South Korea

South Korea occupies the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. North Korea lies to its north; the Yellow Sea is to the west and the East Sea, also called the Sea of Japan, is to the east. Its landscape is largely mountainous, with coastal plains, river valleys and many offshore islands. Jeju is a volcanic island south of the mainland. Seoul, in the northwest, is the capital and largest city and a major political, economic and cultural center. The concentration of people and institutions around the capital is one feature of the country's highly urbanized society.

Japan ruled Korea from 1910 until its surrender in 1945. After the Second World War, the peninsula was divided into northern and southern occupation zones, and separate governments were established in 1948. War broke out in 1950, drawing in Korean forces and international participants. The 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement stopped open hostilities and established a demilitarized zone between the opposing forces. It was a military truce rather than a peace treaty, so the armistice did not resolve the political division of the peninsula. The continuing separation has shaped South Korea's security policy and its relations with neighboring states.

The Republic of Korea is a democratic republic with a presidential system. Under its constitution, state authority is divided among executive, legislative and judicial branches. The president leads the executive branch, while legislative power belongs to the unicameral National Assembly. The country has undergone major political change since its founding, moving from periods of authoritarian rule to a constitutional democracy whose institutions and public life are shaped by elections, civil society and continuing political debate.

After the Korean War, South Korea shifted from a largely agrarian economy toward manufacturing, services and technology. From the 1960s, export-oriented industrialization, investment in infrastructure and education, and the growth of large business groups helped drive rapid expansion. The World Bank describes the country's long transition from aid recipient to donor and highlights its investment in human capital, innovation and international development partnerships. Korean is the official language and is written primarily in Hangul. South Korean society includes a range of religious traditions and has no national religion; Buddhism, Christianity and older practices have all influenced its cultural history.