officially Republic of Korea
Country, occupying the southern half of the Korean peninsula, East Asia.
It is located northwest of Japan and includes Cheju Island, located about 60 mi (97 km) south of the peninsula. Area: 38,402 sq mi (99,461 sq km). Population (2002 est.): 47,640,000. Capital: Seoul . The population is almost entirely ethnically Korean. Language: Korean (official). Religions: Buddhism, Protestant Christianity, Confucianism (widespread), Ch' 014F; ndogyo . Currency: won. Nearly three-fourths of the total land area of South Korea consists of mountains and uplands; the densely populated lowlands are heavily cultivated for wet rice. The Naktong and Han are the country's principal rivers. South Korea's economy is based largely on services and manufacturing (including petrochemicals, electronic goods, and steel). It is a republic with one legislative house; its head of state and government is the president, assisted by the prime minister. For early history, see Korea . The Republic of Korea was established in 1948 in the southern portion of the Korean peninsula, which had been occupied by the U.S. after World War II. In 1950 North Korean troops invaded South Korea, precipitating the Korean War . UN forces intervened on the side of South Korea, while Chinese troops backed North Korea in the war, which ended with an armistice in 1953. The devastated country was rebuilt with U.S. aid, and South Korea prospered in the postwar era, developing a strong export-oriented economy. It experienced an economic downturn beginning in the mid 1990s that affected many countries in the area. A summit in 2000 between the leaders of North and South Korea and reunions between families from both countries boosted hopes for reunification, though there were also periods of tension between the countries.