is south korea a unitary state

South Korea's border with North Korea is a disputed border as both countries claim the entirety of the Korean Peninsula. Yi Seong-gye declared the new name of Korea as "Joseon" in reference to Gojoseon, and moved the capital to Hanseong (one of the old names of Seoul). The Korean economy developed significantly during Park's tenure. Its first kingdom was noted in Chinese records in the early 7th century BCE. There is a growing trend of inventions of new types of media or apps, utilizing the 4G and 5G internet infrastructure in South Korea. Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the constitution, and there is no state religion. [141] One major challenge is air quality, with acid rain, sulfur oxides, and annual yellow dust storms being particular problems. Both in its regular bilateral contacts with South Korea and through its FTA with Korea, the EU is seeking to improve this situation.[261]. [36][37][38], During the period known as the ProtoThree Kingdoms of Korea, the states of Buyeo, Okjeo, Dongye and Samhan occupied the whole Korean peninsula and southern Manchuria. [159], The population has also been shaped by international migration. Daughter of another former president, Park Chung-hee, she carried on a conservative brand of politics. [299] Express bus terminals are available in most cities. Since the success of the film Shiri in 1999, the Korean film industry has begun to gain recognition internationally. [344], In April 2008, Yi So-yeon became the first Korean to fly in space, aboard the Russian Soyuz TMA-12. Choose the best example of an autocratic unitary state. In November 2010 Yeonpyeong island was attacked by a significant North Korean artillery barrage, with 4 people dying. In the North, however, a former anti-Japanese guerrilla and communist activist, Kim Il-sung, was appointed premier of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in September. The constitution has been revised several times since its first promulgation in 1948 at independence. [364], South Korea shares its traditional culture with North Korea, but the two Koreas have developed distinct contemporary forms of culture since the peninsula was divided in 1945. The country, including all its islands, lies between latitudes 33 and 39N, and longitudes 124 and 130E. "While less than 100 Koreans in America enlisted in the US military during World WarII, more than 100,000 Koreans served in the Japanese army as officers and soldiers. Art was influenced by various international events and exhibits in Korea, and with it brought more diversity. The name Korea derives from the name Goryeo. Three of the commanderies fell or retreated westward within a few decades. [125], South Korea can be divided into four general regions: an eastern region of high mountain ranges and narrow coastal plains; a western region of broad coastal plains, river basins, and rolling hills; a southwestern region of mountains and valleys; and a southeastern region dominated by the broad basin of the Nakdong River. [91][92] In the 19th century, the royal in-law families gained control of the government, leading to mass corruption and weakening of the state, and severe poverty and peasant rebellions throughout the country. [376] People of the upper classes built bigger houses with elegantly curved tiled roofs with lifting eaves. [138][139], Seoul's tap water recently became safe to drink, with city officials branding it "Arisu" in a bid to convince the public. The Liancourt Rocks were the first Korean territories to be forcibly colonized by Japan in 1905. In the aftermath of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, South Korea has witnessed a wide variation of styles in its architectural landscape due, in large part, to the opening up of the market to foreign architects. [348] The second attempt in June 2010 was also unsuccessful. Education is regarded with a high priority for South Korean families, as success in education is often a source of pride for families and within South Korean society at large, and is a necessity to improve one's socioeconomic position in South Korean society. [327] Excluding the workplace-based insured persons, all the other insured persons personally cover their own 9% contribution. [314] South Korea is also preparing to bid on construction of a light-water nuclear reactor for Argentina. [131] South Korea had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 6.02/10, ranking it 87th globally out of 172 countries. Baseball was first introduced to Korea in 1905 and has since become one of the most popular sports in the country. It is a unitary state, containing forty-seven administrative divisions, with the Emperor as its Head of State. South Korean hospitals have advanced medical equipment and facilities readily available, ranking 4th for MRI units per capita and 6th for CT scanners per capita in the OECD. If there is a number, such as "One", you may apply for entry one time . . [322] The national pension covers employees who work in firms that employ five or more employees, fishermen, farmers, and the self-employed in both rural and urban areas. South Korea elects on national level a head of state - the president - and a legislature. It has local governments that are granted autonomy and have their executive and legislative branches. [195], International opinion regarding the South Korean education system has been divided. Korean uses an indigenous writing system called Hangul, created in 1446 by King Sejong, to provide a convenient alternative to the Classical Chinese Hanja characters that were difficult to learn and did not fit the Korean language well. It also hosted the Winter Universiade in 1997, the Asian Winter Games in 1999, and the Summer Universiade in 2003 and 2015. [209] In a 2012 survey, 52% declared themselves "religious", 31% said they were "not religious" and 15% identified themselves as "convinced atheists". It has a population of 51.75 million, of which roughly half live in the Seoul Capital Area, the fourth most populous metropolitan area in the world. [322] South Korea's pension system structure is primarily based on taxation and is income-related. [225] Despite mutual animosity, reconciliation efforts have continued since the initial separation between North and South Korea. During this period, the two nations became intertwined as all subsequent Korean kings married Mongol princesses,[84] and the last empress of the Yuan dynasty was a Korean princess. South Korean television dramas, known as K-dramas, have begun to find fame internationally. [328] Basic old-age pension schemes covered individuals 65 years of age who earned below an amount set by presidential order. The majority of states in the world have the unitary system of government. A fully functioning UN Command is at the top of the chain of command of all forces in South Korea, including the U.S. forces and the entire South Korean military if a sudden escalation of war between North and South Korea were to occur the United States would assume control of the South Korean armed forces in all military and paramilitary moves. He won against the backdrop of the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, where he took IMF advice to restructure the economy and the nation soon recovered its economic growth, albeit at a slower pace. [116] President Park Geun-hye's administration was formally accused of corruption, bribery, and influence-peddling for the involvement of close friend Choi Soon-sil in state affairs. Domestic film has a dominant share of the market, partly because of the existence of screen quotas requiring cinemas to show Korean films at least 73 days a year. No peace treaty was ever signed, resulting in the two countries remaining technically at war. For all Department accounts: https://t.co/kzsNMIOwF9. [330] Aside from placing/receiving calls and text messaging, mobile phones in the country are widely used for watching Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) or viewing websites. During the war, Rhee's party promoted the One-People Principle (based on the German ideology of the Herrenvolk) an effort to build an obedient citizenry through ethnic homogeneity and authoritarian appeals to nationalism. Following the Armistice, South Korea and the U.S. agreed to a "Mutual Defense Treaty", under which an attack on either party in the Pacific area would summon a response from both. [130] Summer can be uncomfortably hot and humid, with temperatures exceeding 30C (86F) in most parts of the country. More specifically, the Korean Cabinet performs policy resolutions as well as policy consultations to the President. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}36N 128E / 36N 128E / 36; 128. [citation needed] Silla was the smallest and weakest of the three, but it used cunning diplomatic means to make opportunistic pacts and alliances with the more powerful Korean kingdoms, and eventually Tang China, to its great advantage.[51][52]. The percentage of foreign nationals has been growing rapidly. The transition of Korea from autocracy to modern democracy was marked in 1997 by the election of Kim Dae-jung, who was sworn in as the eighth president of South Korea, on 25 February 1998. military juntas) No constitutionally defined basis to current regime (e.g. Employers are also covered under the workplace-based pension scheme and help cover their employees obligated 9% contribution by providing the remaining 4.5%. The central government may create (or abolish) administrative divisions (sub-national units). There are approximately 28,500 U.S. military personnel stationed in South Korea,[275] most of them serving one year unaccompanied tours. South Korea's total population in 1955 was 21.5 million,[160] and has more than doubled, to 50 million, by 2010. [403] Also in 1982, at the Baseball Worldcup, Korea won the gold medal. What you need to know before you go: visas, Embassy & Consulate locations, vaccinations, etc. [238] In modern times, before the formation of South Korea, Korean independence fighters worked with Chinese soldiers during the Japanese occupation. South Korea claims to be the sole legitimate government of the entire peninsula and adjacent islands. [336][337][338] Additionally, South Korea today is known as a Launchpad of a mature mobile market, where developers can reap benefits of a market where very few technology constraints exist. Global AIDS Coordinator and Global Health Diplomacy, Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Special Representative for Syria Engagement, U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Office of the U.S. [99][100], On 25 June 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea, sparking the Korean War, the Cold War's first major conflict, which continued until 1953. The estimated area rises steadily from year to year, possibly because of land reclamation. The U.S. government estimates the total population at 51.7 million (midyear 2021). [288] South Koreans refer to this growth as the Miracle on the Han River. [378], Western architecture was first introduced to Korea at the end of the 19th century. The South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism actively encourages the traditional arts, as well as modern forms, through funding and education programs. Today, the CIA World Factbook describes South Korea's democracy as a "fully functioning modern democracy". As the Korean political system is basically a presidential system yet with certain aspects of parliamentary cabinet system combined, the Cabinet of the Republic of Korea also is a combination of both systems. The two failed KSLV-I launch vehicles were based on the Universal Rocket Module, the first stage of the Russian Angara rocket, combined with a solid-fueled second stage built by South Korea. Wakabayashi, Daisuke; Park Sungha (24 March 2009). [135] [248], Korea and Japan have had difficult relations since ancient times, but also significant cultural exchange, with Korea acting as the gateway between Asia and Japan. Jeju-do is about 100 kilometers (62 miles) off the southern coast of South Korea. Hangul Day, on 9 October commemorates the invention of hangul, the native alphabet of the Korean language. [402] In the 2008 Summer Olympics, South Korea won the gold medal in baseball. [240], China has become South Korea's largest trading partner by far, sending 26% of South Korean exports in 2016 worth $124 billion, as well as an additional $32 billion worth of exports to Hong Kong. [34] Gojoseon expanded until it controlled the northern Korean Peninsula and parts of Manchuria. [407], In October 2010, South Korea hosted its first Formula One race at the Korea International Circuit in Yeongam, about 400 kilometers (250mi) south of Seoul. As president, Park oversaw a period of rapid export-led economic growth enforced by political repression. [28][27] Conversely, the official name of North Korea in English, the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea", is a direct translation of the Korean name. Ancient architects adopted the bracket system characterized by thatched roofs and heated floors called ondol. Memorial Day is celebrated on 6 June, and its purpose is to honor the men and women who died in South Korea's independence movement. A sizable arsenal of many artillery systems, including 1,700 self-propelled K55 and K9 Thunder howitzers and 680 helicopters and UAVs of numerous types, are assembled to provide additional fire, reconnaissance, and logistics support. In 1988, South Korea hosted the Summer Olympics in Seoul, coming fourth with 12 gold medals, 10 silver medals, and 11 bronze medals. Since the 1980s, the Korean government has invested in the development of a domestic biotechnology industry, and the sector is projected to grow to $6.5 billion by 2010. ", "At least 153 killed in crowd crush during Halloween festivities in Seoul", "An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm", "Korea National Park Service official site", "Letter to Lee administration: Save the Songdo Tidal Flat", South Korea Boosts Renewable-Energy Investments by 60%, R&D status and prospects on fuel cells in Korea, Renewable Energy Policy Mechanisms by Paul Gipe, "Jobs come first in South Korea's ambitious 'Green New Deal' climate plan", "Moon vows to shut down 30 more coal plants to bring cleaner air and battle climate change", "Seoul City holds second Arisu Festival to show tap water is safe to drink", "Seoul Metropolitan Government "A Clean, Attractive & Global City, Seoul! "[96] Both leaders began an authoritarian repression of their political opponents inside their region, seeking for a unification of Korea under their control. Korean New Year's Day, or "Seollal", is celebrated on the first day of the Korean lunar calendar. [286] South Korea's economy was one of the world's fastest-growing from the early 1960s to the late 1990s, and was still one of the fastest-growing developed countries in the 2000s, along with Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan, the other three Asian Tigers. South Korea has a universal healthcare system. South Korean corporations Samsung and LG were ranked first and third largest mobile phone companies in the world in the first quarter of 2012, respectively. In March 2018, the U.S. and the Republic of Korea reached an agreement on the renegotiation of the KORUS FTA. Changing economics and lifestyles have led to a concentration of population in major cities, especially the capital Seoul, with multi-generational households separating into nuclear family living arrangements. It has been praised for various reasons, including its comparatively high test results and its major role in generating South Korea's economic development, creating one of the world's most educated workforces. Korea Expressway Corporation operates the toll highways and service amenities en route. [289] The South Korean economy is heavily dependent on international trade, and in 2014, South Korea was the fifth-largest exporter and seventh-largest importer in the world. Fuel production and waste handling technologies have also been developed locally. There are approximately 13.5 million Christians in South Korea today; about two thirds of them belonging to Protestant churches, and the rest to the Catholic Church. [227], Despite the Sunshine Policy and efforts at reconciliation, the progress was complicated by North Korean missile tests in 1993, 1998, 2006, 2009, and 2013. In addition to male conscription in South Korea's sovereign military, 1,800 Korean males are selected every year to serve 18 months in the KATUSA Program to further augment the United States Forces Korea (USFK). South Korea is unitary. [327] Persons covered by the individually insured pension scheme are in charge of paying the entire 9% contribution themselves. After World WarII and the division of the Korean Peninsula, about four million people from North Korea crossed the border to South Korea. Almost all South Korean students today learn English throughout their education, with some optionally choosing Japanese or Mandarin as well. The Korea Republic national team (as it is known) has qualified for every World Cup since Mexico 1986, and has broken out of the group stage twice: first in 2002, and again in 2010, when it was defeated by eventual semi-finalist Uruguay in the Round of 16. A communist country also referred to as a Marxist-Leninist state, is a country that is governed and administered by a single party based on Marxist-Leninist philosophy. [79] Like Silla, Goryeo was a highly cultural state, and invented the metal movable type printing press. [209] The number of Protestants has been stagnant throughout the 1990s and the 2000s, but increased to a peak level throughout the 2010s. [132] However, there have been recent efforts to balance these problems, including a government run $84 billion five-year green growth project that aims to boost energy efficiency and green technology. [212] Overall, between the 2005 and 2015 censuses, there has been a slight decline of Christianity (down from 29% to 27.6%), a sharp decline of Buddhism (down from 22.8% to 15.5%), and a rise of the unaffiliated population (from 47.2% to 56.9%).[209]. The Korean Peninsula was inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic period. It was not until the 1960s under the dictatorship of Park Chung-hee where South Korea's economy rapidly grew from industrialization and the Chaebol corporations such as Samsung and LG. [262] In 1967, South Korea obliged the mutual defense treaty, by sending a large combat troop contingent to support the United States in the Vietnam War. [29] After defeating the Khitan Empire, which was the most powerful empire of its time,[80][81] in the GoryeoKhitan War, Goryeo experienced a golden age that lasted a century, during which the Tripitaka Koreana was completed and there were great developments in printing and publishing, promoting learning and dispersing knowledge on philosophy, literature, religion, and science; by 1100, there were 12 universities that produced famous scholars and scientists. On 12 October 2011, the U.S. Congress passed the long-stalled trade agreement with South Korea. Learn more about our workDelivering Vaccinesand onCOVID-19 Recovery. Another type is jjigae (), a stew that is typically heavily seasoned with chili pepper and served boiling hot. This mountainous peninsula is flanked by the Yellow Sea to the west, and the Sea of Japan to the east. The South Korean Air Force operates 840 aircraft, making it world's ninth largest air force, including several types of advanced fighters like F-15K, heavily modified KF-16C/D,[269] and the indigenous T-50 Golden Eagle,[270][271] supported by well-maintained fleets of older fighters such as F-4E and KF-5E/F that still effectively serve the air force alongside the more modern aircraft. [123], On 29 October 2022, at least 153 people were crushed to death when a crowd surged in an alleyway during Halloween festivities in Seoul's Itaewon district. Following Japan's surrender in 1945, at the end of World War II, the Korean Peninsula was divided at the 38th parallel into two occupation zones, with the U.S. in the South and the Soviet Union in the North. VACCINATIONS: None CURRENCY RESTRICTIONS FOR ENTRY: None CURRENCY RESTRICTIONS FOR EXIT: None ALL / Embassies and Consulates Destination Description Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements Safety and Security Local Laws & Special Circumstances [126] South Korea is home to three terrestrial ecoregions: Central Korean deciduous forests, Manchurian mixed forests, and Southern Korea evergreen forests.[127]. In the mid-14th century, Goryeo drove out the Mongols to regain its northern territories, briefly conquered Liaoyang, and defeated invasions by the Red Turbans. [d] The country's western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eastern border is defined by the Sea of Japan. Updated on February 02, 2022 A unitary state, or unitary government, is a governing system in which a single central government has total power over all of its other political subdivisions. South Korea's citizens enjoy one of the world's fastest Internet connection speeds and the densest high-speed railway network. Furthermore, the Joseon government adopted a strict isolationist policy, earning the nickname "the hermit kingdom", but ultimately failed to protect itself against imperialism and was forced to open its borders. Christianity's similarity to native religious narratives has been studied as another factor that contributed to its success in the peninsula. In October, the Soviet Union declared Kim Il-sung's government as sovereign over both parts. Following the coup d'tat, Chun Doo-hwan planned to rise to power through several measures. )", "US Soldiers in Korea Negative About Rotation to Middle East", "Foreign Teachers Unenthusiastic Over Culture Course", "Childbirths in S. Korea grow 5.7 pct in 2010", "South Korea's fertility rate is the lowest in the world", "S. Korea's childbirth tally drops to another historic low in October", "Fertility rate dips below 1 in 2018: official", Life expectancy at birth, total (years) |Data |Table, "South Korea Now Open For Foreign Students", "What the world can learn from the latest PISA test results", "South Korea: Kids, Stop Studying So Hard! The southern coast is subject to late summer typhoons that bring strong winds, heavy rains and sometimes floods. Limited Government South Korea North Korea's main rule that no one disobeys without very good reason is to obey all the rules. However, in 1392, General Yi Seong-gye, who had been ordered to attack China, turned his army around and staged a coup. "M" means multiple times. However, it is not a direct translation of the Korean name. Robotics has been included in the list of main national R&D projects in Korea since 2003. Despite the continuing ties, the Kaesong Industrial Region has seen a large decrease in investment and manpower as a result of this military conflict. There are 9 provinces in South Korea: North Chungcheong, South Chungcheong, Gangwon, Gyeonggi, North Gyeongsang, South Gyeongsang, North Jeolla, South Jeolla, and Jeju Special Self-Governing Province . [118] After the fallout of President Park's impeachment and dismissal, new elections were held and Moon Jae-in of the Democratic party won the presidency, assuming office on 10 May 2017. [329] An estimated 90% of South Koreans own a mobile phone. [97] While South Korea's request for military support was denied by the United States,[98] North Korea's military was heavily reinforced by the Soviet Union. South Korea is a transit point for Southeast Asian fishermen subjected to forced labor on fishing ships bound for Fiji and other ports in the Pacific. Aside from micro-states and city-states, South Korea is the world's third most densely-populated country. has achieved a remarkably high level of economic growth and is now the United States' sixth-largest goods trading partner with a trillion-dollar economy. The United States is working with other governments, global initiatives including COVAX and the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT), and other partners to get COVID-19 vaccines to where they are needed most. Germany is not a unitary state because it is a federal republic state which means that there's authority within the central government and individual political units but the central government cannot take away power from the political units. candidates are elected, while an additional 46 parliamentary seats are [182][183][184] This obsession with education has catapulted the resource-poor nation consistently atop the global education rankings. The liberal camp and the conservative camp are the dominant forces of South Korean politics at present. A unitary state is the state governed as one single power in which the central government is ultimately supreme and any administrative divisions (subnational units) exercise only powers that air central government chooses to delegate. [citation needed], The South Korean Navy has made its first major transformation into a blue-water navy through the formation of the Strategic Mobile Fleet, which includes a battle group of Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin class destroyers, Dokdo class amphibious assault ship, AIP-driven Type 214 submarines, and King Sejong the Great class destroyers, which is equipped with the latest baseline of Aegis fleet-defense system that allows the ships to track and destroy multiple cruise missiles and ballistic missiles simultaneously, forming an integral part of South Korea's indigenous missile defense umbrella against the North Korean military's missile threat.[268]. [317], In 2016, 17 million foreign tourists visited South Korea. South Korea has the fastest Internet download speeds in the world,[332] with an average download speed of 25.3 Mbit/s. South Korea's efforts to build an indigenous space launch vehicle have been marred due to persistent political pressure from the United States, who had for many decades hindered South Korea's indigenous rocket and missile development programs[352] in fear of their possible connection to clandestine military ballistic missile programs, which Korea many times insisted did not violate the research and development guidelines stipulated by US-Korea agreements on restriction of South Korean rocket technology research and development. Basketball is a popular sport in the country as well. [90] Through a series of successful battles of attrition, the Japanese forces were eventually forced to withdraw, and relations between all parties became normalized. But can South Korea's Big Two airlines capitalize? U.S.-Korea relations continued until 1905, when Japan assumed direction over Korean foreign affairs. Japanese rule ended following Japan's surrender in World War II, after which Korea was divided into two zones; a northern zone occupied by the Soviet Union and a southern zone occupied by the United States. The average annual precipitation varies from 1,370 millimeters (54in) in Seoul to 1,470 millimeters (58in) in Busan. Religious Demography. A unitary state only exercises the powers that the central government decides to delegate. Soups known as guk () are often made with meats, shellfish and vegetables. [237], Historically, Korea had close relations with the dynasties in China, and some Korean kingdoms were members of the Imperial Chinese tributary system. South Korean singer Psy became an international sensation when his song "Gangnam Style" topped global music charts in 2012. However, after World WarII, the People's Republic of China embraced Maoism while South Korea sought close relations with the United States. South Korea's birth rate was the world's lowest in 2009,[168] at an annual rate of approximately 9 births per 1000 people. Its current Chief of State, as well as the Head of Government, is President Moon Jae-in. [326] Individuals with a minimum of 10 years covered under the national pension scheme and who are 60 years of age are able to be covered under a 'reduced old-age pension' scheme. Previous exceptions for South Korean citizens of mixed race no longer apply since 2011.[267]. In 2015, South Korea ranked third highest globally in cosmetic procedures per capita. A 2014 Euromonitor study found that South Koreans drink the most alcohol on a weekly basis compared to the rest of the world. There also is an 'active old-age pension' scheme that covers individuals age 60 to 65 engaged in activities yielding earned income. Constitution Day is on 17 July, and it celebrates the promulgation of Constitution of the Republic of Korea. In May 2011, Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd., South Korea's largest plane maker, signed a $400 million deal to sell 16 T-50 Golden Eagle trainer jets to Indonesia, making South Korea the first country in Asia to export supersonic jets.[272]. After the First Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War, Korea was annexed by Japan (19101945). South Korea had the fastest internet connectivity globally in 2017. [209] Christianity, unlike in other East Asian countries, found fertile ground in Korea in the 18th century, and by the end of the 18th century it persuaded a large part of the population, as the declining monarchy supported it and opened the country to widespread proselytism as part of a project of Westernization. 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Of foreign nationals has been included in the early 7th century BCE 402 ] in the early 7th century.!