KOREA

INTRODUCTION

Korea is a land in eastern Asia that consists of two nations. One is the Republic of Korea usually called South Korea. Seoul is its capital and largest city. The other is the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea commonly called North Korea. Pyongyang is its capital and largest city. North Korea is a Communist nation. South Korea is strongly anti-Communist.

The two nations lie on the Korean Peninsula, which extends southern China. The peninsula is about the same size as the state of Utah. North Korea covers the northern half of it, and South Korea occupies the southern half. North Korea is slightly larger than South Korea, but the South has more than twice as many people as the North.

Population

In 1987, South Korea had a population of about 42 million, and North Korea had about 21 million persons. More than half of the people in both nation lived in cities or town.

Twenty-seven South Korean cities have populations of more than 100,000. The largest city is Seoul, with more than 100,000 persons. Pyongyang, with more than 2 ½ million persons, is the largest city.

Way of Life

Before the 1900’s Korean was an agricultural society built on strong family. Almost all the people lived in small villages and work on farms. People owned their loyalty to their families. The family’s interest was more important than that of the individual or the nation. In many cases, grandparents, parents, their sons and unmarried daughters, and the sons’ wives and children all lived together. This arrangement is called an “extended family”. The oldest male served as the head of the family, and all persons were expected to obey their eldest without question.

Clothing

Western clothing styles have become popular in South Korea, especially in the cities. But most of in rural areas and some in the cities still wear traditional styles. Most of traditional clothing is made of cotton materials, which is quilted to make it warm. Traditional clothing for women consists of a long, full skirt that hangs to below the knees and a tight-fitting jacket. The men wear loose-fitting trousers and jackets.

Housing

Many high-rise apartment building and modern houses have been built in Seoul and other large South Korean cities. But most of housing in the south, especially in rural areas, consists of traditional one-story houses made of stones or homemade bricks. Most houses in the north were the same style as those in the south. The communists claim that most such houses in rural areas have been replaced by bricks houses with tile or slate roof.

Food

Rice is the basic food of most Koreans. Other common food includes barley; fish; such fruits as apples, peaches, and pears; and such as vegetables as beans and potatoes. One of the most popular dishes other than rice is “Kiamichi”, a highly spiced mixture of cabbage, onions, turnips, and several other vegetables. Meat and dairy products are scarce is Korea.

Language

Korean is the official language of South Korea and North Korea. About half of all Korean words came from Chinese. But the structure of Korean resembles that of Japanese. There are about seven major dialects of Korean. Most Koreans can understand all the dialects except the one spoken on Cheju, a Korean island south of the peninsula. The Korean alphabet, called “hangul”, has 24 letters. South Koreans use some Chinese symbols in additions to hangul in their writing. North Koreans use only hangul.

Education

Since the late 1940’s, South Korea and North Korea have made special efforts to improve their educational systems. As result, the percentage of Koreans who can read and write increased from less than 50 percent in the mid-1940’s to more than 90 percent in the early 1970’s.

Education of South Korea

South Koreans law requires that all children complete elementary schools, which in that country goes through grade 6. Parents must pay some of the costs of their children’s education. But in spite of this expense, more than 90 percent of the children finish sixth grade. After completing elementary school, a South Korean student may go on to middle school (grade 7 through 9) and then to high school (grade 10 through 12). The costs of education increases after elementary schools, but about 70 percent of the elementary school graduates continue their schooling. Technical training which prepares students for industrial jobs, begins in the middle schools and continues through all higher levels of education.

Education of North Korea

The North Korean government requires children to attend school for at least nine years. The state pays all educational expenses. Student must work for the state two moths each summer beginning after their fifth year of school. In North Korea, elementary school consists of grades 1 through 4, and middle consists of grades 5 through 9. Students must have approval of the Communist Party to continue their education after the middle school. Those who continue attend a two-year high school, a two-year vocational school, or a three or four-year technical school that provides training for engineering and scientific jobs.

Climate

Seasonal winds called “monsoons” affect Korea’s weather throughout the year. A monsoon blows in summer, bringing hot, humid weather. A cold, dry monsoon blows in from the north and northwest during the winter, bringing cold weather.

South Korea Economy

The value of goods and services produced each year in South Korea totals nearly $ 73 billion. This total value is the country’s gross national product (GNP). Industrial production accounts for about 37 percent of South Korea’s GNP, and agricultural production for about 16 percent. The remaining 47 percent comes from service activities. Agriculture employs about 32 percent of all South Korean workers, industry about 28 percent, and service activities about 40 percent.

South Korea has a small part of the peninsula’s mineral resources-chiefly anthracite (hard coal), fluorite, graphite, iron ore, salt, and tungsten. In addition, the peninsula’s best rivers for producing hydroelectric power are in North Korea. As a result, the south had few power plant and little industry when the Korea was divided in 1948. Since then, South Korea has built more than 20 electric power plants and had made much progress in developing its industries.

Industry

Almost all South Korean industry is privately owned. Manufacturing accounts for about 75 percent of the South’s industrial production. Construction accounts for about 27 percent and mining for about 4 percent. South Korea has more than 24,000 manufacturing firms. Most of them are in the Seoul and Pusan areas. The chief manufactured products are chemicals, machinery, processed foods, and textiles.

Agriculture

South Korean’s 2 ½ million farms average about 2 ¼ acres (0.9 hectare) in size. Almost all farm land is privately owned. Rice is by far the country’s chief crop. Other farm products include barley, beans, potatoes, and wheat. The South’s major agricultural areas lie along the western and southern coasts. Fishing is an important activity in these areas, and many of the area’s farmers supplement their income by fishing.

Foreign Trade

South Korean trades chiefly with the United States and Asia nation, especially Japan. The South’s chief exports include clothing, electronic devices, fish, raw silk, textiles, and tungsten. Its main imports include chemicals, crude oil, and other industrial raw materials, machinery, and motor vehicles.

Transportation

South Korean’s rapidly growing highway system carries most of the country’s passenger traffic. The South has more than 23,000 miles (37,000 kilometers) of road. Most South Koreans do not own an automobile, but buses run between and within almost all cities. Many peoples use bicycles for short trips. The government-owned Korean National Railroad carries most of the freight that is transported in South Korea. The South has more than 3,200 miles (5,150 kilometers) of railroad track. Korean Air, which is a privately owned airline, connects major South Korean cities with Hong Kong, Japan, South Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United States.

Communication

For privately owned radio net works and one government-owned network serve South Korea. Most families owned at least one radio. In rural areas that have no electricity, people use battery powered transistor radios. Three television networks, one owned by the government and two privately owned, operate in South Korea. Television broadcasts reach most parts of the country. There is about one television set for every 6 persons in the South. South Korean cities have public telephone service, but most rural areas do not. About 40 daily newspapers are published in South Korea, about 15 of them in Seoul.

North Korea Economy

North Korean’s GNP totals about $ 18 billion yearly. Industrial production accounts for about 70 percent of the GNP, agricultural production for about 20 percent, and service activities for about 10 percent. Agriculture employs about 55 percent of North Korea workers, industry about 25 percent, and service activities about 20 percent.

North Korea traditionally has been the chief industrial region of the peninsula. It has rivers suitable for the producing electric power, as well as some of the richest mineral deposits in eastern Asia. North Korea ranks among the too five nation of the world in the production of graphite and magnesium.

Industry

Manufacturing accounts for about 80 percent North Korea’s industrial production, construction for nearly 15 percent, and mining for over 5 percent. The North’s chief manufactured products are chemicals, iron and steel, machinery, processed foods, and textiles. These and all other major products are made in government-owned factories. Some minor industries, such as handicrafts, may be privately owned. Most manufacturing takes place in the coastal regions.

Agriculture

The communists have organized all farmland in North Korea into government-owned collective farms. The government operates the collectives, and the workers receive a share of the products and some cash payment. North Korea has about 3,700 collective farms. About 300 families live on each one. The North’s major agriculture region is the Northwestern Plain. Rice is by far North Korea’s chief crop. Other important farm products include barley, corn, millet, and wheat.

Foreign Trade

North Korea carries on about 90 percent of its foreign trade with communist nations, especially China and Russia. North Korea’s leading exports are minerals, chiefly copper, iron ore, lead, tungsten, and zinc. The North also exports food products and machinery. North Korea’s major imports are crude oil, fuels, machinery, rubber, and wheat.

Transportation

Railroads carry most of North Korea’s freight and passenger traffic. The North has about 3,000 miles (4,800 kilometers) of rail road track and more than 12,000 miles (19,300 kilometers) of roads. Buses operate in the cities and for short distances in rural areas. Few North Koreans own an automobile. Many people in the cities ride bicycles. North Korea’s airline is used chiefly for government business. The state controls the entire transportation system.

Communication

The government controls all broadcasting, publishing, and other means of communication in North Korea. It runs the nation’s only radio network, which has stations in every province. Few families own a radio, but almost every home has a load speaker that receives radio broadcasts. Limited television broadcasting has begun in Pyongyang, but nowhere else in the country. North Korean cities have public telephone service, but most rural areas do not. About 30 daily newspapers are published in North Korea.

References

The World Book Encyclopedia

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