Coordinates: 36°N 128°E / 36°N 128°E / 36; 128South Korea
(Korean: í•œêµ/éŸ"國, RR: Hanguk; literally 남한/å —éŸ", RR:
Namhan, or ë‚¨ì¡°ì„ , MR: NamchosÅ n in North Korean usage),
officially the Republic of Korea (ROK; Korean:
대한민êµ/大éŸ"æ°'國, RR: Daehan Minguk), is a country in East
Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula, and
sharing a land border with North Korea. 25 million people, over half
of the country's population of more than 51 million people, live in
the Seoul Capital Area, the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the
world.The Korean Peninsula was inhabited as early as the Lower
Paleolithic period. Its first kingdom was noted in Chinese records in
the early 7th century BC. Following the unification of the Three
Kingdoms of Korea into Silla and Balhae in the late 7th century, Korea
was ruled by the Goryeo dynasty (918â€"1392) and the Joseon dynasty
(1392â€"1897). The succeeding Korean Empire was annexed into the
Empire of Japan in 1910. After World War II, Korea was divided into
Soviet and U.S.-administered zones, with the latter becoming the
Republic of Korea in August 1948. In 1950, a North Korean invasion
began the Korean War and after its end in 1953, the country's economy
began to soar, recording the fastest rise in average GDP per capita in
the world between 1980 and 1990. The June Struggle led to the end of
authoritarian rule in 1987 and the country is now the most advanced
democracy and has the highest level of press freedom in Asia. South
Korea is a member of the OECD's Development Assistance Committee, the
G20 and the Paris Club.
(Korean: í•œêµ/éŸ"國, RR: Hanguk; literally 남한/å —éŸ", RR:
Namhan, or ë‚¨ì¡°ì„ , MR: NamchosÅ n in North Korean usage),
officially the Republic of Korea (ROK; Korean:
대한민êµ/大éŸ"æ°'國, RR: Daehan Minguk), is a country in East
Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula, and
sharing a land border with North Korea. 25 million people, over half
of the country's population of more than 51 million people, live in
the Seoul Capital Area, the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the
world.The Korean Peninsula was inhabited as early as the Lower
Paleolithic period. Its first kingdom was noted in Chinese records in
the early 7th century BC. Following the unification of the Three
Kingdoms of Korea into Silla and Balhae in the late 7th century, Korea
was ruled by the Goryeo dynasty (918â€"1392) and the Joseon dynasty
(1392â€"1897). The succeeding Korean Empire was annexed into the
Empire of Japan in 1910. After World War II, Korea was divided into
Soviet and U.S.-administered zones, with the latter becoming the
Republic of Korea in August 1948. In 1950, a North Korean invasion
began the Korean War and after its end in 1953, the country's economy
began to soar, recording the fastest rise in average GDP per capita in
the world between 1980 and 1990. The June Struggle led to the end of
authoritarian rule in 1987 and the country is now the most advanced
democracy and has the highest level of press freedom in Asia. South
Korea is a member of the OECD's Development Assistance Committee, the
G20 and the Paris Club.
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