South Korea’s growth into an independent country with advanced facilities and a high gross domestic product (GDP) is nothing short of a miracle.Also called the Republic of Korea (ROK), the country has faced multiple wars and invasions before finding the space to grow as an independent nation. The government, run by President Moon Jae-in, is doing tremendously well in economic growth.South Korea is a beautiful country in East Asia and is bordered by the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan. Three of the closest and most powerful neighbors of South Korea are China, Japan, and Russia. Being around these powerful countries has made this country a victim of political influences as well as unfair colonization and invasions. The Korean War had a large part to play in changing the country’s economic and political situations. South Korea has rich stories to tell!Once you have finished reading this article, why not discover facts about traditional Korean dance and Jeju city Korea here on Kidadl?Korean History And Political GeographyKorea is in the east of Asia, and China surrounds it in the northwest, Russia in the northeast, and the Korean Strait and the Sea of Japan in the east. The strait and the sea divide Korea and Japan. The East China sea lines the southern coast of the country. There are about 3579 islands that border the west coast and the southern coastlines. South and North Korea are divided by the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).Since 1945, Korea has been officially divided into two parts: North Korea and South Korea. Did you know that the name ‘Korea’ comes from the term ‘Goryeo’? Goryeo was a Korean kingdom that was considered one of the greatest powers in East Asia during the first millennium.As the name suggests, South Korea lies on the south side of the Korean Peninsula and has a total area of 38,622 sq. mi (100,030 sq. km).To know the history and political geography of the Korean Peninsula, one needs to travel back to the 1300s. This is the time when Korea was born as a distinct nation. It was then ruled by the Goryeo dynasty. As dynasties kept changing, Korea created its own boundaries and practices.Because of its close proximity to China, China has always had a greater influence on this country’s food, lifestyle, and culture than any other country. For several centuries, Korea depended on China for military protection from rivals like Japan.However, Japan was one country that kept invading the Korean peninsula, stealing its wealth and hurting its people. This is then Korea closed its borders to foreign countries and decided to stay closed except for diplomatic relationships with China. After this, a lot of countries like the United States, Britain, and France have tried getting closer to Korea, encouraging it to open trade routes. These discussions never bore fruit.During the first half of the 20th century, Japan suddenly rose to power, winning against competitors like Russia and China. Japan managed to colonize Korea in 1910, and for the next 35 years, South Koreans had to deal with the colonial rule of Japan.One good thing about the colonial rule was that Japan invested heavily in technology and machinery all over the Korean peninsula. As a result, people had abundant jobs and their economic status improved.Until 1945, the country was considered a part of Japan. But things changed after Japan’s surrender in World War II. Both the Soviet Union and America took over the Korean reign. Initially, there were talks of unifying Korea and making it a separate country. However, at that period, both the United States and the Soviet Union were against each other and the plan did not succeed. The country was split into two: North Korea and South Korea. The southern half of Korea, supported by the United States, was renamed the Republic of Korea and Syngman Rhee became its elected president. The northern half of the country was led by the communist activist, Kim II-Sung, and he was named the premier of the newly formed Democratic the People’s Republic of Korea.This is how South Korea and North Korea became two separate countries. Right now, South Korea maintains diplomatic relations with more than 191 countries in the world. It is one of the members of the United Nations and is a part of many international events and groups too.Economy Of South KoreaSouth Korea has made it to the list of the G-20 major economies thanks to its high gross domestic product (GDP) and purchasing power. The G-20 Major Economies is a group of 20 countries that play a role in addressing economic problems globally. In 1980, South Korea shared just 0.63% of the world’s GDP. In 2017, though, the number has risen to 1.60%.Based on the Human Development Index (HDI) value, South Korea is one of the most developed countries in the world. It ranks seventh in the world based on the HDI) value.From the time the Japanese introduced industrialization in the country, the country has managed to grow by leaps and bounds, despite the Korean war and its impacts. Its unemployment rate is also one of the lowest in the world: just 4.8% as of 2019. The global unemployment rate is currently at about 6.47%.Exports and imports are major contributors to the economic growth of the country. As of today, South Korea is the world’s fifth-biggest exporter and seventh biggest importer. 15 of the top Fortune 500 companies have their headquarters in South Korea. In eastern Asia, this is the most chosen destination for electronic manufacturers and automobile manufacturers.South Korea’s economy remained stable even during the Global Financial Crisis of 2007-2008.Tourism is also one of South Korea’s rising strengths. In 2019, more than 17 million tourists visited South Korea. Most of the international tourists were from countries like China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan.Another top reason why tourism is becoming a popular South Korean thing is the Korean wave. K-Pop and K-dramas are globally loved, and these stars have reached cult status. A lot of tourists are visiting the country just to spot their favorite stars and explore the locations where the videos were shot. The capital city of Seoul is one of the most popular destinations for tourists.South Korea also proudly runs the world’s second-best healthcare system. The life expectancy of an average South Korean was 82.3 in 2015. The number is only set to improve in the future with the advancement of medical science.Population Of South KoreaThe current population of South Korea is 51 million. Out of this, Seoul’s population is about 25 million, which is about 50% of the total population. This is one of the most populated cities in the country. The Korean language is the official language of the city, and since the language has a lot of adaptations from Chinese, people here can understand and speak the basics of Chinese too.Things were different a few decades back. In the 1970s, then-President Park Chung Hee banned Southern Koreans from learning or using Chinese characters in the country. President Park Chung Hee also banned schools or any educational institute from using Chinese records or teaching the language.When it comes to religion, more than 31% of the population in the country has no specific religion, and 15% of them are atheists. About 52% of the population followed a specific religion. Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam are the three most popular religions here.South Koreans have an avid interest in art, culture, music, and dance. You can see the influence of Buddhism in many of these art forms. People love rice, and it is their staple food. South Koreans also enjoy fermented foods, which is one of the reasons for their good health. Kimchi, a popular Korean fermented food, has become popular all over the world.Current day South Koreans are tech-savvy and they take their fashion scene very seriously. Most of the South Koreans have amazing work ethics, and the children are taught intensively at a very young age.Post-War South KoreaThe post-war period of South Korea was between 1960 and 1990. A lot of changes happened in this time frame politically.North and South Korea were still in the cold war. President Syngman Rhee resigned for political reasons, and Park Chung Hee took over. He was reported to be a ruthless leader, but, during his rule, the country prospered economically.President Park was assassinated in 1979, and after a series of coups and campaigns, Chun Doo Hwan led the Coup d’état of December 12th, which was a military insurrection in December 1979 that captured the then army chief of staff and rose to power. Chun Doo Hwan forced the entire cabinet of the Republic of Korea to pass martial law. According to martial law, all educational institutes, political activities, and press activities were closed.Chun Doo managed to become the South Korean president until 1987. In 1997, Kim Dae Jung won the presidential election, and this converted South Korea from an autocratic to a democratic nation. The South Korean people celebrated the national assembly win, especially for the fact that Kim Dae Jung had been a political prisoner before.Kim Dae Jung took advice from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and started working on rebuilding the economy. As a result, the South Korean economy experienced slow but steady growth.Park Geun-Hye served in office from 2013-2017 and was the country’s first female president. She was impeached due to corruption charges in 2017.As of now, the National Assembly of South Korea is governed by the Democratic Party of Korea. Moon Jae In is the current president and Kim Boo Kyum is the current prime minister.Divided Korea And The Korean WarAfter North and South Korea were divided post-Japanese occupation, North Korea decided to invade South Korea in June 1950. This was the starting point of the Korean War. Both the Soviet Union and China were supporting North Korea at the backend. At one point, there were 1 million Chinese troops supporting the North Korean army. The UN had to intervene at one point to try and bring peace relations between North Korea and South Korea.After three years of war and massive death counts on both sides, it was decided that neither North Korea nor South Korea won the war. An interesting thing you should know about this war is that South Korea never signed the Korean Armistice Agreement put forward in 1953. According to the agreement, the countries had to cease all hostilities until they were able to come to a peaceful agreement. Countries like Communist North Korea, the United States, the Soviet Union, and China signed the agreement, but South Korea did not.Therefore, North and South Korea are technically still at war!According to reports, there were about 3 million deaths in the war that lasted just three years, and when compared to both the Vietnam War and World War II, the number of civilian deaths in the Korean War was higher!The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is the area on the north-south border that separates the two countries officially after the cold war. This zone runs for about 150 mi (241.4 km) across the Korean peninsula and is heavily guarded by both countries. This is the location where the United Nations, the South Korean leader, and the North Korean leader often meet to have peace discussions.In October 2007, the North Korean leader Kim Jong II and the then president of the southern portion of the country, Roh Moo-Hyun, signed a peace treaty, which was an eight-point agreement. Despite the peace treaty, the North Korean government and the South Korean government have always maintained shaky relationships. They have been constantly threatening to cut ties with one another. Experts say that things seem better after electing the current President, Moon Jae In. He recently convinced the North Korean president successfully of a peace summit discussion.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for South Korea history facts then why not take a look at Vietnam history facts or Jeju island South Korea facts.
South Korea’s growth into an independent country with advanced facilities and a high gross domestic product (GDP) is nothing short of a miracle.
