Simple directory > Regional > South Korea

Official name: Daehan Min-kuk (Republic of Korea) Head of State: President Roh Moo Hyun (UD) (inaugurated 25 Feb 2003) Head of government: Prime Minister Lee Hai Chan (UD) (from 30 Jun 2004) Ruling party: Uri Dang (UD) (Our Party) (from 15 Apr 2004) Area: 99,091 square km Population: 47.72 million (2004) Capital: Seoul Official language: Korean Currency: Won (W) = 100 chon Exchange rate: W1,104.50 per US$ (Nov 2004) GDP per capita: US$10,641 (2003) GDP real growth: 2.80% (2003) Labour force: 22.42 million (2003) Unemployment: 3.40% (2003) Inflation: 3.30% (2003) Balance of trade: US$14.99 billion (2003) Foreign debt: US$25.40 billion (2003) Annual FDI: US$6.47 billion (2003)

 

Historical profile
The peninsula of Korea developed a society and culture heavily influenced both by contact with imperial China and links to Japan. From the fourth century, Buddhism influenced an indigenous artistic and intellectual life.

The northern kingdom of Koguryo (from which the modern 'Korea' is derived) achieved unification of the peninsula in the tenth century. In the thirteenth century, it was invaded and ruled by Mongolians. The Mongolians were eventually overthrown by the Ming dynasty who called the country 'Chosun'.

1910 Japan formalised its annexation of Korea after gaining responsibility for its security following victory in the Russo-Japanese war of 1905.

1919 Japan suppressed the mass March First movement for self-determination.

1930s–1940s Japan imposed measures designed to assimilate the Korean population, including the outlawing of the Korean language and family names. Korea suffered under military occupation but gained the benefits of forced industrialisation.

1945 Liberation at the hands of Allied forces was a prelude to partition of the peninsula as the victorious powers encouraged friendly governments north and south of the 38th parallel. The US occupied the south while the north was taken over by the Soviet Union. As the two powers did not wish to give independence to Korea, feeling that the Korean people needed political and social re-education, a line of demarcation was established.

1948 Political divisions in the peninsula deepened. In the south, the Republic of Korea became independent after UN-supervised elections were held. Dr Syngman Rhee, leader of the Liberal Party, became the country's first president. The declaration of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the North followed, with Kim il-Sung becoming premier and head of state.

1950 North Korea invaded the South with backing from China and the Soviet Union, prompting US-led intervention under a UN mandate.

1954 A cease-fire treaty was agreed.

1960 President Rhee was forced to resign.

1961 The government was deposed by a military coup led by General Park Chung-Hee.

1963 After military leadership, a new constitution was enacted. Park became president.

1980 Demonstrations by students led to martial law being imposed throughout the country. The National Assembly was closed and all political activity banned.

1981 Martial law was lifted and political parties were formed.

1985 The election results transformed the political scene with the emergence for the first time of a relatively powerful parliamentary opposition.

1986 The opposition launched a campaign demanding constitutional reform.

1988 The Constitution of the Sixth Republic was adopted, following sustained popular unrest during 1987.

1993 President Roh Tae-Woo was succeeded by President Kim Young-Sam .

1997 Kim Dae-Jung was elected as president.

2000 President Kim Dae-Jung visited Pyongyang in North Korea and met President Kim Jong-il, in an unprecedented and much-fêted meeting of the two Korean leaders. President Kim Dae-Jung won the Nobel peace prize.

2001 The cabinet submitted letters of resignation, following a vote of no-confidence in Lim Dong-Won, the unification minister and chief architect of the sunshine policy promoting engagement with North Korea. The President subsequently returned Lim Dong-Won to government as a presidential adviser and appointed five new ministers. Prime Minister Lee Han-Dong was asked to stay on as head of the cabinet.

2002 There were real developments in inter-Korean relations – the two sides agreed to resume the engagement process after the South Korean envoy, Lim Dong-Won visited North Korea. The accord included plans for economic co-operation and a revival of a cross-border railway project linking the two countries. The President named Chang Sang as the first female prime minister. However, she was rejected by parliament, who appointed Chang Dae-whan. In a by-election, the main opposition party, the Hannara Dang (HD) (Grand National Party), won 11 seats out of 13, giving the opposition a majority of 139 seats in the 273-member National Assembly. Kim Suk Soo was approved as prime minister. Roh Moo Hyun won the presidential elections.

2003 Roh Moo Hyun took office as president on 25 February. Parliament approved Goh Kun as prime minister on 26 February. President Roh Moo Hyun left the ruling Saecheonnyeonminju Dang (SMD) (Milennium Democratic Party) in October. The Uri Dang (UD) (Our Party) was formed by members of the SMD loyal to the President. On 11 October, Prime Minister Goh Kun and the cabinet offered to resign, but this was rejected by President Roh Moo Hyun. The President called a referendum on his leadership.

2004 On 12 March, President Roh Moo Hyun was suspended from office after a vote of the National Assembly (193–192) to impeach him. Prime Minister Goh Kun took over as acting president. The UD won the 15 April National Assembly elections; for the first time in the country's 17-year history as a democracy, parliament will be controlled by left-leaning liberals instead of conservatives. On 14 May, the Constitutional Court overturned the impeachment motion against President Roh Moo Hyun, who took up the presidency again; Prime Minister Goh Kun resigned and the President nominated Lee Hai Chan as prime minister. South and North Korea agreed to open cross-border roads and to make test runs on two railways in October.

 

 

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