bowl to indicate you do not want any more.
- It is not appropriate to split the bill at a restaurant. Although there can be much good-natured arguing over who will pay the check, the one who invites (the host) pays. The invitees will reciprocate with a similar invitation to a dinner for which they will pay.
- Lines in public are not respected - there will always be pushing and shoving. Join in gently, and do not expect to get your way simply because "you were there first".
Links
The following sites provide additional information about Korea
http://www.koreainfogate.com/aboutkorea/item.asp
http://www.korea.net/
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/krtoc.html
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ks.html
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