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Korea

Backgound

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 (1950-53), 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 14 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.

Location

The country lies in Eastern Asia, and southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea. Natural resources found in Korea are coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, and hydropower potential.

People

Population is about 48,422,644 people in the country. The nationality is Korean. Ethnic groups are homogeneous, but some are Chinese. The religion worshipped is Christianity, but also Buddhism is practiced. Language spoken is Korean, and English is widely taught in junior high and high school. The currency used in this country is South Korean won (KRW).

Tourist Destinations

The capital of South Korea is Seoul. There are nine provinces in the country, which are 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).

Agricultural products such as rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs and fish are also found in Korea.

Industries such as electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding and steel are in growth. Korea also export semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment, motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships and petrochemicals.

Seokguram Grotto & Bulguksa Temple are World Cultural Heritages in Korea. Located in the ancient Silla capital of Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province and are representative relics of Buddhism in the golden age of the Silla Kingdom.