South Korea Overview

South Korea, actually the Republic of Korea, is located in East Asia and forms the southern part of the Korean Peninsula (south of the 38th parallel). The country borders North Korea in the north. Four-fifths of the country’s surface consists of highlands and mountains.

The history of the Korean Peninsula has been marked by the power claims of the surrounding countries. The current division of Korea stems from the division between the American sphere of interest and the Russian one after the end of World War II. The dividing line along the 38th parallel during the Korean War confirmed the division. South Korea, which like Japan ended up in the American sphere of interest, received strong financial support from the United States. After being occupied by Japan since 1910, South Korea was liberated on August 15, 1945. The country was largely a military dictatorship until the mid-1980s.

South Korea is one of the world’s most densely populated countries. 99.9 percent of the country’s population is Korean, the largest minority group being Chinese. Only 20 percent of the country’s area is arable. Rice is the most common crop, two thirds of the arable land is rice fields.

WORLD HERITAGE

The following objects in South Korea are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The year in which the item was added to the list is indicated in parentheses.

• Haeinsatemplet (1995)
• Jongmyo Shrine (1995)
• Sokkuram Cave and Bulguksa Temple (1995)
• Changdeokgung Palace Complex (1997)
• Hwaseong Fort (1997)
• Historic sites and monuments in and around the city of Gyeongju (2000)
• Stone Age tombs in Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa (2000)
• Jeju, volcanic island off the south coast (2007)
• The Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty (2009)
• The villages of Hahoe and Yangdong, founded in the 14th and 15th centuries (2010)
• Namhansanseong (2014)

ELECTRICAL OUTLET

Electricity and electrical outlets in South Korea

Voltage: 220 V

Frequency: 60 Hz

Type of plug: C, F

Need an adapter: No, you do not need an adapter.

Type C (Europlug)

Europlug is a European standard (EN 50075) for sockets. It is designed to be used in most electrical outlets in Europe, with the exception of the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Type F (Schuko)

Schuko is a type of grounded electrical outlet. It is standard for grounded contacts in several countries in Europe, including Sweden.

CLIMATE AND WEATHER

Weather in Seoul

Busan

Busan is South Korea’s second largest city and has 3.7 million residents (2004). The city is located on the southeast coast and has the country’s main port. Busan was the only city, along with Jeju City and Taegu in South Korea not to be conquered by North Korea during the Korean War.

Gyeongju

Gyeongju is a city in South Korea, with a total population of 280,092 (2004). The city was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla, which was founded as a regional state in the 1000s. Pacific covered most of the Korean Peninsula from the 6th century until the 8th century.

Today, Gyeongju is a prominent cultural place and very well visited by the country’s domestic tourists. To the east of the city is Bulguksa ?? one of South Korea’s largest Buddhist temples ?? and Seokguram, a Buddhist shrine. Many of these sites are located within Gyeongju National Park.

In 2000, the city was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Seoul

According to Countryaah, Seoul is the capital of South Korea, and has 10.3 million residents (2006). The entire metropolitan area has over 24 million residents. Seoul is a global area of ​​finance and culture. It ranked ninth on the list of the world’s best financial cities in 2008. Many international companies, such as LG and Samsung, are based in Seoul. The city is also one of the richest cities in the world. However, living in Seoul is very expensive.

In 1988, the Seoul Summer Olympics were held. The city was also a venue for the 2002 FIFA World Cup.