As the snow melts and harsh March winds subside, the brown hills and plains suddenly turn green. The rainy season begins in late June or early July. Summer is very hot and wet, particularly in the southern half of the peninsula. These conditions are typical of a summer monsoonal East Asian climate. The end of the typhoon season coincides with the onset of fall. The reverse monsoon drives the moist air back out to sea, and cool, dry air masses out of Russian Siberia make skies increasingly clear.
Fall is short and delightful, both clear and colorful, but the winds grow bitter cold again too soon. The increased cloudiness and snowfalls of the long Korean winter return. The seasons do not manifest themselves in the same way everywhere on the peninsula. This was true in traditional agricultural times, as it is in the modern industrial age. Forests were once thick and wildlife abundant. Also, there was always an array of ocean resources to help provide for nutritional needs.
However, many of these resources have been depleted as Korea has modernized and become more densely populated. In this case more human resources are a mixed blessing.
The economy prospers while the environment suffers. Environmental quality has especially deteriorated in South Korean cities such as Seoul and Pusan, which are full of high-rise apartments and automobiles. Air quality has declined with excessive auto emissions. Even in the countryside there are increasing pesticide drifts that poison the air. Korea's important freshwater and ocean resources are damaged by overexploitation, toxic runoff, and siltation.
Yet many centuries of careful cultivation and fertilization by traditional farmers have brought significant improvement. Today special chemical fertilizers and pesticides are widely used in plant cultivation, and traditional varieties of rice have been replaced by genetically engineered rice almost everywhere.
Urban-industrial economies have tremendous energy needs. If the domestic energy resources essential to economic growth are lacking, they must be imported.
For example, Korea lacks petroleum resources. In South Korea the export of manufactured goods from light industries pays for petroleum imports to support modern manufacturing industries and transportation networks as well as to satisfy residential and commercial demands. In addition North Korea has had plenty of coal and iron as well as other minerals lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnetite, copper, gold, pyrites, salt and fluorspar for industrial development. South Korea has coal and some tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, and lead but must import iron ore to support its heavy industries.
Nuclear power plants have also been built in both North and South Korea to help offset insufficient energy resources. Unlike South Korea, which is a major player in the global capitalist economy, North Korea continues to adhere to communism and economic self-sufficiency. The result is lower living standards and slower economic development. Recent reports have indicated that there may even be widespread malnutrition and starvation in North Korea.
Their clans, tribes, and kingdoms eventually grew and mixed into what is now globally recognized and respected as a rich, populous, and prosperous civilization. South Korea has been especially successful in developing its industrial-economic potential to the point at which it is now a major player in the global economy. Unsupported Browser Detected. The Geography of the Koreas. For specific information about ROK driver's permits, vehicle inspection, road tax, and mandatory insurance, you can refer to our Road Safety page.
Also, we suggest that you visit the website of the Korea Tourism Organization KTO or call the office at and contact the national authority responsible for road safety. Where is Korea, South located?
What countries border Korea, South? Food and Recipes: Families rarely have time to eat daily meals together. Fathers often leave early in the morning and return late at More Family: The family remains an important part of Korean life. More Fashion: For special occasions or holidays traditional clothing is often worn.
Women frequently wear the "hanbok", a two-piece, long colorful dress More Visiting: Koreans do not commonly visit one another unannounced, and arranged social visits are infrequent. Generally, people visit relatives for the More Recreation: Koreans enjoy traditional sports like tae-kwon-do, a form of martial arts that originated in Korea years ago as an More Cultural Attributes: One should be aware of the pervasive influence of self reliance on the Korean psyche. It impacts every aspect Korean More Dating: Western-style dating is now more common in the South, while parental consent for marriage is essential in both South and More Diet: Spicy pickled cabbage called Kimch'i and rice are the mainstays of the diet around which most other dishes revolve.
Ethnic Groups homogeneous except for about 20, Chinese Languages Korean is spoken in both North and South Korea and is written in a phonetic alphabet created and promulgated in the midth century. More Suffrage: 19 years of age; universal More Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of South Korea dual citizenship recognized Overview: Located on a peninsula squarely between China and Japan, Korea is a mountainous and ruggedly beautiful land of diverse geographical More Climate: Korea's climate is marked by four very distinct seasons.
The winters are dry and cold, with snow usually appearing in More Terrain: mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south More. Source: Google News. According to Korean mythology, Tan-gun, half-human, half-divine and the king of sandalwood, is the ancestor of all Koreans because he became the first king of the people of the Korean peninsula. January 1st is every Korean's 'birthday. Birthdays are special celebrations, particularly the first and the sixtieth ones.
Acupuncture, or the application of very fine needles to specific locations on the body, is a popular treatment for pain and illness in Korea. It is good manners to pass and receive objects with both hands. If you want to take someone's business card, put out your right hand to accept the card and place your left hand under the wrist. You should pass an object to someone in the same manner. Koreans do not wear shoes in a home. It is polite to take off your shoes before you enter a home.
Located on the banks of the Han-gang River, Seoul is home to one-fourth of Korea's population. At that time, however, Korea was under Japanese colonization and the medal was won for Japan. The husband is expected to hand over all or most of his salary to his wife, who manages the family finances.
The name Korea comes from the early dynasty name Koryo which means high mountains and clear water. Throughout history, Korea has resisted cultural and political domination from outside forces. Taekkyeon, a traditional Korean martial art YouTube: Unesco. This kingdom lasted until , when the Yi family seized the throne and began the Choson dynasty, which ruled until The first Europeans to reach Korea were sailors on a Dutch merchant ship that ran aground on Jeju Island in They were held prisoner for 13 years, but one man escaped and returned home.
His tales inspired European traders to go to Korea, but their ships were banned from Korean ports until the 19th century. In , Japan and China sent soldiers to put down an uprising in Korea. Afterward, they and Russia fought for control of Korea, which Japan won in Soviet troops occupied the north while U. In , the communists in the north invaded the south, sparking the beginning of the Korean War. The war raged until , and more than 2. The war was never officially ended, and the Koreas remain divided.
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