South Korea
Republic of Korea
Population
51.49M
Area
99,720 km²
GDP
$1.71T
GDP Per Capita
$50,400
Pop. Density
516/km²
Quick Facts
Currency
₩South Korean won(KRW)
Calling Code
+82
Timezone
UTC+09:00
Languages
Korean
Driving Side
right
Demonym
South Korean
Background
The first recorded kingdom (Choson) on the Korean Peninsula dates from approximately 2300 B.C. Over the subsequent centuries, three main kingdoms -- Kogoryo, Baekche, and Silla -- were established on the Peninsula. By the 5th century A.D., Kogoryo emerged as the most powerful, with control over much of the Peninsula and part of Manchuria (modern-day northeast China). However, Silla allied with the Chinese to create the first unified Korean state in 688. Following the collapse of Silla in the 9th century, Korea was unified under the Koryo (Goryeo; 918-1392) and the Chosen (Joseon; 1392-1910) dynasties.
Korea became the object of intense imperialistic rivalry among the Chinese (its traditional benefactor), Japanese, and Russian empires in the latter half of the 19th and early 20th centuries. After the Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) and the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), Korea was occupied by Imperial Japan. In 1910, Japan formally annexed the entire Peninsula. Korea regained its independence after Japan's surrender to the US and its allies in 1945. A US-supported democratic government (Republic of Korea, ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula, while a communist-style government backed by the Soviet Union was installed in the north (North Korea; aka Democratic People's Republic of Korea, DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and UN forces fought alongside ROK soldiers to defend South Korea from a North Korean invasion supported by communist China and the Soviet Union. After the 1953 armistice, the two Koreas were separated by a demilitarized zone.
Syngman RHEE led the country as its first president from 1948 to 1960. PARK Chung-hee took over leadership of the country in a 1961 coup. During his controversial rule (1961-79), South Korea achieved rapid economic growth, with per capita income rising to roughly 17 times the level of North Korea by 1979. PARK was assassinated in 1979, and subsequent years were marked by political turmoil and continued military rule as the country's pro-democracy movement grew. South Korea held its first free presidential election under a revised democratic constitution in 1987, with former South Korean Army general ROH Tae-woo winning a close race. In 1993, KIM Young-sam became the first civilian president of South Korea's new democratic era. President KIM Dae-jung (1998-2003) won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for his contributions to South Korean democracy and his "Sunshine Policy" of engagement with North Korea. President PARK Geun-hye, daughter of former South Korean President PARK Chung-hee, took office in 2013 as South Korea's first female leader. In 2016, the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against PARK over her alleged involvement in a corruption and influence-peddling scandal, triggering an early presidential election in 2017 won by MOON Jae-in. In 2022, longtime prosecutor and political newcomer YOON Suk Yeol won the presidency by the slimmest margin in South Korean history.
Discord and tensions with North Korea, punctuated by North Korean military provocations, missile launches, and nuclear tests, have permeated inter-Korean relations for years. Relations remained strained, despite a period of respite in 2018-2019 ushered in by North Korea's participation in the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in South Korea and high-level diplomatic meetings, including historic US-North Korea summits. In 2024, Pyongyang announced it was ending all economic cooperation with South Korea, a move that followed earlier proclamations that it was scrapping a 2018 military pact to de-escalate tensions along their militarized border, abandoning the country’s decades-long pursuit of peaceful unification with South Korea, and designating the South as North Korea’s “principal enemy.”
Historical Trends
GDP (USD)
↑71.2% since 2006Population
↑6.8% since 2006Life Expectancy at Birth
Latest: 83.4 yearsData source: World Bank Open Data
Geography17
Location
Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea
Geographic coordinates
37 00 N, 127 30 E
Map references
Asia
Area
land: 96,920 sq km
water: 2,800 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania; slightly larger than Indiana
Land boundaries
border countries: North Korea 237 km
Coastline
2,413 km
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: not specified
Climate
temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter; cold winters
Terrain
mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south
Elevation
lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
mean elevation: 282 m
Natural resources
coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential
Land use
agricultural land
agricultural land: arable land
agricultural land: permanent crops
agricultural land: permanent pasture
forest
other
Irrigated land
7,780 sq km (2012)
Population distribution
the population is primarily concentrated in the lowland areas, where density is high; Gyeonggi Province in the northwest, which surrounds the capital of Seoul and contains the port of Incheon, is the most densely populated province; Gangwon in the northeast is the least populated
Natural hazards
volcanism: Halla (1,950 m) is considered historically active; it has not erupted in many centuries
Geography - note
strategic location on Korea Strait; about 3,000 mostly small and uninhabited islands lie off the western and southern coasts
People & Society34
Population
male: 25,636,127
female: 25,850,216
Nationality
adjective: Korean
Ethnic groups
Korean
Languages
major-language sample(s):
월드 팩트북, 필수적인 기본 정보 제공처 (Korean)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Protestant 17%, Buddhist 16%, Catholic 6%, none 60% (2021 est.)
Age structure
15-64 years: 69.4% (male 18,653,915/female 17,465,817)
65 years and over: 19.3% (2024 est.) (male 4,440,688/female 5,623,348)
Dependency ratios
youth dependency ratio: 14.7 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 30.2 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 3.3 (2025 est.)
Median age
male: 44 years
female: 47.3 years
Population growth rate
-0.09% (2025 est.)
Birth rate
4.29 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
6.94 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate
1.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution
the population is primarily concentrated in the lowland areas, where density is high; Gyeonggi Province in the northwest, which surrounds the capital of Seoul and contains the port of Incheon, is the most densely populated province; Gangwon in the northeast is the least populated
Urbanization
rate of urbanization: 0.31% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
9.988 million SEOUL (capital), 3.472 million Busan, 2.849 million Incheon, 2.181 million Daegu (Taegu), 1.577 million Daejon (Taejon), 1.529 million Gwangju (Kwangju) (2023)
Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
32.2 years (2019 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male: 3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth
male: 80.3 years
female: 86.6 years
Total fertility rate
0.68 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.33 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
unimproved: total: total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 14.1% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density
2.61 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Hospital bed density
12.8 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sanitation facility access
unimproved: total: total: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
4.7% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer: 1.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 5.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use
male: 29.7% (2025 est.)
female: 5.2% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
0.4% (2020 est.)
Education expenditure
5.8% of GDP (2022 est.)
Literacy
male: NA
female: NA
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male: 17 years (2022 est.)
female: 16 years (2022 est.)
Government23
Country name
conventional long form
conventional short form
local long form
local short form
abbreviation
etymology
Government type
presidential republic
Capital
geographic coordinates: 37 33 N, 126 59 E
time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the name originates from the Korean word meaning "capital city;" it was the capital of the unified Korea from 1392 to 1910
Administrative divisions
provinces: Chungcheongbuk-do (North Chungcheong), Chungcheongnam-do (South Chungcheong), Gangwon-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do (North Gyeongsang), Gyeonggi-do, Gyeongsangnam-do (South Gyeongsang), Jeju-do (Jeju), Jeollabuk-do (North Jeolla), Jeollanam-do (South Jeolla)
metropolitan cities: Busan (Pusan), Daegu (Taegu), Daejeon (Taejon), Gwangju (Kwangju), Incheon (Inch'on), Ulsan
special city: Seoul
special self-governing city: Sejong
Legal system
mixed system combining European civil law, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought
Constitution
amendment process: proposed by the president or by majority support of the National Assembly membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly membership, approval in a referendum by more than one half of the votes by more than one half of eligible voters, and promulgation by the president
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of South Korea
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state
head of government
cabinet
election/appointment process
most recent election date
election results
2022: YOON Suk-yeol elected president; YOON Suk-yeol (PPP) 48.6%, LEE Jae-myung (DPK) 47.8%; other 3.6%
expected date of next election
Legislative branch
legislature name
legislative structure
number of seats
electoral system
scope of elections
term in office
most recent election date
parties elected and seats per party
percentage of women in chamber
expected date of next election
Judicial branch
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly; other justices appointed by the president on the recommendation of the chief justice and consent of the National Assembly; position of the chief justice is a 6-year nonrenewable term; other justices serve 6-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court justices appointed - 3 by the president, 3 by the National Assembly, and 3 by the Supreme Court chief justice; court head serves until retirement at age 70, while other justices serve 6-year renewable terms with mandatory retirement at age 65
subordinate courts: High Courts; District Courts; Branch Courts (organized under the District Courts); specialized courts for family and administrative issues
Political parties
Democratic Party of Korea or DPK
New Future Party
New Reform Party
Open Democratic Party or ODP
People Power Party or PPP
Progressive Party or Jinbo Party
Rebuilding Korea Party
Social Democratic Party
note: the Democratic Alliance coalition consists of the DPK and the smaller Basic Income, Jinbo, Open Democratic, and Social Democratic parties, as well as two independents; for the 2024 election, the Basic Income Party, the ODP, and the Social Democratic Party formed the New Progressive Alliance
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission
chancery
telephone
FAX
email address and website
generalusa@mofa.go.kr
https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/us-en/index.do
consulate(s) general
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
embassy
mailing address
telephone
FAX
email address and website
seoulinfoACS@state.gov
https://kr.usembassy.gov/
consulate(s)
International organization participation
ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CABEI, CD, CICA, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Independence
15 August 1945 (from Japan)
National holiday
Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)
Flag
meaning: the flag is called Taegukki; white is a traditional Korean color and represents peace and purity; blue stands for the negative cosmic forces of the yin, and red for the opposite positive forces of the yang; each trigram represents one of the universal elements, which together express the principle of movement and harmony
National symbol(s)
National color(s)
red, white, blue, black
National anthem(s)
lyrics/music: YUN Ch'i-Ho or AN Ch'ang-Ho/AHN Eaktay
history: adopted 1948, well-known by 1910; North Korea's and South Korea's anthems have the same name and a similar melody, but different lyrics
National heritage
selected World Heritage Site locales: Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes (n); Changdeokgung Palace Complex (c); Jongmyo Shrine (c); Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple (c); Hwaseong Fortress (c); Gochang, Hwasun, and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites (c); Gyeongju Historic Areas (c); Namhansanseong (c); Baekje Historic Areas (c); Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea (c); Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty (c); Petroglyphs along the Bangucheon Stream (c)
Economy30
Economic overview
high-income, export- and technology-oriented East Asian economy; manufacturing led by semiconductor and automotive industries; slow growth amid declining construction investment, export risks, and recent political instability; aging workforce; increased restraint in fiscal policy while maintaining industry support initiatives
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $2.572 trillion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021: $2.507 trillion (2021 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 2.6% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2021: 4.3% (2021 est.)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2022: $49,800 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2021: $48,400 (2021 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$1.713 trillion (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 3.6% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 5.1% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry: 31.6% (2023 est.)
services: 58.4% (2023 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
government consumption
investment in fixed capital
investment in inventories
exports of goods and services
imports of goods and services
Agricultural products
rice, vegetables, cabbages, milk, onions, pork, chicken, eggs, tangerines/mandarins, potatoes (2023)
Industries
electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel
Industrial production growth rate
1.1% (2023 est.)
Labor force
29.713 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2023: 2.7% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 2.9% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male: 6% (2024 est.)
female: 5.8% (2024 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Average household expenditures
on alcohol and tobacco: 1.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
highest 10%: 24.6% (2021 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2022: 0.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 0.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
Budget
expenditures: $532.023 billion (2023 est.)
Public debt
Taxes and other revenues
15.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2023: $32.822 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: $25.829 billion (2022 est.)
Exports
Exports 2023: $769.243 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $825.961 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners
China 25%, USA 18%, Hong Kong 4%, Japan 4%, Taiwan 4% (2023)
Exports - commodities
integrated circuits, cars, refined petroleum, plastics, machine parts (2023)
Imports
Imports 2023: $758.41 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $817.594 billion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners
China 31%, USA 13%, Japan 9%, Germany 5%, Australia 4% (2023)
Imports - commodities
integrated circuits, natural gas, crude petroleum, machinery, cars (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $420.93 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $423.366 billion (2022 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
Exchange rates 2024
Exchange rates 2023
Exchange rates 2022
Exchange rates 2021
Exchange rates 2020
Energy8
Electricity access
Electricity
consumption: 575.359 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 19.688 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels
nuclear
solar
wind
hydroelectricity
tide and wave
biomass and waste
Nuclear energy
Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 2 (2025)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 25.57GW (2025 est.)
Percent of total electricity production: 30.7% (2023 est.)
Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 2 (2025)
Coal
consumption: 136.817 million metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 500 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 122.845 million metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 326 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption: 2.542 million bbl/day (2024 est.)
Natural gas
consumption: 57.314 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
exports: 93.639 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
imports: 60.025 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 7.079 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Communications6
Telephones - fixed lines
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 43 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 173 (2024 est.)
Broadcast media
multiple national TV networks, with 2 of the 3 largest networks publicly operated; the largest privately owned network, Seoul Broadcasting Service (SBS), has ties with other commercial TV networks; cable and satellite TV subscription services available; publicly operated radio broadcast networks and many privately owned radio broadcasting networks, each with multiple affiliates, and independent local stations
Internet country code
.kr
Internet users
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 47 (2023 est.)
Transportation6
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
HL
Airports
92 (2025)
Heliports
1,280 (2025)
Railways
standard gauge: 3,979 km (2016) 1.435-m gauge (2,727 km electrified)
Merchant marine
by type: bulk carrier 93, container ship 115, general cargo 362, oil tanker 219, other 1,360
Ports
total ports
large
medium
small
very small
ports with oil terminals
key ports
Military & Security7
Military and security forces
Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries: Korea Coast Guard; Ministry of Interior and Safety: Korean National Police Agency (2025)
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2024: 2.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 2.4% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 2.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 2.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 500,000 active Armed Forces (365,000 Army; 70,000 Navy, including about 30,000 Marines; 65,000 Air Force) (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the South Korean military is equipped with a mix of mostly modern domestically produced and imported weapons systems; the US is the leading provider of foreign arms; South Korea's defense industry produces a range of military hardware for both domestic use and export, including aircraft, armored fighting vehicles, artillery, missiles, and naval vessels; it also jointly produces equipment with other countries (2025)
Military service age and obligation
18-29 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; mandatory military service for all eligible men 18-35 years of age (typically served from 20-28 years of age); compulsory service obligation is 18-21 months based on the branch of service and up to 36 months for alternative service (2025)
Military deployments
250 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 275 South Sudan (UNMISS); approximately 150 United Arab Emirates (2025)
Military - note
South Korea's primary defense partner is the US, and the 1953 US-South Korea Mutual Defense Treaty is a cornerstone of the country's national security; the Treaty committed the US to provide assistance in the event of an attack and gave the US permission to station land, air, and sea forces in and about the territory of South Korea as determined by mutual agreement; South Korea hosts approximately 28,000 US military troops and regularly conducts bilateral exercises with the US military; South Korea has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; the South Korean military has assisted the US in conflicts in Afghanistan (5,000 troops; 2001-2014), Iraq (20,000 troops; 2003-2008), and Vietnam (325,000 troops; 1964-1973)
in 2016, South Korea concluded an agreement with the EU for participation in EU Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) missions and operations, such as EU counter-piracy operations off the coast of East Africa; South Korea has had a relationship with NATO since 2005, and in 2022 established a mission to the NATO headquarters to further cooperation; it has participated in NATO-led missions and exercises, including in Afghanistan and the Gulf of Aden (2025)
Transnational Issues2
Refugees and internally displaced persons
stateless persons: 248 (2024 est.)
Illicit drugs
major precursor-chemical producer (2025)