Geography
- Full country name: The Republic of Korea
- Population: 48.7 million
- Border countries: North Korea forms the only land border, with a heavily fortified frontier and a four kilometre-wide demilitarised zone. The Sea of Japan and Yellow Sea borders the remainder of the country. Japan is 70 miles across the Korean Straits. China borders the northern end of the Korean peninsula.
- Climate: cold winters and hot, humid summers. Rainfall tends to be greater in the summer than in the winter.
- Terrain: South Korea incorporates around 3,000 small islands, mostly uninhabited. Most of the country is mountainous with lowlands in the South East and West accounting for less than a third of the landmass.
- Natural hazards: occasional typhoons and low level earthquakes.
Living in South Korea
- Cost of living: lower than in the UK and similar countries such as Japan and Thailand. If you are working as a teacher, rent is usually included in your contract. If not, rent starts at around £400 but could go up to around £3,000 depending on the type of property and its location. Some landlords ask for a small deposit and then monthly payments while others want all of the fees upfront and no monthly payments. Other costs, such as transport, clothing and food, are typically cheaper than the UK, although international phone calls are expensive. You are expected to pay for health insurance, at a cost of around £12 per month.
- Utilities: reliable sources of water, gas and electricity in all but the most rural areas. Costs are typically slightly lower than the UK.
- Internet domain: .kr
- Health: the health and welfare system is advanced and provides similar services to the UK. There are a number of hospitals where English services are available, though only a minority of medical staff will speak English. If you or your employer are paying into the tax system, you are entitled to medical care. However, check with your employer to make sure you are covered. No specific vaccinations are required to travel to South Korea.
- Laws and customs: penalties for possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs (including even small amounts for personal use) result in long jail sentences and heavy fines. Some less serious offences may be dealt with by deportation. Whilst homosexual relationships are legal, there is still some prejudice amongst the older generation. The gay community, although small, is growing.
Economy and finance
- Currency: Won (KRW)
- Type of economy: capitalist economy with many nationalised companies.
- Health of economy: the world economic downturn in 2008 affected South Korea and slowed the growth of its GDP. This began to recover in 2009 though and by 2010 GDP growth exceeded 6%. The South Korean economy relies heavily on manufacturing exports to continue to drive economic growth.
- Unemployment rate: 3.3%
- Main exports: semiconductors, mobile phone equipment, motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals.
Culture
- People: mainly Korean with a very small Chinese community (about 20,000).
- Major religion: Christianity and Buddhism.
- History: see BBC Timeline: South Korea
- Local etiquette: it is normal to leave your shoes at the door when entering a room in someone’s home. Slippers are usually worn around the house instead. It is customary to eat sitting on cushions on the floor. Family values are of great importance with an expectation that the father, and then the eldest son, will take responsibility for the welfare of the remaining family members. Koreans strive for harmony and being critical of others is considered very bad. The ability to read body language and assess another’s feelings is considered important.
Politics
- Type of government: presidential system backed by a National Assembly of 299 members elected for four years.
- Major political parties: Democratic Labour Party, Democratic Party (UDP), Grand National Party (GNP), Liberty Forward Party (LFP), Independents, Pro-Park Alliance (PPA).
Travel advice
Find the latest travel advice and a traveller’s checklist on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)
website.
