Facts about South Korea
South Korea combines mountain landscapes with densely populated cities and a long coastline. Its modern economy grew rapidly after the Korean War, while Korean music and screen culture developed a worldwide audience. Learning the country means connecting those modern changes with older kingdoms, regional traditions and the division of the peninsula.
- Capital
- Seoul
- Population
- About 52 million
- Area
- About 100,000 km²
- Currency
- South Korean won (₩)
- Main language
- Korean
- First-level divisions
- 16 (since July 2026)
- Highest point
- Hallasan, about 1,950 m
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Seoul stands on the Han River in the northwest, with Incheon on the nearby Yellow Sea coast. Busan faces the Korea Strait in the southeast, while Gyeongju preserves the heritage of Silla. Jeju lies south of the mainland and rises to Hallasan, the country’s highest mountain.
South Korea has 16 first-level administrative divisions following the July 2026 merger of Gwangju and South Jeolla into Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City. Eight divisions are provinces and eight are province-level cities. The capital region contains roughly half the national population, while many inland and rural areas face population ageing.
Geography of South Korea
Mountain ranges, river valleys and a peninsula bordered by three seas.
- Where is South Korea?
- South Korea occupies the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. Its only land neighbour is North Korea, separated by the Military Demarcation Line and the surrounding Demilitarized Zone, roughly four kilometres wide. The Yellow Sea lies to the west, the Sea of Japan, called the East Sea in Korea, to the east, and the Korea Strait to the southeast.
- Which rivers run through Seoul and Busan?
- The Han crosses Seoul on its way to the Yellow Sea. The Nakdong flows through the southeast and reaches the coast at Busan.
- How many first-level divisions does South Korea have?
- There are 16 following the merger of Gwangju and South Jeolla on 1 July 2026. Jeonnam-Gwangju is the new combined division. Eight divisions are provinces and eight are province-level cities.
History of South Korea
Ancient kingdoms, colonial rule and a division that outlasted the Korean War.
- Why is Korea divided into North and South?
- After Japanese rule ended in 1945, Soviet and American occupation zones divided the peninsula along the 38th parallel. Separate states formed in 1948, and the Korean War entrenched the division.
- Did the Korean War end with a peace treaty?
- No. The fighting stopped with the Korean Armistice Agreement in 1953. The armistice was a ceasefire agreement, not a peace treaty.
- When did South Korea begin its current democratic era?
- Mass protests in 1987 led to constitutional change and direct presidential elections. The resulting Sixth Republic followed decades of authoritarian rule.
The Korean language
Hangul’s deliberate design and the politeness built into Korean grammar.
- What language is spoken in South Korea?
- Korean is spoken in both Koreas and in communities overseas. It is commonly grouped with Jeju in the Koreanic language family, with no generally accepted relationship to larger language families. Sentences commonly follow subject-object-verb order, and particles after nouns mark roles such as the subject. Honorifics and speech levels express respect and the relationship between speakers.
- Who created Hangul?
- King Sejong created Hangul in 1443 and promulgated it in 1446. Its basic consonant shapes model speech organs, while the original vowel design used symbols for heaven, earth and people. Hangul expanded access to writing and coexisted with Chinese characters, called hanja, for centuries. Letters are arranged in syllable blocks. South Korea celebrates Hangul Day on 9 October, and the ending -yo is common in everyday polite speech.
- How does politeness work in Korean?
- Korean uses honorific vocabulary and different speech levels. The ending -yo is common in everyday polite conversation. Learning the alphabet is a useful first step, while fluent reading and appropriate speech take practice.
Culture of South Korea
Hanbok and heated floors alongside a global audience for Korean entertainment.
- What is the Korean Wave?
- Hallyu, or the Korean Wave, is the international popularity of Korean entertainment, including K-pop and television dramas.
- Which Korean film won the Best Picture Oscar?
- Parasite won Best Picture at the 2020 Academy Awards. It was the first non-English-language film to win that award.
- What are hanbok and ondol?
- Hanbok is traditional Korean clothing, often worn on special occasions. Ondol is a heating system that warms a room through its floor.
Economy of South Korea
Export-led growth, family-controlled conglomerates and advanced manufacturing.
- What was the Miracle on the Han River?
- The Miracle on the Han River describes South Korea’s rapid economic transformation after the Korean War. Export-led industrialisation combined state policy with investment by large business groups. Family-controlled conglomerates are called chaebol. LG’s name derives from Lucky and Goldstar, while Samsung is known internationally for electronics.
- What does South Korea produce?
- Memory semiconductors are a major export, alongside manufactured products such as cars and ships. Samsung makes Galaxy smartphones, and Hyundai Motor Group includes Hyundai and Kia. Shipbuilding remains important in coastal industrial centres including Ulsan and Geoje. The currency is the South Korean won. Concentration in large firms and an ageing workforce present continuing economic challenges.
- What is a chaebol?
- A chaebol is a large business group controlled by a founding family. Samsung and LG are well-known examples. The term concerns control of the group, rather than every company being wholly family-owned.
Politics of South Korea
A single presidential term and a National Assembly with constitutional oversight.
- How long is a South Korean president’s term?
- The president is directly elected for a single five-year term and cannot be re-elected under the current constitution.
- How does presidential impeachment work?
- The National Assembly votes on impeachment, and the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove the president. Park Geun-hye was removed in 2017 and Yoon Suk Yeol in 2025.
- What is South Korea’s parliament called?
- The National Assembly is a single-chamber legislature of 300 members, combining constituency representatives and proportional seats.
Nature and wildlife of South Korea
Forested mountains, volcanic islands and wetlands important to migrating birds.
- Is South Korea forested?
- Forests cover roughly three fifths of the country. Reforestation helped restore hills damaged by heavy exploitation and war, and national parks protect mountain and coastal habitats.
- Why is the DMZ important for wildlife?
- Restricted civilian access has helped preserve habitats in the DMZ and nearby border areas. Red-crowned cranes winter in wetlands and agricultural landscapes there. The border remains a heavily guarded military area.
- What are the Getbol tidal flats?
- Getbol are Korean tidal flats. Four groups of these wetlands were inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2021 for their biodiversity, including their importance to migratory shorebirds.
Korean food
Shared side dishes, regional rice dishes and a wide variety of fermented foods.
- What is kimchi?
- Kimchi is fermented vegetables, commonly cabbage or radish. Recipes vary, and some use no chilli. Kimjang is the tradition of making and sharing kimchi.
- What is banchan?
- Banchan are small side dishes served alongside a Korean meal. They are often shared, and many restaurants offer refills of selected dishes. Customs differ between restaurants.
- How do bibimbap and gimbap differ?
- Bibimbap is a bowl of rice with assorted toppings that are mixed together. Gimbap is rice and fillings rolled in seaweed, then sliced.
Landmarks of South Korea
Royal palaces in Seoul and the Buddhist heritage of Gyeongju.
- What is Gyeongbokgung?
- Gyeongbokgung was founded in 1395 as Joseon’s principal palace. It burned during the 1592 invasion, was rebuilt in 1867, and later lost many buildings under Japanese colonial rule. Restoration continues today. Changdeokgung is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its Huwon garden, while Bukchon preserves a neighbourhood of traditional hanok houses.
- What can you see in Gyeongju?
- The former Silla capital contains royal tombs and Cheomseongdae, a seventh-century stone observatory. Bulguksa temple and Seokguram grotto preserve important Buddhist art from the eighth century.
- What is Cheonggyecheon?
- Cheonggyecheon is a stream in central Seoul. A restoration project removed an elevated road and uncovered the waterway, creating a public walking route that opened in 2005.
People and society of South Korea
An ageing society, a concentrated capital region and influential public figures.
- How many people live in South Korea?
- About 52 million. Roughly half live in the Seoul Capital Area, which includes Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi.
- Is South Korea’s birth rate still falling?
- Recent annual births have risen. The total fertility rate increased from 0.75 children per woman in 2024 to 0.80 in 2025. It remains very low, and the country continues to face population ageing.
- What is the Suneung?
- The College Scholastic Ability Test, commonly called Suneung, is a national university entrance exam. Measures to reduce disruption include restrictions on aircraft movements during its English listening section.