Korea, South (2003)

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Korea, South 2003 year


Administrative divisions	9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7 metropolitan cities* (gwangyoksi, singular and plural); Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto, Cholla-namdo, Ch'ungch'ong-bukto, Ch'ungch'ong-namdo, Inch'on-gwangyoksi, Kangwon-do, Kwangju-gwangyoksi, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto, Kyongsang-namdo, Pusan-gwangyoksi, Soul-t'ukpyolsi, Taegu-gwangyoksi, Taejon-gwangyoksi, Ulsan-gwangyoksi*
Age structure	0-14 years: 20.6% (male 5,256,451; female 4,703,853) 15-64 years: 71.5% (male 17,527,407; female 16,991,229) 65 years and over: 7.9% (male 1,512,157; female 2,297,940) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products	rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish
Airports	102 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 69 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 21 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 33 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 31 (2002)
Area	total: 98,480 sq km land: 98,190 sq km water: 290 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly larger than Indiana
Background	After World War II, a republic was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in the north. During the Korean War (1950-1953), US and other UN forces intervened to defend South Korea from North Korean attacks supported by the Chinese. An armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the Peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income rising to roughly 20 times the level of North Korea. South Korea has maintained its commitment to democratize its political processes. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took place between the South's President KIM Dae-jung and the North's leader KIM Chong-il.
Birth rate	12.6 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget	revenues: $118.1 billion expenditures: $95.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $22.6 billion (2000)
Capital	Seoul
Climate	temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter
Coastline	2,413 km
Constitution	17 July 1948
Country name	conventional long form: Republic of Korea conventional short form: South Korea local long form: Taehan-min'guk local short form: none note: the South Koreans generally use the term "Han'guk" to refer to their country abbreviation: ROK
Currency	South Korean won (KRW)
Death rate	6.03 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external	$135.2 billion (yearend 2002 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. HUBBARD embassy: 82 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710 mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-5550 telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114 FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador HAN Sung-chu (HAN Sung-joo) chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600 FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle consulate(s): New York, Tamuning (Guam)
Disputes - international	Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; Liancourt Rocks (Take-shima/Tok-do) are disputed with Japan
Economic aid - donor	ODA $200 million
Economy - overview	As one of the Four Tigers of East Asia, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth and integration into the high-tech modern world economy. Three decades ago GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. Today its GDP per capita is 18 times North Korea's and equal to the lesser economies of the European Union. This success through the late 1980s was achieved by a system of close government/business ties, including directed credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of specific industries, and a strong labor effort. The government promoted the import of raw materials and technology at the expense of consumer goods and encouraged savings and investment over consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-99 exposed longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model, including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an undisciplined financial sector. Growth plunged to a negative 6.6% in 1998, then strongly recovered to 10.8% in 1999 and 9.2% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.3% in 2001 because of the slowing global economy, falling exports, and the perception that much-needed corporate and financial reforms had stalled. Led by consumer spending and exports, growth in 2002 was an impressive 6.2%, despite anemic global growth, followed by moderate 2.8% growth in 2003. In 2003 the six-day work week was reduced to five days.
Electricity - consumption	270.3 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	290.7 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 62.4% hydro: 0.8% nuclear: 36.6% other: 0.2% (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m
Environment - current issues	air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing
Environment - international agreements	party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Ethnic groups	homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)
Exchange rates	South Korean won per US dollar - 1,251.09 (2002), 1,290.99 (2001), 1,130.96 (2000), 1,188.82 (1999), 1,401.44 (1998)
Executive branch	chief of state: President NO Mu-hyun (ROH Moo-hyun) (since 25 February 2003) head of government: Prime Minister KO Kun (KOH Kun) (since 27 February 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers KIM Chin-p'yo (KIM Jin-pyo) (since 27 February 2003) and YUN Tok-hong (since 6 March 2003) cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 19 December 2002 (next to be held NA December 2007); prime minister appointed by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation election results: results of the 19 December 2002 election - NO Muh-hyun elected president, took office 25 February 2003; percent of vote - NO Muh-hyun (MDP) 48.9%; YI Hoe-ch'ang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5%
Exports	0 kWh (2001)
Exports	$162.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports	0 cu m (2001 est.)
Exports	804,700 bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities	electronic products, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, steel, ships; textiles, clothing, footwear; fish
Exports - partners	US 20.4%, China 14.7%, Japan 9.4%, Hong Kong 6.3% (2002)
Fiscal year	calendar year
Flag description	white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field
GDP	purchasing power parity - $941.5 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 4.4% industry: 41.6% services: 54% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $19,600 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	6.3% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates	37 00 N, 127 30 E
Geography - note	strategic location on Korea Strait
Heliports	204 (2002)
Highways	total: 86,990 km paved: 64,808 km (including 1,996 km of expressways) unpaved: 22,182 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 24.8% (1998 est.)
Imports	0 kWh (2001)
Imports	$148.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports	21.11 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Imports	2.965 million bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities	machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, textiles, organic chemicals, grains
Imports - partners	Japan 19.6%, US 15.2%, China 11.4%, Saudi Arabia 5% (2002)
Independence	15 August 1945 (from Japan)
Industrial production growth rate	6.5% (2002 est.)
Industries	electronics, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel, textiles, clothing, footwear, food processing
Infant mortality rate	total: 7.31 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.77 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	2.8% (2002 est.)
International organization participation	AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	11 (2000)
Irrigated land	11,590 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court (justices are appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly)
Labor force	22 million (2001)
Labor force - by occupation	services 69%, industry 21.5%, agriculture 9.5% (2001)
Land boundaries	total: 238 km border countries: North Korea 238 km
Land use	arable land: 17.44% permanent crops: 2.05% other: 80.51% (1998 est.)
Languages	Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school
Legal system	combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought
Legislative branch	unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (273 seats total - 227 elected by direct, popular vote; members serve four-year terms); note - beginning in 2004, all members will be directly elected; possible redistricting before 2004 may affect the number of seats in the National Assembly elections: last held 13 April 2000 (next to be held NA April 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - GNP 133, MDP 115, ULD 17, other 8; note - the distribution of seats as of April 2003 was: GNP 153, MDP 101, ULD 11, DPP 1, PPR 1, independents 5; one seat vacant
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 75.36 years male: 71.73 years female: 79.32 years (2003 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.1% male: 99.3% female: 97% (2003 est.)
Location	Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea
Map references	Asia
Maritime claims	contiguous zone: 24 NM continental shelf: not specified exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM; between 3 NM and 12 NM in the Korea Strait
Merchant marine	total: 541 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,490,521 GRT/10,602,751 DWT ships by type: bulk 114, cargo 174, chemical tanker 63, combination bulk 9, container 52, liquefied gas 17, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 69, refrigerated cargo 21, roll on/roll off 6, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 6, vehicle carrier 5 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 1, Bulgaria 1, China 1, Greece 1, Japan 1, Malaysia 1, Norway 1, Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, UK 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches	Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Maritime Police (Coast Guard)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$13,094.3 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	2.8% (FY02)
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 14,252,851 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 8,994,941 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age	18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 345,331 (2003 est.)
National holiday	Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)
Nationality	noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean
Natural hazards	occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest
Natural resources	coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines	gas 1,433 km; refined products 827 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders	Democratic People's Party or DPP [leader NA]; Grand National Party or GNP [CH'OE Pyong-ryol, chairman]; Millennium Democratic Party or MDP [CHO Sun-hyong, chairman]; United Liberal Democrats or ULD [KIM Chong-p'il, president]; Uri Party [KIM Kun-t'ae, chairman]
Political pressure groups and leaders	Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean Trade Unions; Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National Council of Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans' Association; National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic Alliance of Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National Federation of Student Associations
Population	48,289,037 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line	4% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate	0.66% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors	Chinhae, Inch'on, Kunsan, Masan, Mokp'o, P'ohang, Pusan, Tonghae-hang, Ulsan, Yosu
Radio broadcast stations	AM 104, FM 136, shortwave 5 (2001)
Railways	total: 3,125 km standard gauge: 3,125 km 1.435-m gauge (661 km electrified) (2002)
Religions	Christian 49%, Buddhist 47%, Confucianist 3%, Shamanist, Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way), and other 1%
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage	20 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: excellent domestic and international services domestic: NA international: fiber-optic submarine cable to China; the Russia-Korea-Japan submarine cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)
Telephones - main lines in use	24 million (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular	28 million (September 2000)
Television broadcast stations	121 (plus 850 repeater stations and the eight-channel American Forces Korea Network) (1999)
Terrain	mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south
Total fertility rate	1.56 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate	3.1% (2002 est.)
Waterways	1,609 km note: restricted to small native craft

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