About Korea

GEOGRAPH

The Korean peninsula extends southward from the eastern end of the Asian continent.
The peninsula is roughly 1,030 km (612 miles) long and 175 km (105 miles) wide at its narrowest point. Mountains cover 70% of Korea's land mass, making it one of the most mountainous regions in the world. The lifting and folding of Korea's granite and limestone base has created breathtaking landscapes of scenic hills and valleys. The mountain range that stretches the length of the east coast plunges steeply into the East Sea, while along the southern and western coasts the mountains descend gradually to the coastal plains that produce the bulk of Korea's agricultural crops, especially rice. The Korean peninsula is divided just slightly north of the 38th parallel. The democratic Republic of Korea in the south and communist North Korea are separated by a demilitarized zone.

Population

As of 2009, the population of the Republic of Korea stood at 48,747,000. In terms of density, there are roughly 490 people per square kilometer. Conversely, the population of North Korea was 24,300,000 in 2009. Once considered to be a serious social problem, historically, the threat of rapid population growth posed serious social repercussions on developing countries.
Yet such fears of swelling growth hardly raise much cause for alarm on the peninsula. With the advent of successful family planning campaigns and changing attitudes, there are signs that the population growth has curbed remarkably in recent years. The number of people aged 65 and older numbered 5.19 million in 2009, roughly 11 percent of the entire population.

[Source : Statistics Korea]

People

Koreans are primarily from one ethnic family and speak one language. Sharing distinct physical characteristics, they are believed to be descendants of several Mongol tribes that migrated onto the Korean Peninsula from Central Asia.
In the seventh century, the various states of the peninsula were unified for the first time under the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 935). Such homogeneity has enabled Koreans to be relatively free from ethnic problems and to maintain a firm solidarity with one another.
As of the end of 2009, Korea's total population was estimated at 48,747,000 with a density of 490 people per square kilometer. The population of North Korea is estimated to be 24,300,000.
Korea saw its population grow by an annual rate of 3 percent during the 1960s, but growth slowed to 2 percent over the next decade. In 2005, the rate stood at 0.44 percent and is expected to further decline to 0.01 percent by 2020.
A notable trend in Korea's demographics is that it is growing older with each passing year. Statistics show that 7.2 percent of the total population of Korea was 65 years or older in 2000, and 11 percent was in 2009.
In the 1960s, Korea's population distribution formed a pyramid shape, with a high birth rate and relatively short life expectancy. However, age-group distribution is now shaped more like a bell because of the low birth rate and extended life expectancy. Youths (15 and younger) will make up a decreasing portion of the total, while senior citizens (65 and older) will account for some 15.7 percent of the total by the year 2020.
The nation's rapid industrialization and urbanization in the 1960s and 1970s was accompanied by continuing migration of rural residents to the cities, particularly Seoul, resulting in heavily populated metropolitan areas. However, in recent years, an increasing number of Seoulites have begun moving to suburban areas.

The National Flag of Korea

The Korean flag is called "Taegeukgi" in Korean. Its design symbolizes the principles of the yin and yang in Oriental philosophy. The circle in the center of the Korean flag is divided into two equal parts. The upper red section represents the proactive cosmic forces of the yang. Conversely, the lower blue section represents the responsive cosmic forces of the yin. The two forces together embody the concepts of continual movement, balance and harmony that characterize the sphere of infinity. The circle is surrounded by four trigrams, one in each corner. Each trigram symbolizes one of the four universal elements: heaven (), earth ( ), fire ( ), and water ( ).

The Korean Language and Hangeul

Hangeul (the Korean "alphabet") was invented in 1443, during the reign of King Sejong, and is composed of 10 vowels and 14 consonants. Hangeul has 11 compound vowels, 5 glottal sounds. The chart below represents the 24 Hangeul letters and their Romanized equivalents. The "Hunminjeongeum," a historical document which provides instructions to educate people on the use of Hangeul, is registered with UNESCO. UNESCO awards a '"King Sejong Literacy Prize,'' every year in memory of the inventor of Hangeul.