캐나다 나이아가라지역 전문 유학원

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 along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel.

Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth, with per capita income far outstripping 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. 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 lifelong commitment to democracy and human rights in Asia. He was the first Korean to win a Nobel Prize. In the recent presidential election in December 2002, Mr. Roh Moo-Hyun gained a majority of the votes against the Opposition Party Leader and became a newly elected president to succeed Mr. Kim Dae-Jung.

Area	47,010 sq. mi (120,540 sq. km)
Population	47 million
Capital	Seoul (population 12 million)
Geography	peninsula, bordered by Yellow Sea, the East Sea, and covered with 70% mountains.
Language	Korean ( called Hangul )
Currency	Won (1 C$=W 760, 1 US$=W 1190 approximately)
Religion	Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Shamanism
Major Trading Partners	USA, Japan, the EU and China
GDP	US $475 billion
Per Capita GDP	US $10,550
Annual Growth	5 ~ 9%
Inflation	4.4%
Government	Republic
President	Mr. Roh Moo-Hyun, newly elected
Time	GMT +9 hours ( the Eastern Time of Canada + 14 hours )
Electricity	110/220V, 60 Hz. 220V outlets are dominant
Weights & Measures	Metric System

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