Portal:South Korea
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대한민국 포털
The South Korea Portal
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and the Sea of Japan to the east. South Korea claims to be the sole legitimate government of the entire peninsula and adjacent islands. It has a population of about 52 million, of which half live in the Seoul metropolitan area, the ninth most populous metropolitan area in the world, with other major cities being Busan, Daegu, and Incheon.
The Korean Peninsula was inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic period. Its first kingdom was noted in Chinese records in the early seventh century BC. From the mid first century BC, various polities consolidated into the rival kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla. The lattermost eventually unified most of the peninsula for the first time in the late seventh century AD, while Balhae succeeded Goguryeo in the north. The Goryeo dynasty (918–1392) achieved lasting unification and established the basis for the modern Korean identity. The subsequent Joseon dynasty (1392–1897) generated cultural, economic, and scientific achievements but maintained an isolationist policy from the mid-17th century. The succeeding Korean Empire (1897–1910) sought modernization and reform but was annexed in 1910 into the Empire of Japan. Japanese rule ended following Japan's surrender in World War II, after which Korea was divided into two zones: the Soviet-occupied northern zone and the United States-occupied southern zone.
After negotiations on reunification failed, the southern zone became the Republic of Korea in August 1948, while the northern zone became the Soviet-aligned Democratic People's Republic of Korea the following month. In 1950, a Soviet-backed North Korean invasion triggered the Korean War, one of the first major proxy conflicts of the Cold War, which saw extensive fighting involving the American-led United Nations Command and the People's Volunteer Army from China. The war ended in 1953 with an armistice and left three million Koreans dead and the economy in ruins; due to the lack of a peace treaty, the Korean conflict is still ongoing. South Korea endured a series of dictatorships punctuated by coups, revolutions, and violent uprisings, but also experienced a soaring economy and one of the fastest rises in average GDP per capita, leading to its emergence as one of the Four Asian Tigers. The June Democratic Struggle of 1987 ended authoritarian rule and led to the establishment of the current Sixth Republic. (Full article...)
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Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital and largest city of South Korea, and the largest city in the whole of Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's sixth largest metropolitan economy in 2022, behind New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Paris, and London, and hosts more than half of South Korea's population. Although Seoul's population peaked at over 10 million, it has gradually decreased since 2014, standing at about 9.6 million residents as of 2024.
Seoul's history traces back to 18 BC when it was founded by the people of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. During the Joseon dynasty, Seoul was officially designated as the capital, surrounded by the Fortress Wall of Seoul. In the early 20th century, Seoul was occupied by the Empire of Japan, temporarily renamed "Keijō" ("Gyeongseong" in Korean). The Korean War brought fierce battles, with Seoul changing hands four times and leaving the city mostly in ruins. Nevertheless, the city has since undergone significant reconstruction and rapid urbanization.
The de facto administrative capital has gradually switched to the planned city of Sejong City, which opened in 2012 and is located about 121 kilometers further south. As of 2019, Sejong hosts 10 out of the South Korean government's 18 ministries. Despite this, the Constitutional Court of Korea declared in 2004 that Seoul must remain the national capital due to it being an "unwritten constitutional custom", unless otherwise changed by a nationwide referendum. (Full article...)
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The 2010 G-20 Seoul summit was the fifth meeting of the G-20 heads of government to discuss the global financial system and the world economy. It was held in Seoul, South Korea.
More did you know -
- ...that Shin Sang-ok, a South Korean film director was kidnapped in 1978 under orders from future North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il and forced to direct a giant-monster film, Pulgasari?
- ...that South Korean United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Tanzanian Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro previously worked together as foreign ministers?
- ...that Song Du-yul, a professor of philosophy and sociology at the University of Münster in Germany, was the only South Korean to attend the 1994 funeral of North Korean leader Kim Il-sung?
In the news
- 27 August 2026 –
- The Korea AeroSpace Administration says that the Nuri will launch 15 satellites, a record, into space from the Naro Space Center in South Korea's Goheung County on October 7. (Korea Times) (Yonhap)
- 26 August 2026 – South Korea–United States relations, Japan–United States relations
- The U.S. Pacific Command announces that the United States will conduct trilateral military exercises with South Korea's armed forces and Japan's self-defense forces despite U.S. president Donald Trump scaling back on the recent Ulchi-Freedom Guardian exercises. (AA via TRT World) (Korea Herald)
- 25 August 2026 –
- South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Company reaches a deal to end a month of walkouts by workers. (AFP)
- 17 August 2026 –
- Torrential rainfall causes widespread flooding in Geoje-si, South Gyeongsang, South Korea, killing at least one. (BBC News) (The Guardian)
- 17 August 2026 – South Korea–United States relations
- United States president Donald Trump orders the Department of Defense to substantially reduce the Ulchi-Freedom Guardian military exercises with South Korea, citing their cost and his relationship with North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un. The drills begin as scheduled. (AFP via The Straits Times)
- 17 August 2026 –
- Former South Korean prime minister Kim Min-seok is elected as the new leader of the Democratic Party with 54.08% of the vote against its former leader Jung Chung-rae. (The Diplomat) (The Korea Herald)
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"Gangnam Style" (Korean: 강남스타일; pronounced [kaŋnam sɯtʰa.iɭ]) is a K-pop song by South Korean singer Psy, released on July 15, 2012, by YG Entertainment as the lead single of his sixth studio album, Psy 6 (Six Rules), Part 1. The term "Gangnam Style" is a neologism that refers to the nouveau riche lifestyles associated with the Gangnam region of Seoul.
"Gangnam Style" was released on to Psy's YouTube channel and debuted at number one on South Korea's Gaon Chart, receiving generally positive reviews, with praise for its catchy beat and Psy's amusing dancing during live performances and in various locations around the world in its music video. The song and its music video went viral in August 2012 and have influenced popular culture worldwide. In the United States, "Gangnam Style" peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, which at the time, was the highest charting song by a South Korean artist. By the end of 2012, "Gangnam Style" had topped the music charts of more than 30 countries including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Psy's dance in the music video itself became a cultural phenomenon.
The song subsequently won Best Video at the MTV Europe Music Awards held that year. It became a source of parodies and reaction videos by many different individuals, groups, and organizations. On December 21, 2012, "Gangnam Style" became the first YouTube video to reach a billion views. The song's music video was the most viewed video on YouTube from November 24, 2012, when it surpassed the music video for "Baby" by Justin Bieber featuring Ludacris, to July 10, 2017, when it was itself surpassed by the music video for "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth. (Full article...)
General images -
A card portrait of Park Chung Hee during a military parade on Armed Forces Day, 1 October 1973 (from History of South Korea)
President Park Chung Hee, who ruled South Korea from 1961 to 1979 (from History of South Korea)
Syngman Rhee, the 1st President of South Korea (from History of South Korea)
President Park Geun-hye with chaebol business magnates Lee Kun-hee and Chung Mong-koo, May 2013 (from History of South Korea)
Sinchon movie theatre (from Culture of South Korea)
An Internet cafe in Seoul (from Culture of South Korea)
President Kim Dae-jung, the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize recipient for advancing democracy and human rights in South Korea and East Asia and for reconciliation with North Korea, was sometimes called the "Nelson Mandela of Asia." (from History of South Korea)
Inauguration of the 21st President of South Korea Lee Jae-myung. (from History of South Korea)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in shaking hands inside the Peace House on 27 April 2018 (from History of South Korea)
Korean newspapers (from Culture of South Korea)
Yoon takes the presidential oath of office outside the National Assembly, 10 May 2022. (from History of South Korea)
Burial grounds of the victims of the Gwangju Uprising at Mangwol-dong cemetery (from History of South Korea)
South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan with U.S. President Ronald Reagan in Seoul, November 1983 (from History of South Korea)
Lee Myung-bak, President of South Korea from 2008 to 2013 (from History of South Korea)
Fireworks during the closing ceremonies of the 1988 Summer Olympics (from History of South Korea)
Samsung Galaxy Tab (from Culture of South Korea)
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Did you know (auto-generated)
- ... that women in a South Korean province offer baekseolgi and fresh water to a star god believed to bring prosperity to the family?
- ... that a South Korean actor sold his belongings and went $7 million into debt to keep his amusement park running?
- ... that Amrom Harry Katz, using aerial photographs of tides, helped to capture Seoul during the Korean War?
- ... that South Korea has a day to celebrate North Koreans?
- ... that the flag of North Korea has been mistakenly used by international organisations to represent South Korea?
- ... that the Diocese of Seoul under Bishop Elijah Jang-Whan Kim funded the planting of an "Anglican forest" in desertified areas of Mongolia?
WikiProjects
See WikiProject Korea for collaborating on South Korea topics, and more broadly, on all things Korea-related.
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East Asia
Associated Wikimedia
The following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject:
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Wikidata
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Wiktionary
Dictionary and thesaurus
Web resources
- The official website of the Republic of Korea (Korea.net)
- The Official Korea Tourism Guide Site
- Korea National Statistical Office
- Video on South Korea-US Relations from the Dean Peter Krogh Foreign Affairs Digital Archives
- "South Korea". The World Factbook (2025 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency.
- A Country Study: South Korea in the Library of Congress
- South Korea from UCB Libraries GovPubs
- Korea OECD
- South Korea profile from the BBC News
- South Korea Encyclopædia Britannica entry
- The War Memorial of Korea
- Key Development Forecasts for South Korea from International Futures
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