Introducing South Korea South Korea is a small country in northeast Asia best known for its economic success It has transformed itself into a wealthy and developed country in less than 50 years Most Koreans live in large cities packed with giant factories and towering office and apartment blocks yet South Korea is also famous for its natural beauty One Peninsula Two Countries South Korea covers the southern end of the Korean Peninsula which juts into the sea northwest of Japan To the east is the Sea of Japan and to the west is the Yellow Sea To the north lies North Korea a separate country People in both nations share the same language and culture but North Korea is a communist country while South Korea is a democracy An old proverb describes Korea as a shrimp between whales because it is surrounded by much larger neighbors China Russia and Japan NORTH KOREA DMZ demilitarized zone DMZ demilitarized zone M T A O U E B A N T E K A I N S Mount Sorek Mount Sorek Incheon Seoul Seoul H a n R i v Yellow Sea KeyKey Capital city Capital city Other cities Other cities Mountain Mountain e r SOUTH KOREA Sea of Japan Mount Jirisan Mount Jirisan Ulsan NN Pusan K o r e a S tr a it WW EE SS 00 00 milesmiles 5050 kilometers kilometers 5050 Hallasan Hallasan Jeju Island JAPAN 쒀 South Korea only has a land border with North Korea Its nearest neighbor to the south is Japan which lies across the Korea Strait 4
INTRODUCING SOUTH KOREA BASIC DATA Official name Republic of Korea Capital Seoul Size 38,023 sq miles 98,480 sq km Population 48,636,068 2010 est Currency Won An Asian Tiger Since the 1960s the economy in South Korea has grown rapidly earning the nickname Asian Tiger It is now the fourth-largest economy in Asia and the fifteenth-largest in the world This growth slowed following the worldwide economic crisis that began in 2008 yet South Korea is still home to some of the world’s biggest companies including well-known brand names such as Samsung and Hyundai The country is also among the world’s top exporters Korean electronics cars ships steel shoes and chemicals are sold all over the globe 쑺 South Korean cities are full of energy The bustling Itaewon district in Seoul is famous for its shopping and nightlife
SOUTH KOREA IN OUR WORLD North and South Politics in South Korea are still greatly influenced by the past After World War II 1939 45 the country was divided between Russian and U S forces In 1950 war broke out between North and South Korea More than 50 years later there is still a demilitarized zone 쑽 South Korea’s cities are packed with people During the summer thousands descend on the beaches at Pusan the country’s second-largest city DMZ a 2 5-mile 4 km wide strip of land between the two countries with border guards always on the alert Tensions remain high due to North Korea’s nuclear weapons testing In 2010 tensions grew even higher when artillery fire was exchanged between North and South A Fast Pace of Life In the last 30 years there have been enormous changes in South Korea As the economy grew more people moved to the cities Today millions of South Koreans are packed into a few cities where ancient buildings sit next to modern skyscrapers Hard-working and highly skilled the South Koreans live life in the fast lane On city streets people cry Bali bali Hurry Hurry Cars and trucks jam the roads contributing to South Korea having one of the worst air pollution problems in the world THE HOME OF Barbecues The Korean word for barbecue pulgogi means fire meat This refers to the way beef pork and chicken are cooked on a grill rather than how spicy the dish is First the raw meat is soaked in a salty sauce Then it is cooked at the table on charcoal or gas grills often by the diners themselves Lettuce is wrapped around the meat to make a tasty sandwich
INTRODUCING SOUTH KOREA IT STARTED HERE Moveable Type Inventor Choe Yun-ui invented moveable type in 1234 more than 200 years before it was used in Europe This system of printing uses metal type that can easily be rearranged to form different sentences It allows books to be printed quickly in large numbers 7 쒀 South Korean temple designs have influenced those in other Buddhist countries particulary Japan Korea and the World Although South Korea is buzzing with city life there is a lot more to the country than factories and industry Traditional Korean culture and its Buddhist heritage have had a big influence on other Asian countries over the centuries Influences include temple architecture pottery and painting Today South Korean pop music TV shows and films are very popular all over Asia South Korean communities around the world have also helped the spread of Korean customs and culture
