• 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 sthe 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.

  • Weather

      ▶ Climatology Mid-term Forecast  
    City Sep.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

    Note: “T”-Temperature, “C”- Centigrade, “F”- Fahrenheit, “H”- Humidity (%), “R”-Rainfall (mm). This is the mean value from 1971 to 2000.

  • Four Distinct Seasons

    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.
    Summer
    Summer lasts from June to early September. It is a hot and humid time of the year.
    Autumn
    Autumn lasts from September to November, and produces mild weather.
    It is the best season to visit Korea.
    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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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)
  • 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.