Korea, South

We were living in Ilsan, South Korea.
Ilsan is a new city.
It's clean, safe and has many parks.
We have found many places to walk, eat and shop.

Ilsan, South Korea.
A bit stressful at times.
Emily and I get on each others nerves from time to time.
Watching a lot of videos.
We're getting re-acquainted with Korean food.
Emily is brushing up on her Mandarin by watching so much Hong Kong TV, and still trying to make contacts in order to get a seafood business going here. She needs a Korean partner.
Things have improved a lot here.
People are little easier to get along with or I'm more mellow.
My job means a lot of long hours, a lot of very young children and a difficult adjustment. It's hard being away from family
Ah well ... hopefully we can save some money.
Emily is bored out of her mind.
We're watching a lot of movies lately. We both miss the kids and Cici very much.
I miss Indonesia.
WISH US LUCK

Korea notes ... It's also a bit cool here.
About 10 Celsius in the morning.
Although today, it is a warm sunny day I run in the park near our home
On Saturdays Bernard, one of the New Zealand teachers, runs with me
Last Friday we ran up the mountain.
After an hour and a half of running I was soaked and stoked.
The view of a fog-shrouded city. The smells of the trees and mud, and the crisp mountain air are a major inducement to get off your butt and get out there.
The leaves are changing here and their colors make things comfortably familiar
The pinkish sunrise hardly warms the crisp air but it is a welcome sight nonetheless
I hope all is well

This is my current home.
I've been here before. I have mixed feelings about Korea. Then again, I have mixed feelings about Canada.
This page is one person's opinion. My Opinion.
It may have some pertinent information for you, but it is not a comprehensive examination of Korean people, Korean politics or Korean entertainment.
It's just a way to put my thoughts down and hopefully elicit some reation.
Wayne Duplessis 29/07/01

 

Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 
People                    Transportation
 
Government                Communications
Korea, South, Geography

Location

Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea, south of North Korea

Area

Land Boundaries

Total 238 km, North Korea 238 km

Coastline

2,413 km

Maritime Claims

International Disputes

Demarcation Line with North Korea; Liancourt Rocks claimed by Japan

Climate

Temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Terrain

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

Natural Resources

Land Use

Irrigated Land

13,530 sq km (1989)

Environment

Population

45,553,882 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

24% (female 5,280,998; male 5,640,789)

15-64 Years

71% (female 15,877,182; male 16,291,183)

65 Years and Over

5% (female 1,554,512; male 909,218) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

1.04% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

15.63 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

6.18 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

20.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total Fertility Rate

1.66 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic Divisions

Religions

Languages

Korean, English widely taught in high school

Literacy

Age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Labor Force

20 million

By occupation:

Names

Note: The South Koreans generally use the term "Hanguk" to refer to their country

Abbreviation

ROK

Digraph

KS

Type

Republic

Capital

Seoul

Administrative Divisions

9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 6 special cities* (jikhalsi, singular and plural); Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto, Cholla-namdo, Ch'ungch'ong-bukto, Ch'ungch'ong-namdo, Inch'on-jikhalsi*, Kangwon-do, Kwangju-jikhalsi*, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto, Kyongsang-namdo, Pusan-jikhalsi*, Soul-t'ukpyolsi*, Taegu-jikhalsi*, Taejon-jikhalsi*

Independence

15 August 1948

National Holiday

Independence Day, 15 August (1948)

Constitution

25 February 1988

Legal System

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

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Legislative Branch

Unicameral

National Assembly (Kukhoe)

Elections last held on 24 March 1992; results - DLP 38.5%, DP 29.2%, Unification National Party (UNP) 17.3% (name later changed to UPP), other 15%; seats - (299 total) DLP 149, DP 97, UNP 31, other 22; the distribution of seats as of January 1994 was DLP 172, DP 96, UPP 11, other 20

Note: The change in the distribution of seats reflects the fluidity of the current situation where party members are constantly switching from one party to another

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court

Political Parties and Leaders

Note: The DLP resulted from a merger of the Democratic Justice Party (DJP), Reunification Democratic Party (RDP), and New Democratic Republican Party (NDRP) on 9 February 1990

Other Political or Pressure Groups

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

Member of

AfDB, APEC, AsDB, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, OAS (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic Representation in U.S.

U.S. Diplomatic Representation

Flag

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

Korea, South, Economy

Overview

The driving force behind the economy's dynamic growth has been the planned development of an export-oriented economy in a vigorously entrepreneurial society. Real GDP increased more than 10% annually between 1986 and 1991. This growth ultimately led to an overheated situation characterized by a tight labor market, strong inflationary pressures, and a rapidly rising current account deficit. As a result, in 1992, economic policy focused on slowing the growth rate of inflation and reducing the deficit. Annual growth slowed to 5%, still above the rate in most other countries of the world, and recovered to 6.3% in 1993. The economy expanded by 8.3% in 1994, driven by booming exports.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $508.3 billion (1994 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

8.3% (1994)

National Product Per Capita

$11,270 (1994 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

5.6% (1994)

Unemployment Rate

2% (November 1994)

Budget

Exports

$96.2 billion (f.o.b., 1994)

Commodities:

Partners:

Imports

$102.3 billion (c.i.f., 1994)

Commodities:

Partners:

External Debt

$44.1 billion (1993)

Industrial Production

Growth rate 12.1% (1994 est.); accounts for about 45% of GNP

Electricity

Industries

Agriculture

Accounts for 8% of GDP and employs 21% of work force (including fishing and forestry); principal crops - rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; livestock and livestock products - cattle, hogs, chickens, milk, eggs; self-sufficient in food, except for wheat; fish catch of 2.9 million metric tons, seventh-largest in world

Economic Aid

Currency

1 South Korean won (W) = 100 chun (theoretical)

Exchange Rates

South Korean won (W) per US$1 - 790.48 (January 1995), 803.44 (1994), 802.67 (1993), 780.65 (1992), 733.35 (1991), 707.76 (1990)

Fiscal Year

Calendar year Korea, South, Transportation

Railroads

Highways

Inland Waterways

1,609 km; use restricted to small native craft

Pipelines

Petroleum products 455 km

Ports

Chinhae, Inch'on, Kunsan, Masan, Mokp'o, Pohang, Pusan, Ulsan, Yosu

Merchant Marine

Airports

Telephone System

13.3 million telephones; excellent domestic and international services

Radio

Television

Branches

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

Manpower Availability

Males age 15-49 13,580,832; males fit for military service 8,701,742; males reach military age (18) annually 405,290 (1995 est.)

Defense Expenditures

Exchange rate conversion - $14 billion, 3.3% of GNP (1995 est.)

World Atlas 1