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Destination : SOUTH KOREA

Korea is situated on the Korean Peninsula, which spans 1,100 kilometers north to south. The Korean Peninsula lies on the northeastern section of the Asian continent, where the western-most parts of the Pacific join Korean waters. The peninsula shares its northern border with China and Russia. To its east is the East Sea, beyond which neighboring Japan lies. In addition to the mainland peninsula, Korea includes some 3,000 islands.The total area of the peninsula is 222,154 sq. km. South Korea possesses 99,392 sq. km. or 45% of total land mass, while North Korea 122,762 sq. km , similar in size to that of the U.K, New Zealand, or Romania.
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. The Korean War (1950-53) had US and other UN forces intervene to defend South Korea from North Korean attacks supported by the Chinese. An armistice was signed in 1953 splitting the peninsula at the 38th parallel known as the DMZ. Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth, with per capita income rising to 13 times the level of North Korea. In 1997, the nation suffered a severe financial crisis from which it continues to make a solid recovery. South Korea has also maintained its commitment to democratize its political processes.

The recent changes to the power structure in North Korea and the easing tension in the peninsula have resulted in increased interests in the settlement of permanent peace in the Korean peninsula and investment opportunities and trade, and the accelerated efforts to resume bilateral dialogue between South and North korea with the eventual goal of reunification. In June 2000, a historic first south-north summit took place between the south's President KIM Dae-jung and the north's leader KIM Chong-il. In December 2000, President KIM Dae-jung won the Noble Peace Prize for his lifeling committment to democracy and human rights in Asia. He is the first Korean to win a Nobel Prize.

The capital city is Seoul, which is the political, cultural, commercial, financial, and educational center of Korea. Seoul also offers many tourist attractions.(Population : 10.3 million as of 1998). Korea consists of 7 metropolitan cities and 9 provinces.

Koreans descended from the Mongolian race in prehistoric times. Periods of occupation have also added Chinese and Japanese blood to the gene pool. Although they have borrowed from other cultures, especially Chinese and Japanese, Koreans have maintained their own distinctive language, culture, and customs. It is a family orientated society, heavily based on Confucianism, which even in modern times retains the basic patterns and manners of family-centered life. The Korean people have struggled successfully for millennia to maintain their cultural and political identity despite the influence of neighboring China and the more recent aggressive inclinations of Japan. They are a proud people with one of the longest national histories in the world. Rapid population growth was once a serious social problem in Korea, as in most other developing nations. Owing to successful family planning campaigns and changing attitudes, however, population growth has been curbed remarkably in recent years. The annual growth rate was 0.98 percent in 1997.
A notable trend in the population structure is that it is getting increasingly older. 1997 statistics show that 6.3 percent of the total population is 65 years old and over. The number of people of productive age, 15 and above, rose from 24,751,000 in 1980 to 34,736,000 in 1997.

Korean culture has blossomed over a long history. Though influenced by other Asian cultures, its roots lie deep in the creative Korean psyche, and it has tended to spread rather than be encroached upon. Japan especially has adopted many Korean ideas and customs. The delicate styling and fine craftsmanship of celadon pottery well illustrates the refinement of the culture, even from as far back as the Three Kingdoms period. Korea has also spawned some great inventions; its early printing systems were highly refined and Korea's moveable metal type predated that of Gutenberg, the famous 'Turtle Ship' was the world's first ever ironclad battleship, and the Korean alphabet, devised by a group of scholars in the 15th century, was so effective that it remains largely unchanged today and is lauded by linguists for its simple clarity and ease of learning. Reasons behind Korea's rapid economic development can be found in this innate creativity.