Republic of Korea : Facts

Geographical Location and Climate

▶ Location and Area : Northeastern part of the Asia continent 99,772㎢
(45% of the land area [221,000 ㎢] of the entire Korean
Peninsula)
▶ National Flower : Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)
▶ Population : Approx. 53 million (as of 2007)
With population density of 494 per 1㎢, it is the third most
densely populated country in the world.
▶ Capital : Seoul
▶ Climate : Korea has temperate climate with four distinct seasons of spring,
summer, fall and winter and you can enjoy the beauty of all four
seasons.

Spring March through May. Chilly in mornings and evenings
and warm during the day. Flowers bloom and new buds sprout
on trees, but winter does not go away so easily - expect a few
brief cold spells and keep warm clothes handy. Also, there can
be summer-like days in May.

Summer June through August. Temperatures rise to 25℃-35℃.
It is rainy (monsoon) season from end of June till end of July. It
does not rain every day but sometimes unexpected downpours
cause floods. Also expect a few typhoons between August and
September.

Fall From September through November. The weather becomes
chilly and leaves turn colors. Expect quite a few winter-like days
in November. Better get some warm clothes ready and have your
heaters checked.


Winter From December through February. It gets very cold
with the temperatures hovering around -10℃ - 10℃. The usual
pattern of three bitterly cold days followed by four not-so-cold
days is repeated throughout the season. Expect snow and
strong winds. Warm clothing and heaters are musts.


Language and Letters
The standard Korean language is defined as “the language currently used
by the middle class residing in Seoul.” Each region has a unique dialect but
they are not so different as to hinder communication. Hangeul, or the Korean
alphabet, was created under the rule of King Sejong, the fourth king of the
Choseon Dynasty in the 15th century. Based on a scientific system and
consisting of vowels and consonents, it is extremely easy to learn and use and
allows easy literation. It has been designated as a world heritage under the
Memory of the World Program by UNESCO.

Religion

In Korea, freedom of religion is protected under its constitution. 53.1% of
Koreans belong to a religion (as of 2005), of which 22.8% are Buddists, 18.3%
Christians and 10.9% Catholics. There are also indigenous religions with a
nationalist bend, such as Cheondo-gyo (the Religion of the Heavenly Way) and
Won Buddhism, and minority religions, including Isalm.

Buddhism is the oldest religion in Korea and there are ancient buddist temples
and relics all over the Peninsula. It is not an exaggeration to say that there is at
least one Buddhist temple in every mountain in Korea. Some of the temples are
over a thousand years old. Today, buddist temples serve as tourist attractions
visited by both buddists and non-buddists.
Although Catholicism and Protestantism are not as old were first introduced at
the end of the 18th century and the end of the 19th century, repectively, they
are two most active religions in Korea. Protestant and Catholic churches are
ubiquitous, with the number of Protestant churches exceeding 35,000.
Traditionally, Korea is a society that has been deeply affected by Confucianism.
Today, Confucianism still affects people's lives but as values and moral
standards rather than as a religion. There are also traces of shamanism, a
popular religion. Many Koreans still go see shamans when they are ill or have
grave concerns to have their fortunes told or ask them to perform shamanistic
rituals. It is also a popular ritual to go see fortunetellers at the start of a new
year to find out what the new year has in store for them.

Social Systems

▶ Political System
The Republic of Korea has a presidential system, and the President and the
lawmakers are elected by direct popular vote. The term of office for a Korean
President is five years and for members of the General Assembly four years.
Under local autonomy system, the heads of local authorities are also elected by
direct popular vote.

▶ Education System
The Korean education system provides 6 years of elementary school, 3 years
of middle school, 3 years of high school and four years of college. Most children
are sent to preschool institutions such as kindergartens and daycare centers.
Elementary and middle school education are mandatory and provided free
of charge. Around 70% of high school graduates move onto colleges and
universities. A new school year starts in early March. The first academic term
is from March through August (July – August : summer school vacation) and
the second term is from September through Feburary next year (December –
February : winter school vacation).

▶ Military Service
Korea relies on conscription for the armed forces, and all Korean men are
required to serve in the military for 2 years in the absence of a reason that
warrants an exemption. The country's 700 thousand-strong armed forces consist
of Army, Navy, Air Force and the Marine Corps.


Administrative Regions

The administrative regions of Korea consist of Seoul, the capital city of Korea;
the metropolitan cities of Incheon, Daejeon, Busan, Daegu; Ulsan, and the
Gyeonggi-do, GangWon, North ChungCheong, South ChungCheong, North
Jeolla, South Jeolla, North GyeongSang and South GyeongSang provinces;
and the Jeju Special Autonomous Province. All cities and gun’s belong to
the respective province, except for the metropolitan cities. Large cities with a
population of 500,000 or more are divided into “gu’s,” which again are divided
into “dong’s”. Smaller cities do not have “gu’s and are directly divided into
dong’s”. A “gun" is divided into several “up's” and “myeon’s”.
Seoul and a few cities in its vicinity are collectively referred to as the "capital
area." Currently around 49% of the total population (10.42 mil. in Seoul; 11.34
mil. in Gyeonggi; and 2.71 mil. in Incheon) live in the capital area.

Currency

The unit of currency in Korea is the won (￦).
Currently in circulation are banknotes - 1,000 won, 5,000 won and 10,000 won;
coins – 10 won, 50 won, 100 won and 500 won. 50,000 won and 100,000 won
banknotes are slated to be issued shortly. Also 100,000 won banker’s checks
are being widely circulated.

In order to pay with a banker’s check, you must present your ID card and
endorse the check on the reverse with your name and contact number.

Traditional Costumes

▶ Hanbok
Since the ancient times, Koreans have favored white clothes – hence the
nickname “People in White." Koreans are also well known for their dexterity and
being good at jobs requiring fine details all over the world. Making a hanbok
requires a great deal of needlework by hand. With straight and curved lines in
harmony, the hanbok is aesthetically beautiful. Especially in women’s hanbok,
the short top and the skirt with a generous, wide hem strike a balance to create
a neat and elegant look. The hanbok is divided into formal ones and casual,
informal ones. There are also hanbok for adults and children and four different
seasons. Today, people dress up in hanbok only for special occasions, such
as traditional holidays or weddings, and wear more practical and convenient
clothing for everyday purposes.


Beoseon (Socks)
Originally, they started as a means to help protect the feet and were
made with large swaths of cotton cloth or kerchiefs. As time
passes, they haved evoled into the current form, godeulmok
beoseon. They have pointy toes climbing upwards and the
ankle parts are slightly wider than the foot parts. You can
tell the right one from the left one by checking the stitches:
the one with the stiches on the right is for your right foot
and vice versa.

Koreans use their own unique alphabet called Hangeul. It is considered to be one of the most efficient alphabets in the world and has garnered unanimous praise from language experts for its scientific design and excellence.
Hangeul was created under King Sejong the Great during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). In 1446, the first Korean alphabet was proclaimed under the original name Hunminjeongeum, which literally meant "the correct sounds for the instruction of the people." King Sejong, the creator of Hangeul, is considered to be one of the greatest rulers in the history of Korea. Highly respected for his benevolent disposition and diligence, King Sejong was also a passionate scholar whose knowledge and natural talent in all fields of study astounded even the most learned experts.
When he was not performing his official duties, King Sejong enjoyed reading and meditating. He could also be very tenacious at times and would never yield on what he thought was right. Love for the people was the cornerstone of his reign, and he was always ready to listen to the voices of the common folk. His was a rule of virtue, with the welfare of the people dictating all policy formulations.

King Sejong also established the Jiphyeonjeon, an academic research institute, inside the palace walls. It was here that he engaged in lively discussions and that a variety of quality books were published.

During his reign, King Sejong always deplored the fact that the common people, ignorant of the complicated Chinese characters that were being used by the educated, were not able to read and write. He understood their frustration in not being able to read or to communicate their thoughts and feelings in written words.

The Chinese script was used by the intelligentsia of the country, but being of foreign origin, it could not fully express the words and meaning of Korean thoughts and spoken language. Therefore, common people with legitimate complaints had no way of submitting their grievances to the appropriate authorities, other than through oral communication, and they had no way to record for posterity the agricultural wisdom and knowledge they had gained through years of experience.

King Sejong felt great sympathy for the people. As a revolutionary ruler strongly dedicated to national identity and cultural independence, he immediately searched for solutions. What he envisioned was a set of letters that was uniquely Korean and easily learnable, rendering it accessible and usable for the common people.

Thus, the Hunminjeongeum was born. In the preface of its proclamation, King Sejong states as follows: "Being of foreign origin, Chinese characters are incapable of capturing uniquely Korean meanings. Therefore, many common people have no way to express their thoughts and feelings. Out of my sympathy for their difficulties, I have created a set of 28 letters. The letters are very easy to learn, and it is my fervent hope that they improve the quality of life of all people." The statement captures the essence of King Sejong's determination and dedication to cultural independence and commitment to the welfare of the people.

Consonants: (g,k), (n), (d,t), (r or l), (m), (b,p), (s), (ng), (j), (ch), (k) (t), (p), (h) Vowels: (a), (ya), (eo), (yeo), (o), (yo), (u), (yu), (eu), (i)

The basic letters of the alphabet when Hunminjeongeum was first created numbered eight; they were the consonants ",,,," and the vowels " .,," The reason consonants and vowels were separated was due to their differing functions when two letters were combined to form a syllable. Hunminjeongeum is basically a form of hieroglyph. Consonants, the initial sound letters, resemble a person's speech organs. The shape of each letter is based on the form of different sound articulation units. Other consonants, excluding by adding additional strokes to the basic forms, based on the strength of the sounds. The vowels, on the other hand, were created in the image of the sky, land, and man. That is, "." resembles the roundness of the sky, '' represents the flat land and '' is the image of a standing man. The other vowels"(a), (ya), (eo), (yeo), (o), (yo), (u), (yu)" are variations of their three basic vowels. "." is not used today. The creation of the Hunminjeongeum was truly a remarkable accomplishment. Creating consonants based on a person's speech organs and vowels based on shapes of the sky, land, and man was truly a revolutionary and unprecedented process. King Sejong and the scholars of the Jiphyeonjeon, creators of the Korean alphabet, considered human sounds as being more than mere physical phenomena. They assumed that an invisible yet more powerful principle was the controlling force behind these phenomena. They adhered to the principle that human sounds and all universal phenomena are all based on yin and yang (positive and negative), and ohaeng (the five primary elements: metal, wood, water, fire and earth). Hence, they thought it natural that there bead common link between sounds and the changing of the seasons, and between sounds and music. A Korean syllable is divided into three parts: choseong (initial consonant), jungseong (peak vowel), and jongseong (final consonant). This is the basic framework that King Sejong and the Jiphyeonjeon scholars adhered to when created the letters. Jongseong was not separately created and was a repetition of the choseong. Therefore, Hangeul is an efficient combination of the consonants and vowels.

As the above examples clearly show, Hangeul with only 14 consonants and 10 vowels, is capable of expressing virtually any sound