Geographical and Topological Features
The Korean Peninsula, located in the center of Northeast Asia, neighbors China, Russia, and Japan. According to the World Geodetic System, it is located between 33 and 43 degrees north latitude and 124 and 132 degrees east longitude. The Korean Peninsula (including both South and North Korea) averages 1,000 km long and 300 km wide, with a total area of 222,000 km2. The total area of South Korea (below the Military Demarcation Line) is approximately 100,364 km2.
About 3/4 of the country is covered with mountains. Although you can find mountains almost anywhere in the country, there are a few places where you can see a flat horizon. Topologically, Korea is high in the east and low in the west. In the north and east, there is a concentration of high mountains exceeding 1,000 meters above sea level, forming the geographical backbone of the country. Mountain slopes become steeper toward the east coast and less steep toward the west coast.
Our country is surrounded by the sea on three sides except the north. The total length of the coastline is 17,000 km (including islands). The East Sea is characterized by deep water and a simple coastline, while the West and South Seas are characterized by shallow water depth, complex coastlines, and many islands. Each of the three seas has unique characteristics and a different maritime atmosphere. The West Sea, where life resides in the mud flats, and the South Sea, where there are numerous islands (a sea nicknamed Dadohae, or the Sea of Many Islands).
Climate
Korea has a warm climate with four distinct seasons. While mobile high pressure creates sunny, dry springs and autumns, the country's summers are heavily influenced by the hot and humid North Pacific High. In winter, the country becomes dry and cold due to the influence of continental cyclones blowing in from the north.
The average annual temperature in Korea is 7~15℃. The average monthly temperature is the highest in August at 19.7~26.7℃. However, on some days the temperature may exceed 33℃. The coldest month in the country is January, with an average monthly temperature of -6.9~3.6℃, and snow and ice can be seen everywhere in the country. In spring and fall, the weather is generally sunny and pleasant, and the average daytime temperature is 15~18℃, making it a good season to enjoy outdoor activities and travel.
Annual precipitation is approximately 1,300 mm, of which 54% occurs in summer. In most years, it rains for several weeks (30 to 35 days) in July and August. This period is called the rainy season in Korea. There are significant differences in humidity between the seasons, reaching a high of 78-79% in July and August and dropping to 59-60% in March and April.
In recent years, there are signs that Korea is turning into a subtropical country. In summer, subtropical gusts can often be observed, and farmers can now grow tropical crops such as bananas and apple-mangoes, while fields suitable for former staple crops (rice, apples, etc.) are shrinking.
Population
Korea's population is approximately 51.63 million as of 2022, ranking 29th in the world. However, 50.49% of the population lives in the metropolitan area (SCA, mainly consisting of Seoul and Gyeonggi-do), resulting in serious regional population gaps. .
Due to advances in medicine and rapid economic growth, Koreans' life expectancy increased by 21.1 years from 62.3 years in 1970 to 83.6 years in 2021, ranking third.
The Korean government has made various efforts to solve the problems of low birth rate and aging.
Language and Letters
Korea has a unique language and a unique writing system, 'Hangeul', based on Hunminjeongeum, created by King Sejong the Great (1397-1450) during the Joseon Dynasty. Hangul consists of 14 consonants and 10 vowels, which can be combined to create new letter forms.
Hangul is the world's only writing system created through intentional effort. It features highly scientific letter formation principles and can express the widest range of sounds of any writing system currently in existence. It's also easy to learn because you can create letters by following simple rules.
Hangul (Hunminjeongeum) is the only writing system registered as a UNESCO Memory of the World Heritage. Additionally, UNESCO recognizes those who have contributed to the eradication of illiteracy around the world through the UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Award.
In recent years, Hangul has gained global recognition for its aesthetics, and Hangul characters have been widely adopted in clothing, design, painting, sculpture, and other arts.
National Flag (Taegeukgi)
Taegeukgi was first adopted as the national flag of Joseon in 1883, and has been used as the national flag since the founding of the Korean Empire in 1897. The background is white and there are four black lines drawn at the four corners.
The white background symbolizes lightness, purity and peace. In comparison, Taegeuk symbolizes the harmony of yin and yang (representing the two contrasting aspects of energy that creates all beings in the universe in Eastern philosophy), and the four trigrams (Gian, Gon, Gam, Li) symbolize the harmony of yin and yang. do. Sky, Earth, Water, Fire.
National Flower (Mugunghwa)
Rose of Sharon (Rose of Sharon) is the national flower of South Korea. Mugunghwa means ‘eternal flower that never withers’.
This is deeply related to interiority and persistence, which are considered the most typical characteristics of Koreans.
National Anthem (Aegukga)
Korea's national anthem is the national anthem. Numerous pioneers wrote the lyrics, and Ahn Eak-tae added the singing in 1935. It was officially adopted in 1948 with the establishment of the government of the Republic of Korea.
Political System
Korea is a democratic republic with a political system consisting of three separate and independent government agencies: the legislature, the executive branch, and the judiciary, based on the principle of separation of powers. Our country adopts a presidential system in which the president leads both the government and the executive branch. The president is elected through national elections, and each president serves a five-year term. In 2022, Yoon Seok-yeol was inaugurated as the 20th President of the Republic of Korea.