South Korea

South Korea, an East Asian nation on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula, shares one of the world’s most heavily militarized borders with North Korea. It’s equally known for its green, hilly countryside dotted with cherry trees and centuries-old Buddhist temples, plus its coastal fishing villages, sub-tropical islands and high-tech cities such as Seoul, the capital.

South Korea covers an area of 100,210 sq km (38,677 sq miles), on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. Seventy percent of the country is mountainous; arable lowlands are concentrated along the west coast. South Korea’s only land border is with North Korea along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

Key Cities

Key cities in South Korea include Seoul, Busan, Incheon,  Daegu, Daujeon, Gwangju, Suwon, and UIsan.

Historical, Cultural facts & Religion

The history of South Korea formally begins with its establishment on 15 August 1948. Korea was administratively partitioned in 1945, at the end of World War II. As Korea was under Japanese rule during World War II, Korea was officially a belligerent against the Allies by virtue of being Japanese territory.

The contemporary culture of South Korea developed from the traditional culture of Korea which was prevalent in the early Korean nomadic tribes. The industrialization, urbanization and westernization of South Korea, especially Seoul, have brought many changes to the way Korean people live.

Brief Country History

The establishment of the US military government in Incheon on September 8, 1945, after the defeat of the Japanese to the Allied Powers, signals the beginning of South Korea’s history. Lt. General John R. Hodge took control of the newly created government. During this period, South Korea was under great political and economic chaos because of different reasons including the effects of the war. The nation’s first constitution was established on July 17, 1948, following the general election of May 10, 1948. Consequently, the First Republic of South Korea was officially founded on August 15 with Syngman Rhee as the first president.

South Korea’s Second Republic was characterized by the immense democratic ruling. Yun Po Sun was voted president on August 13, 1960, with Prime Minister Chang Myon acting as head of government. On May 16, 1961, Major General Park Chung-hee headed a coup d’ etat putting that eventually overthrew the Second Republic. Park was reelected in the 1967 election assumed presidency for 2 years and again won the elections in 1969 and 1971. During his administration, South Korea began to establish its international roles in the global community and its economy also grew significantly. On November 21, 1972, the country adopted the Yusin Constitution that provided Park with valuable control of the parliament. In 1979, Park was assassinated by Kim Jae-kyu that resulted in strong opposition against authoritarian rule and the Fifth Republic emerged. The city of Gwangju witnessed historical and violent conflicts and riots among National University students and the armed forces.

The Sixth Republic started with Roh Tae-woo who was elected in 1987 and one of Major General Chun Doo-hwan’s colleagues. In 1992, Kim Young-sam was elected president and became South Korea’s first civilian leader in 30 years. During this period, the country pursued the so-called “Sunshine Policy” which was a progression of efforts to resolve issues with North Korea.

Language (s) Written & Spoken

The Korean language is an East Asian language spoken by about 77 million people. It is a member of the Korean language family and is the official and national language of both Koreas: North Korea and South Korea.

The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul in South Korea or Chosŏn’gŭl in North Korea, has been used to write the Korean language since its creation in the 15th century by King Sejong the Great. It is the official writing system of Korea, both South and North.

Important Types of Commerce in South Korea

South Korea is an independent state found in Eastern Asia and forms part of the larger Korean Peninsula. North Korea is the only country it shares its borders with. The country’s capital city is Seoul, which is among the major global cities, which is home to about half of the country’s population. Seoul is the world’s 4th largest urban economy. Currently, South Korea is one of the highly developed democracies having the highest rank regarding freedom of the press in the whole of Asia. In 1996, the country joined the OECD and in 2006 it joined the development assistance committee of OECD. South Korea is also a member of the Paris Club and the G20.

Some of the important industries in South Korea are:

  • Shipbuilding
  • Automobiles
  • Mining
  • Tourism

Language Services US and others will provide working with South Korea

South Korea has been in a trade relationship with several countries. Because of such close relations, the necessity to learn and understand the Korean language has increased in importance over the years. This developed the need for Korean translators and interpreters. Moreover, for businesses planning to tap into South Korea, in order to maximize the voice of your brand and help them to reach a new Korean-speaking audience with enormous marketing opportunities in the global market, the next step is to partner with a professional translation and interpretation company.

Looking for a Korean translation company? Look no further. American Language Services (AML-Global) offers certified translations, native interpreting services, and turn-key localization solutions for any language. Call us today @ 1-800-951-5020 for further information, visit our website https://www.alsglobal.net/ or for a quick quote click http://alsglobal.net/quick-quote.php.

WE ACCEPT ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS

Quick Quote