South Korea

South Korea officially the Republic of Korea (ROK, Hangul: 대한민국, Hanja: 大韓民國, pronounced [tɛːhanminɡuk̚] ), is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China (Mainland China) to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China (Taiwan) to the south. Its capital is Seoul, which is also its largest city. South Korea lies in a humid continental and humid subtropical climate region with a predominantly mountainous terrain. Its territory covers a total area of 99,392 square kilometers^[5] and has a population of 50 million. Seoul, capital of South Korea, reaches a population of 10,421,782.

Flag

   the Korean government realized the need for a national symbol

. The first flag was created in 1882 and over the years the design has varied. Banned during the Japanese occupation (1910-45), the present flag was created in 1948 for use by the South Korean government. The T'aegukki depicts the balancing philosophies of Yin/Yang and the concept of Ohaengsol (five directions). In the central circle, the red portion represents positive Yang, while the blue portion represents negative Yin. It is an ancient symbol representing balance and harmony. The combination of bars in each corner also symbolizes opposites and balance. The set in the upper left corner symbolizes heaven, spring, east, and gentility. The lower right corner symbolizes the earth, summer, west, and justice. The upper right corner symbolizes the moon, winter, north, and wisdom. The lower left corner symbolizes the sun, autumn, south, and courtesy.

Cities

Geography

Over 70% of the land is mountainous with the eastern regions consisting of mainly rugged mountain ranges and deep valleys. Many people enjoy hiking in the foothills and mountains. Most of the larger rivers and forests are located in the west. The coastline is dotted with bays and it has some of the highest tides in the world. The eastern coastline has many sandy beaches, while the western side consists mainly of mud flats and rocky shores.

Religion

Korea has been influenced by four major religions: Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity, and Shamanism. Additionally, a very large mosque in It'aewon-dong holds services for those of the Islamic faith. Many Koreans follow more than one religion as many new Christian converts continue to practice ancestor worship and perform Buddhist rites.

People

Population: over 46.9 million (1999 est.)
Koreans descended from the Mongolian race in prehistoric times. Periods of occupation have also added Chinese and Japanese blood to the gene pool. Although they have borrowed from other cultures, especially Chinese and Japanese, Koreans have maintained their own distinctive language, culture, and customs. It is a family-orientated society, heavily based on Confucianism, which even in modern times retains the basic patterns and manners of family-centered life.

Weather

As all the tourist books will tell you, Korea has four distinct seasons. The summers are very hot and humid, and the winters are cold and dry. The springs and autumns, which finish much too quickly, provide a welcome relief from the extremes of summer and winter.