South Korea
hideSouth Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK) (Korean: 대한민국, pronounced [tɛːhanminɡuk̚] ( listen)) and often referred to as Korea, is a country in East Asia, located on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. Also known as the "Land of the Morning Calm", it is neighbored by China to the west and Japan to the east, bordering North Korea to the north. Its capital is Seoul, the second largest metropolitan city in the world and a major global city. South Korea lies in a temperate climate region with a predominantly mountainous terrain. Its territory covers a total area of 100,032 square kilometers and has a population of over 48 million, making it one of the most densely populated regions in the world.
South Korea is a presidential republic consisting of 16 administrative divisions. Archaeological findings show that the Korean Peninsula was occupied as early as the Lower Paleolithic period. Korean history begins with the founding of Gojoseon in 2333 BCE by Dangun. Following the unification of Three Kingdoms of Korea under Silla 668 CE, Korea existed as a unified nation Goryeo and Joseon Dynasty until the end of the Korean Empire in 1910. After liberation and division in 1948, South Korea was ruled by a series of autocratic governments until its transition to democracy in the 1980s. Following the Korean War, the South Korean economy grew significantly, transforming the country into a major global economy. This is known as the Miracle on the Han River and the country became one of the Four Asian Tigers.
South Korea is a developed country with the smallest gap between rich and poor in high-income Asian economies. It is a High-income OECD member, having the fourth largest economy in Asia and the 15th largest in the world. South Korea is the world leader in innovation among major economies and a leader in technologically advanced goods such as electronics, automobiles, ships, machinery, petrochemicals and robotics, headed by Samsung, LG and Hyundai-Kia. It is a member of the United Nations, WTO, OECD and G-20 major economies. It is also a founding member of APEC and the East Asia Summit, and a major non-NATO ally of the United States. In the 21st century, there has been increased interest in Korean culture throughout the world, also known as the Korean Wave.
For more information about South Korea, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
News tagged with south korea
Could a paper transistor offer an alternative to silicon?
Sep 22, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- As technology advances, scientists look for ways to enhance electronic applications and devices. Indeed, electronics are getting smaller and more diverse. And as this happens, there is an increased requirement ...
South Korea's little firefighting robots (w/ Video)
Oct 08, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Two South Korean firms have developed mini firefighting robots to help human firefighters safely plan their course of action before entering a blazing building.
Improving Plug-In Electric Cars
Jun 04, 2009 |
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One of the issues that comes with plug-in autos, whether they are hybrid or straight-up electric, is the ability to charge the battery. It can be difficult to charge batteries on the go, and it can take hour ...
As robots become more common, Stanford experts consider the legal challenges
Other Sciences / Social Sciences
Nov 23, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- They already detect and defuse bombs, control traffic patterns and do some basic household chores. And scientists predict that pretty soon, robots will be using artificial intelligence to play a larger role ...
Disgraced cloning expert convicted in South Korea (Update)
Oct 26, 2009 |
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(AP) -- A South Korean stem cell scientist once hailed as a hero for bringing hope to people with incurable diseases and creating the world's first cloned dog was convicted Monday on criminal charges related ...
US ranks 28th in Internet connection speed: report
Aug 25, 2009 |
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The United States ranks 28th in the world in average Internet connection speed and is not making significant progress in building a faster network, according to a report released on Tuesday.
SKorea delays rocket launch minutes before blast-off
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Aug 19, 2009 |
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South Korea Wednesday postponed the launch of its first space rocket just eight minutes before the scheduled blast-off, due to a technical fault.
SKorean moves to turn science fiction into fact
Jul 22, 2009 |
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A computer screen that folds up like a pocket handkerchief, a harbour that goes out to a ship and a road which recharges electric vehicles -- it sounds like the stuff of science fiction.
Samsung claims slimmest 'watch phone'
Electronics / Consumer & Gadgets
Jul 22, 2009 |
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South Korea's Samsung Electronics Wednesday announced what it claims is the world's slimmest "watch phone".
South Korea tops in broadband penetration: study
Jun 19, 2009 |
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South Korea, where 95 percent of homes have broadband, Singapore and Taiwan are among the top five countries in terms of access to the high-speed Internet, according to a survey released Thursday.
Sony reports $1 bln annual loss, first in 14 years
May 14, 2009 |
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(AP) -- Sony Corp. reported its first annual net loss in 14 years and forecast a bigger loss this year, saying the pressure from sliding sales, competition in gadget prices and a strong yen was expected to ...
S.Korea lifts ban on stem cell research
Apr 29, 2009 |
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South Korea on Wednesday conditionally lifted a ban on stem cell research using human eggs, three years after outlawing the practice because a scientist was found to have faked his work.
SKorean experts claim to have cloned glowing dogs
Apr 28, 2009 |
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(AP) -- South Korean scientists say they have engineered four beagles that glow red using cloning techniques that could help develop cures for human diseases. The four dogs, all named "Ruppy" - a combination ...
S.Korea scientists clone pig for human transplants
Apr 22, 2009 |
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South Korean scientists said they have cloned a piglet whose organs were genetically modified to make them more suitable for human transplants.
iPhone's debut in S.Korea means paradigm shift: experts
Nov 28, 2009 |
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Apple's top selling iPhone made its debut in South Korea Saturday with experts saying the iconic smartphone is likely to serve as a wake-up call for an IT industry basking in an isolated market.
