Republic of Korea
Eastern Asia
Dynamic · Neon · Proud
South Korea (officially Republic of Korea) is a country located in Eastern Asia. Its capital city is Seoul, with other major cities including Busan and Incheon. With a population of approximately 51.7M, the main language spoken is Korean. The country covers an area of 100,210 km². The official currency is the South Korean won (₩). Traffic drives on the right side.
South Korea has the world's fastest average internet speeds and highest per-capita smartphone ownership.
Seoul serves as the political, cultural and economic heart of South Korea, positioned in Eastern Asia. As the seat of government and often the most populous city, it concentrates the country's main institutions, universities and cultural landmarks. Beyond the capital, major cities include Busan, Incheon, Daegu — each a hub of regional culture, economy and history. Seoul was rebuilt almost entirely after the Korean War left it in ruins in 1953 and now houses half the national population in a metropolitan area of 25 million — yet the Bukchon Hanok Village preserves a neighbourhood of 600-year-old tile-roofed hanok houses within walking distance of the glass towers of Gangnam.
With a population of approximately 51.7M, South Korea is a vibrant society with a rich mix of traditions and communities. The official language is Korean, which reflects the country's cultural heritage and connects it with a wide international community. Internationally, South Korea is reached via the dialling code +82. South Koreans have industrialised the concept of education to the degree that the university entrance exam, the Suneung, halts air traffic over Seoul to prevent noise during the listening section — a national pause in which even the military reschedules exercises around a single test day.
South Korea spans 100,210 km², in the Eastern Asia subregion of Asia. Geographically centred around 37.0°N, 127.5°E, the country offers a diverse range of landscapes shaped by its location, climate and geology. Road traffic follows the right-hand rule, in line with surrounding Asia convention.
The official currency is the South Korean won (₩), used for everyday transactions and commerce throughout the country. South Korea's economy is shaped by its geography, natural resources and trade relationships. Business and daily life operate under UTC+09:00, aligning the country with its regional neighbours.
The emblematic dish of South Korea is Kimchi. Kimchi — fermented cabbage or radish with chilli, garlic and ginger — has been prepared in the Korean peninsula for over 2,000 years, and the kimjang tradition of communal winter fermentation was added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2013, recognising it as a social practice as much as a culinary one.
Taekwondo / Football holds a special place in the heart of South Korea's national identity. Taekwondo was codified in South Korea in the 1950s partly as a nationalist project to distinguish Korean martial arts from Japanese karate after the colonial period, and its 1988 Seoul Olympics debut as a demonstration sport — on home soil — completed its transformation from regional tradition to global discipline.
The highest point in South Korea is Hallasan, rising to 1,947 metres above sea level. Jeju Island, a volcanic shield island off the southern coast, rises to the 1,950-metre Hallasan crater, contains lava tube caves extending nine kilometres underground, and is home to the haenyeo — women free-divers who have harvested the seabed without equipment for over 1,500 years.