| a country in E Asia: formed 1948 after the division of the former country of Korea at 38° N. 45,948,811; 36,600 sq. mi. (94,795 sq. km). Capital: Seoul. Compare Korea. |
South Korea  (click for larger image in new window) A country of eastern Asia at the southern end of the Korean peninsula. A united kingdom since the seventh century A.D., Korea was occupied by Japan (1910-1945) and divided into a northern Soviet zone and a southern American zone after World War II. Soviet resistance to reunification led to the establishment in 1948 of two separate countries, with the Korean War (1950-1953) leaving the peninsula divided along much the same line as before. Ruled by a series of authoritarian military leaders, South Korea developed a prosperous economy on the strength of trade ties with Japan and the United States. Seoul is the capital and the largest city. Population: 49,000,000. South Korean adj. & n. |
Officially the Republic of Korea; located on the peninsula separating the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan, two arms of the Pacific Ocean. Its capital and largest city is Seoul.
Note: Supported by the United States, South Korea was created in 1948 after American and Soviet occupation zones established at the end of World War II had divided Korea into north and south.
Note: During the Korean War, noncommunist South Korea, aided by forces of the United Nations, and communist North Korea, aided by Chinese forces, fought from 1950 to 1953.
Note: During the 1980s, South Korea became a major industrial power in Asia.
