| Area Total | 99,720 sq km |
| Climate | temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter; cold winters |
| Natural Resources | coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential |
| Imports | China 20.5%, Japan 11.5%, US 10.5%, Germany 4.2%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2017) – crude oil/petroleum products, semiconductors, natural gas, coal, steel, computers, wireless communication equipment, automobiles, fine chemicals, textiles |
| Government | presidential republic |
| Capital | Seoul |
| Population | 51,835,110 (July 2020 est.) |
| Ethnicity | homogeneous |
| Language | Korean, English (widely taught in elementary, junior high, and high school) |
| Exports | China 25.1%, US 12.2%, Vietnam 8.2%, Hong Kong 6.9%, Japan 4.7% (2017) – semiconductors, petrochemicals, automobile/auto parts, ships, wireless communication equipment, flat displays, steel, electronics, plastics, computers |
News about South Korea
- Korea's child rights agency data mishandling draws ire from overseas adoptees
by dahyun08@koreatimes.co.kr(KoreaTimes) (Korea Times News) on May 10, 2026A recent data breach at the National Center for the Rights of the Child (NCRC), exposing sensitive personal records of adoptees, is drawing criticism from overseas adoptee groups and raising questions about the agency's credibility. The breach, which the NCRC said occurred between April 30 and May 2, came to light when prospective adoptive parents checking […]
- dbBOOKS holds spring warehouse sale for English titles
by jdunbar@koreatimes.co.kr(KoreaTimes) (Korea Times News) on May 10, 2026The dbBOOKS Welcome to Our Warehouse (WOW) Family Sale has become a twice-yearly highlight for the reading community in Seoul and beyond. Opening its doors to the book buying public for two days, dbBOOKS offers hundreds of thousands of books in English for sale. There are also activities planned, including a panel discussion about Korean literature […]
- 74 countries, one plaza: Seoul Friendship Festival marks 30 years of bringing world closer
by parkung@koreatimes.co.kr(KoreaTimes) (Korea Times News) on May 10, 2026Choi Yun-ho had never been to Poland despite dating his Polish girlfriend Pola for a year. On Saturday, this year's Seoul Friendship Festival brought a taste of her homeland to him. “It's difficult to find a restaurant in Korea that serves proper Polish food,” the 30-year-old told The Korea Times after biting into kielbasa, a Polish smoked sausage, at […]
