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South Korea
South Korea has a population of over 51 million and has developed into one of the world’s wealthiest and most successful nations.
South Korea is one of the most cosmopolitan countries in East Asia with a largely contemporary culture, especially in Seoul, since its 20th century urbanization and industrialization.
Like much of the region, Korea has a considerable amount of historic influence from China but in recent years its culture has drawn heavily from the West, particularly the United States.
There is an eminent consumerist culture in urban Korea, with US concepts like window shopping (ai syopping) and complimentary gifts (seobisseu). Pizza, hamburger, chicken, ice cream and coffee chains from the west are very popular in the country.
History
The earliest Korean pottery dates all the way back to 8000 BC, according to mythic accounts, the ancient Gojoseon kingdom was founded in northern Korea in 2333 BC. Eras of Korean history are distinguished by the changes in Kingdoms and rule. The rich and extensive cultural history, paired with the very small amount of ethnic minorities, has led Koreans to see themselves as a homogenous and unique people.
The story of South Korea begins after WWII, with the end of Japanese occupation of Korea in 1945.
The country was then divided by a United Nations arrangement, with Soviet military administration taking place in the north and the US military in the south from 1945-1948.
Originally, this division was meant to be a temporary step in re-creating a unified Korea. This US-Soviet joint commission turned out to be less than productive, and the UN General Assembly ordered a general election to be held in Korea.
The north completely rejected this idea so the election was only held in the south, and with the first presidency the first Republic of Korea was established in 1948.
Two years later, South Korea declares independence which led an invasion by the north and three years of turmoil that became the Korean War.
Following the war, North Korea and South Korea have become two separate political entities.
Since its start as an independent entity, South Korea has bounced back and forth between democratic and autocratic political ruling.
The different periods of rule are numbered from the First Republic to the Sixth Republic – the current liberal democracy of South Korea today.
Since its beginning, South Korea has evolved in terms of economy, education and culture.
South Korea has developed into one of the world’s wealthiest and most successful nations
Climate & Geography
In Korea, summer lasts from June-August. In the summer, the average temperature is about 22.5° C to 25° C (71°- 75° F) and can get incredibly humid.
The winters that last from around December-February average a temperature range from -5 degrees Celsius to – 2.5° Celsius (23°- 27° F), for the most part winters are just cold and dry.
Spring and autumn are the shortest seasons but also the most pleasant weather-wise, thus are considered the best times to visit!
Seoul is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea, located in the north-western part of the country on the Han River, which flows into the Yellow Sea (to the west).
Palaces, shrines and other vestiges of the Joseon Dynasty are still prominent features north of the Han River that serve as major tourist attractions.
The city’s public transportation infrastructure is ranked as the best in the Northern Hemisphere according to the Sustainable Cities Index.
The Seoul subway is the world’s largest subway network.
Language
The form of Korean spoken around Seoul is considered standard. Major dialects differ in accent and intonation, but all are comprehensible by speakers of the others.
For over a thousand years, Koreans wrote with Chinese characters. The Chinese writing system requires a knowledge of thousands of characters, and for many commoners there was not enough time to learn. The difficulty of the alphabet combined with the incongruity between Chinese characters and spoken Korean and resulted in mass illiteracy.
In the 15th century King Sejong (the fourth ruler of the Joseon Dynasty) commissioned scholars to create a new phonetic writing system.
The Hangul system was established in 1446, and is now the official alphabet of Korea.
Though the country faced centuries of widespread illiteracy, today Korea boasts one of the highest literacy rates in the world.
Culture
Where nearby countries, like Japan and China, have maintained the traditional multi-generational household, South Korea has moved increasingly towards the nuclear family model.
Like much of the region, Korea has a considerable amount of historic influence from China but in recent years its culture has drawn heavily from the West, particularly the United States.
There is an eminent consumerist culture in urban Korea, with US concepts like window shopping (ai syopping) and complimentary gifts (seobisseu).
Pizza, hamburger, chicken, ice cream and coffee chains from the west are very popular in the country.
South Korea is very tech savvy; an estimated 98% of South Koreans own mobile phones and their internet is among the fastest and most accessible in the world.
South Korea boasts an impressive entertainment industry as well; Korean films often outperform major Hollywood films in domestic and other Asian markets, and the Korean pop genre of ‘KPop’ has become a worldwide sensation.
Religion
Based on a 2005 census, 22.8% of the population identifies asBuddhist, 18.3% as Protestant and 10.9% as Roman Catholic, totaling a 29.2% Christian population.
46.5% of South Korea does not ascribe to a formal religion, due to the country’s roots in shamanism (which is not counted as a religion in South Korean censi) and ancestral worship.
Korean Buddhism has a strong historic and cultural influence on the country but lost much of its presence after the reign of the Joseon kingdom, which was Neo-Confucianist and worked to suppress Buddhism.
There has been a revival in the latter half of the 20th century, but, in tandem with the growing presence of Christianity, is not as pertinent to Korea today as it is to its past.
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Teach Abroad South Korea Programs
South Korea
| Program options | |
| Contract length | 1 year |
| Enrollment to arrival | 4 Month Minimum |
| Great for | Saving Potential, Travel Opportunities, Free Furnished Housing, 13th Bonus Cheque, Airfare reimbursements |