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| General Information |
The Korean Peninsula
is located in North-East Asia. It is bordered by
the Amnok River (Yalu River) to the northwest, separating
Korea from China, and the Duman River (Tumen River)
to the northeast which separates Korea from both
China and Russia. The country itself is flanked
by the Yellow Sea to its west and the East Sea to
the east. There are several notable islands that
surround the country including Jeju-do, Ulleung-do
and Dok-do (Liancourt Rocks)..The Korean peninsula
is roughly 1,030 km (612 miles) long and 175 km
(105 miles) wide at its narrowest point. The land
area is 99,200 sq km (38,301 square miles), and
it has a population of 48.9 million people (2006)..
Because of its unique geographical location, this
makes Korea very viable piece of land and an international
hub of Asia. |
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| Weather |
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| City |
Seoul |
Busan |
| Month |
T(C) |
T(F) |
H(%) |
R(mm) |
T(C) |
T(F) |
H(%) |
R(mm) |
| Jan. |
-2.5 |
27.5 |
62.6 |
21.6 |
3 |
37.4 |
51 |
37.8 |
| Feb. |
-0.3 |
31.46 |
61 |
23.6 |
4.3 |
39.74 |
53.6 |
44.9 |
| Mar. |
5.2 |
41.36 |
61.2 |
45.8 |
8.3 |
32.54 |
59.1 |
85.7 |
| Apr. |
12.1 |
53.78 |
59.3 |
77 |
13.4 |
56.12 |
64.6 |
136.3 |
| May |
17.4 |
63.32 |
64.1 |
102.2 |
17.4 |
63.32 |
69.6 |
154.1 |
| Jun. |
21.9 |
71.42 |
71 |
133.3 |
20.5 |
68.9 |
79.3 |
222.5 |
| Jul. |
24.9 |
76.82 |
79.8 |
327.9 |
24.2 |
75.56 |
84.8 |
258.8 |
| Aug. |
25.4 |
77.72 |
77.4 |
348 |
25.7 |
78.26 |
80.8 |
238.1 |
| Sep. |
20.8 |
69.44 |
71 |
137.6 |
22.1 |
71.78 |
74.3 |
167 |
| Oct. |
14.4 |
57.92 |
66.2 |
49.3 |
17.3 |
63.14 |
65.2 |
62 |
| Nov. |
6.9 |
44.42 |
64.6 |
53 |
11.3 |
52.34 |
59.5 |
60.1 |
| Dec. |
0.2 |
32.36 |
63.8 |
24.9 |
5.6 |
42.08 |
52.9 |
24.3 |
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| Note: “T”-Temperature, “C”- Centigrade, “F”- Fahrenheit, “H”- Humidity (%), “R”-Rainfall (mm). This is the mean value from 1971 to 2000. |
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Four Distinct Seasons
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| Korea's climate is regarded as a continental climate
from a temperate standpoint and a monsoonal climate from a
precipitation standpoint. The climate of Korea is characterized by
four distinct seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter. |
Spring
Spring
lasts from late March to May and is warm. Various flowers, including
the picturesque cherry blossom, cover the nation's mountains and
fields during this time. |
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Summer
Summer
lasts from June to early September. It is a hot and humid time of
the year. |
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Autumn
Autumn
lasts from September to November, and produces mild weather. It is
the best season to visit Korea. |
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Winter
Winter
lasts from December to mid-March. It can be bitterly cold during
this time due to the influx of cold Siberian air. Heavy snow in the
northern and eastern parts of Korea makes for favorable skiing
conditions. |
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| Pride of Korea |
 Hangeul
(The Korean alphabet)
Hangeul was invented by King Sejong in 1446
with assistance from some scholars to give
the people an alphabet that was easy to
read and write . Throughout the world, there
are some 3,000 spoken languages but roughly
only 100 alphabets . Among these, only hangeul
was systematically invented without influence
from any other language. There also haven't
been any other books published by its creators
to explain the scientific principles employed
or the background to communicate information
in the exact manner in which they had intended.
For this reason alone, linguists from around
the world hold hangeul with very high regard
. It also explains why UNESCO included hangeul
on its list of Memory of the World Heritage
in October 1997 .
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 Hanbok
(Traditional Korean Clothing)
More than three decades ago, hanbok,
a traditional form of Korean clothing, was
very much a part of every Korean's wardrobe.
Like all clothing, hanbok also changed over
the years with fluctuating fashion trends.
Hanbok designs underwent many changes throughout
Korea's turbulent history. The hanbok we
wear today are reminiscent of the late Joseon
Dynasty (early 20th century)..In traditional
hanbok design, curved features are important.
As they are not meant to be tight fitting,
the inherent beauty of hanbok is apparent
in its elegance and style created by the
abundance of material. The curves and vibrant
colours of hanbok have had a significant
impact on the Korean fashion industry.
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 Hanok
(Traditional Korean House)
Hanok, traditional Korean houses, are
environment-friendly establishments as they
are built with materials readily available
in nature, such as wood, earth, stone, straw,
clay (for ceramic roof tiles), and paper.
The two major types of hanok are giwajip
(houses with tiled roofs) occupied by the
nobility and chogajip (houses with straw-thatched
roofs) inhabited by the peasantry. The most
distinctive difference between these two
types of houses is the roof. As suggested
by their names, the giwajip is covered with
tiles called giwa . Such houses were expensive
and not considered affordable by the common
people. A chogajip has a straw-thatched
roof, which was a bountiful by-product of
rice cultivation. Although the chogajip
is a rare sight today, some Koreans still
live in giwajip.
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| Today Korea |
 The
world's 12th largest trading partner, Korea
Years of rapid economic development
propelled the country into becoming the
world's 12th largest trading partner. Korea's
industrial base shifted from agriculture
to manufacturing and is now shifting to
services. A global force in a number of
significant industries, including automobiles,
petrochemicals, electronics, shipbuilding,
textiles, and steel, Korea 's GDP expanded
3.1% in 2003, 4.6% in 2004, and 4.0% in
2005. GDP in 2006 totaled US$887.4 billion,
making the country the 11th largest economy.
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 Information Telecommunication
Korea's stance as a powerhouse in terms of information technology is demonstrated by its vast IT-related production and exports, development of world-leading technology, and also the wide use of Internet and mobile telecommunication devices within the country. IT industry-related products, such as computer chips and mobile phones, account for over 30% of Korea's total exports, and nearly every Korean over age 12 owns at least one mobile phone. Moreover, almost every other household has broadband connections, and all parts of the society from food-service industries to public transportation systems are heavily depending on computers and IT.
Today, Korean semiconductors, mobile handsets and TFT-LCDs have become the most advanced and top selling in their fields. The Korean IT industry could secure such a leading position through an interlinking development and usage process: new services generate new domestic demand, the infrastructure required to utilize such services is built up, and the manufacturing capabilities behind the related devices enhanced.
When looking at IT-related statistics of Korea between 2001 and 2008, the number of broadband Internet subscribers increased from 7.81 million to 15.06 million, while that of Internet users also increased from 24.38 million to 36.19 million. The number of e-commerce transactions also gained between 2003 and 2006, from 7.2 million cases to 12.8 million. While the number of IT-related businesses changed little from 2003 to 2008 (14,026 to 16,757, respectively), that of workers in this sector increased from 642 thousand to 716 thousand.
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 2010 G-20 Events
The Republic of Korea is honored to chair the Group of Twenty in 2010. The G-20 is the premier forum for our international economic development that promotes open and constructive discussion between industrial and emerging-market countries on key issues related to global economic stability. By contributing to the strengthening of the international financial architecture and providing opportunities for dialogue on national policies, international co-operation, and international financial institutions, the G-20 helps to support growth and development across the globe.
Deputies Meeting, February 27-28, Korea. (Incheon Songdo)
Meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, April 23, USA. (Washington, D.C)
Meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, June, Korea. (Busan)
G-20 Summit Meeting, June 26-27, Canada. (Toronto)
Deputies Meeting, September, Korea. (Gwangju)
Meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, October, USA. (Washington, D.C)
Meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, N/A, Korea. (Gyeongju)
G-20 Summit Meeting, November 11-12, Korea (Seoul)
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 Korea’s Top Icon, “Hallyu”
Hallyu, the Korean Wave, refers to the phenomenon of Korean popular culture gaining recognition abroad. In particular, Korean dramas and films have received worldwide attention for their creativity and artistic style. A few examples of their prominent success include the Grand Prix awarded to Old Boy at the 2004 Cannes Festival, three different awards to Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring at the 2003 Locarno International Film Festival, and the Best Director prize for Chihwaseon at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. Jeon Doyeon of Secret Sunshine, which was directed by Lee Changdong, also received the Best Actress Award at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival. A tour of Korea will be a wonderful chance to visit these film locations and experience diverse aspects of Korean culture.
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