South Korea vs. United Kingdom
Introduction
South Korea | United Kingdom | ||
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Background | An independent kingdom for much of its long history, Korea was occupied by Japan beginning in 1905 following the Russo-Japanese War. In 1910, Tokyo formally annexed the entire Peninsula. Korea regained its independence following Japan's surrender to the US in 1945. After World War II, a democratic government (Republic of Korea, ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a communist-style government was installed in the north (Democratic People's Republic of Korea, DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and UN forces fought alongside ROK soldiers to defend South Korea from a DPRK invasion supported by communist China and the Soviet Union. A 1953 armistice split the Peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. PARK Chung-hee took over leadership of the country in a 1961 coup. During his regime, from 1961 to 1979, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth, with per capita income rising to roughly 17 times the level of North Korea in 1979. South Korea held its first free presidential election under a revised democratic constitution in 1987, with former ROK Army general ROH Tae-woo winning a close race. In 1993, KIM Young-sam (1993-98) became the first civilian president of South Korea's new democratic era. President KIM Dae-jung (1998-2003) won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for his contributions to South Korean democracy and his "Sunshine" policy of engagement with North Korea. President PARK Geun-hye, daughter of former ROK President PARK Chung-hee, took office in February 2013 as South Korea's first female leader. In December 2016, the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against President PARK over her alleged involvement in a corruption and influence-peddling scandal, immediately suspending her presidential authorities. The impeachment was upheld in March 2017, triggering an early presidential election in May 2017 won by MOON Jae-in. South Korea hosted the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in February 2018, in which North Korea also participated. Discord with North Korea has permeated inter-Korean relations for much of the past decade, highlighted by the North's attacks on a South Korean ship and island in 2010, the exchange of artillery fire across the DMZ in 2015, and multiple nuclear and missile tests in 2016 and 2017. North Korea's participation in the Winter Olympics, dispatch of a senior delegation to Seoul, and three inter-Korean summits in 2018 appear to have ushered in a temporary period of respite, buoyed by the historic US-DPRK summits in 2018 and 2019. | The United Kingdom has historically played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its zenith in the 19th century, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two world wars and the Irish Republic's withdrawal from the union. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council and a founding member of NATO and the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy. The Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1998. The UK has been an active member of the EU since its accession in 1973, although it chose to remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union. However, motivated in part by frustration at a remote bureaucracy in Brussels and massive migration into the country, UK citizens on 23 June 2016 narrowly voted to leave the EU. The UK is scheduled to depart the EU on 31 January 2020, but negotiations on the future EU-UK economic and security relationship will continue throughout 2020 and potentially beyond. |
Geography
South Korea | United Kingdom | |
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Location | Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea | Western Europe, islands - including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland - between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea; northwest of France |
Geographic coordinates | 37 00 N, 127 30 E | 54 00 N, 2 00 W |
Map references | Asia | Europe |
Area | total: 99,720 sq km land: 96,920 sq km water: 2,800 sq km | total: 243,610 sq km land: 241,930 sq km water: 1,680 sq km note 1: the percentage area breakdown of the four UK countries is: England 53%, Scotland 32%, Wales 9%, and Northern Ireland 6% note 2: includes Rockall and the Shetland Islands, which are part of Scotland |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Pennsylvania; slightly larger than Indiana | twice the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Oregon |
Land boundaries | total: 237 km border countries (1): North Korea 237 km | total: 499 km border countries (1): Ireland 499 km |
Coastline | 2,413 km | 12,429 km |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: not specified | territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or in accordance with agreed upon boundaries exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Climate | temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter; cold winters | temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast |
Terrain | mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south | mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast |
Elevation extremes | highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m mean elevation: 282 m | highest point: Ben Nevis 1,345 m lowest point: The Fens -4 m mean elevation: 162 m |
Natural resources | coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential | coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable land |
Land use | agricultural land: 18.1% (2018 est.) arable land: 15.3% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 2.2% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 0.6% (2018 est.) forest: 63.9% (2018 est.) other: 18% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 71% (2018 est.) arable land: 25.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 45.7% (2018 est.) forest: 11.9% (2018 est.) other: 17.1% (2018 est.) |
Irrigated land | 7,780 sq km (2012) | 950 sq km (2012) |
Natural hazards | occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest volcanism: Halla (1,950 m) is considered historically active although it has not erupted in many centuries | winter windstorms; floods |
Environment - current issues | air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing; solid waste disposal; transboundary pollution | air pollution improved but remains a concern, particularly in the London region; soil pollution from pesticides and heavy metals; decline in marine and coastal habitats brought on by pressures from housing, tourism, and industry |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Geography - note | strategic location on Korea Strait; about 3,000 mostly small and uninhabited islands lie off the western and southern coasts | lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from France and linked by tunnel under the English Channel (the Channel Tunnel or Chunnel); because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from tidal waters |
Total renewable water resources | 69.7 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 147 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
Population distribution | with approximately 70% of the country considered mountainous, the country's population is primarily concentrated in the lowland areas, where density is quite high; Gyeonggi Province in the northwest, which surrounds the capital of Seoul and contains the port of Incheon, is the most densely populated province; Gangwon in the northeast is the least populated | the core of the population lies in and around London, with significant clusters found in central Britain around Manchester and Liverpool, in the Scotish lowlands between Endinburgh and Glasgow, southern Wales in and around Cardiff, and far eastern Northern Ireland centered on Belfast |
Demographics
South Korea | United Kingdom | |
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Population | 51,715,162 (July 2021 est.) | 67.081 million United Kingdom (June 2020 est.) constituent countries by percentage of total population: England 84.3% Scotland 8.1% Wales 4.7% Northern Ireland 2.8% |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 12.02% (male 3,191,584/female 3,025,029) 15-24 years: 10.75% (male 2,900,013/female 2,658,057) 25-54 years: 44.83% (male 12,106,860/female 11,077,642) 55-64 years: 15.66% (male 3,958,718/female 4,142,322) 65 years and over: 16.74% (male 3,766,138/female 4,888,799) (2021 est.) | 0-14 years: 17.63% (male 5,943,435/female 5,651,780) 15-24 years: 11.49% (male 3,860,435/female 3,692,398) 25-54 years: 39.67% (male 13,339,965/female 12,747,598) 55-64 years: 12.73% (male 4,139,378/female 4,234,701) 65 years and over: 18.48% (male 5,470,116/female 6,681,311) (2020 est.) |
Median age | total: 43.2 years male: 41.6 years female: 45 years (2020 est.) | total: 40.6 years male: 39.6 years female: 41.7 years (2020 est.) |
Population growth rate | 0.26% (2021 est.) | 0.48% (2021 est.) |
Birth rate | 6.89 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 11.77 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
Death rate | 6.96 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 9.41 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
Net migration rate | 2.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 2.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2020 est.) | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
Infant mortality rate | total: 2.91 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.12 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) | total: 4.27 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.82 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 82.78 years male: 79.66 years female: 86.06 years (2021 est.) | total population: 81.3 years male: 79.02 years female: 83.7 years (2021 est.) |
Total fertility rate | 1.09 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 1.86 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | NA | NA |
Nationality | noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean | noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural) adjective: British |
Ethnic groups | homogeneous | White 87.2%, Black/African/Caribbean/black British 3%, Asian/Asian British: Indian 2.3%, Asian/Asian British: Pakistani 1.9%, mixed 2%, other 3.7% (2011 est.) |
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | NA | NA |
Religions | Protestant 19.7%, Buddhist 15.5%, Catholic 7.9%, none 56.9% (2015 est.) note: many people also carry on at least some Confucian traditions and practices | Christian (includes Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 59.5%, Muslim 4.4%, Hindu 1.3%, other 2%, unspecified 7.2%, none 25.7% (2011 est.) |
HIV/AIDS - deaths | NA | NA |
Languages | Korean, English (widely taught in elementary, junior high, and high school) major-language sample(s): ?? ???, ???? ?? ?? ??? (Korean) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. | English note: the following are recognized regional languages: Scots (about 30% of the population of Scotland), Scottish Gaelic (about 60,000 speakers in Scotland), Welsh (about 20% of the population of Wales), Irish (about 10% of the population of Northern Ireland), Cornish (some 2,000 to 3,000 people in Cornwall) (2012 est.) |
Major infectious diseases | respiratory diseases: Covid-19 (see note) (2020) note: a novel coronavirus is causing an outbreak of respiratory illness (COVID-19) in South Korea; as of 19 July 2021, South Korea has reported a total of 180,481 cases of COVID-19 or 352.03 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with 4.02 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population; as of 19 July 2021, 31.78% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine | respiratory diseases: Covid-19 (see note) (2020) note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout the UK; as of 19 July 2021, the UK has reported a total of 5,473,481 cases of COVID-19 or 8,062.75 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with 189.62 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population; as of 19 July 2021, 66.22% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine; the US Department of Homeland Security has issued instructions requiring US passengers who have been in the UK to travel through select airports where the US Government has implemented enhanced screening procedures |
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 17 years male: 17 years female: 16 years (2018) | total: 17 years male: 17 years female: 18 years (2018) |
Education expenditures | 4.3% of GDP (2016) | 5.4% of GDP (2017) |
Urbanization | urban population: 81.4% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 0.31% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) | urban population: 84.2% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
Drinking water source | improved: total: 100% of population unimproved: total: 0% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) |
Sanitation facility access | improved: total: 100% of population unimproved: total: 0% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) |
Major cities - population | 9.968 million SEOUL (capital), 3.466 million Busan, 2.818 million Incheon, 2.191 million Daegu (Taegu), 1.569 million Daejon (Taejon), 1.524 million Gwangju (Kwangju) (2021) | 9.426 million LONDON (capital), 2.750 million Manchester, 2.626 million Birmingham, 1.902 million West Yorkshire, 1.681 million Glasgow, 936,000 Southampton/Portsmouth (2021) |
Maternal mortality rate | 11 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) | 7 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
Health expenditures | 7.6% (2018) | 10% (2018) |
Physicians density | 2.36 physicians/1,000 population (2017) | 2.81 physicians/1,000 population (2018) |
Hospital bed density | 12.3 beds/1,000 population (2017) | 2.5 beds/1,000 population (2017) |
Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 4.7% (2016) | 27.8% (2016) |
Mother's mean age at first birth | 32.2 years (2019 est.) | 29 years (2018 est.) note: data represent England and Wales only |
Contraceptive prevalence rate | 82.3% (2018) note: percent of women aged 20-49 | 76.1% (2010/12) note: percent of women aged 16-49 |
Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 39.5 youth dependency ratio: 17.5 elderly dependency ratio: 22 potential support ratio: 4.5 (2020 est.) | total dependency ratio: 57.1 youth dependency ratio: 27.8 elderly dependency ratio: 29.3 potential support ratio: 3.4 (2020 est.) |
Government
South Korea | United Kingdom | |
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Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Korea conventional short form: South Korea local long form: Taehan-min'guk local short form: Han'guk abbreviation: ROK etymology: derived from the Chinese name for Goryeo, which was the Korean dynasty that united the peninsula in the 10th century A.D.; the South Korean name "Han'guk" derives from the long form, "Taehan-min'guk," which is itself a derivation from "Daehan-je'guk," which means "the Great Empire of the Han"; "Han" refers to the "Sam'han" or the "Three Han Kingdoms" (Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla from the Three Kingdoms Era, 1st-7th centuries A.D.) | conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; note - the island of Great Britain includes England, Scotland, and Wales conventional short form: United Kingdom abbreviation: UK etymology: self-descriptive country name; the designation "Great Britain," in the sense of "Larger Britain," dates back to medieval times and was used to distinguish the island from "Little Britain," or Brittany in modern France; the name Ireland derives from the Gaelic "Eriu," the matron goddess of Ireland (goddess of the land) |
Government type | presidential republic | parliamentary constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm |
Capital | name: Seoul; note - Sejong, located some 120 km (75 mi) south of Seoul, is serving as an administrative capital for segments of the South Korean Government geographic coordinates: 37 33 N, 126 59 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name originates from the Korean word meaning "capital city" and which is believed to be derived from Seorabeol, the name of the capital of the ancient Korean Kingdom of Silla | name: London geographic coordinates: 51 30 N, 0 05 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: the time statements apply to the United Kingdom proper, not to its crown dependencies or overseas territories etymology: the name derives from the Roman settlement of Londinium, established on the current site of London around A.D. 43; the original meaning of the name is uncertain |
Administrative divisions | 9 provinces (do, singular and plural), 6 metropolitan cities (gwangyeoksi, singular and plural), 1 special city (teugbyeolsi), and 1 special self-governing city (teukbyeoljachisi) provinces: Chungbuk (North Chungcheong), Chungnam (South Chungcheong), Gangwon, Gyeongbuk (North Gyeongsang), Gyeonggi, Gyeongnam (South Gyeongsang), Jeju, Jeonbuk (North Jeolla), Jeonnam (South Jeolla) metropolitan cities: Busan (Pusan), Daegu (Taegu), Daejeon (Taejon), Gwangju (Kwangju), Incheon (Inch'on), Ulsan special city: Seoul special self-governing city: Sejong | England: 26 two-tier counties, 32 London boroughs and 1 City of London or Greater London, 36 metropolitan districts, 56 unitary authorities (including 4 single-tier counties*); two-tier counties: Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Warwickshire, West Sussex, Worcestershire London boroughs and City of London or Greater London: Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Camden, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames, Lambeth, Lewisham, City of London, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, Westminster metropolitan districts: Barnsley, Birmingham, Bolton, Bradford, Bury, Calderdale, Coventry, Doncaster, Dudley, Gateshead, Kirklees, Knowlsey, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Oldham, Rochdale, Rotherham, Salford, Sandwell, Sefton, Sheffield, Solihull, South Tyneside, St. Helens, Stockport, Sunderland, Tameside, Trafford, Wakefield, Walsall, Wigan, Wirral, Wolverhampton unitary authorities: Bath and North East Somerset; Bedford; Blackburn with Darwen; Blackpool; Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole; Bracknell Forest; Brighton and Hove; City of Bristol; Central Bedfordshire; Cheshire East; Cheshire West and Chester; Cornwall; Darlington; Derby; Dorset; Durham County*; East Riding of Yorkshire; Halton; Hartlepool; Herefordshire*; Isle of Wight*; Isles of Scilly; City of Kingston upon Hull; Leicester; Luton; Medway; Middlesbrough; Milton Keynes; North East Lincolnshire; North Lincolnshire; North Somerset; Northumberland*; Nottingham; Peterborough; Plymouth; Portsmouth; Reading; Redcar and Cleveland; Rutland; Shropshire; Slough; South Gloucestershire; Southampton; Southend-on-Sea; Stockton-on-Tees; Stoke-on-Trent; Swindon; Telford and Wrekin; Thurrock; Torbay; Warrington; West Berkshire; Wiltshire; Windsor and Maidenhead; Wokingham; York Northern Ireland: 5 borough councils, 4 district councils, 2 city councils; borough councils: Antrim and Newtownabbey; Ards and North Down; Armagh City, Banbridge, and Craigavon; Causeway Coast and Glens; Mid and East Antrim district councils: Derry City and Strabane; Fermanagh and Omagh; Mid Ulster; Newry, Murne, and Down city councils: Belfast; Lisburn and Castlereagh Scotland: 32 council areas; council areas: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and Bute, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, City of Edinburgh, Eilean Siar (Western Isles), Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire, Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, The Scottish Borders, West Dunbartonshire, West Lothian Wales: 22 unitary authorities; unitary authorities: Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Swansea, The Vale of Glamorgan, Torfaen, Wrexham |
Independence | 15 August 1945 (from Japan) | no official date of independence: 927 (minor English kingdoms unite); 3 March 1284 (enactment of the Statute of Rhuddlan uniting England and Wales); 1536 (Act of Union formally incorporates England and Wales); 1 May 1707 (Acts of Union formally unite England, Scotland, and Wales as Great Britain); 1 January 1801 (Acts of Union formally unite Great Britain and Ireland as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland); 6 December 1921 (Anglo-Irish Treaty formalizes partition of Ireland; six counties remain part of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland); 12 April 1927 (Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act establishes current name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) |
National holiday | Liberation Day, 15 August (1945) | the UK does not celebrate one particular national holiday |
Constitution | history: several previous; latest passed by National Assembly 12 October 1987, approved in referendum 28 October 1987, effective 25 February 1988 amendments: proposed by the president or by majority support of the National Assembly membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly membership, approval in a referendum by more than one half of the votes by more than one half of eligible voters, and promulgation by the president; amended several times, last in 1987 | history: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice amendments: proposed as a bill for an Act of Parliament by the government, by the House of Commons, or by the House of Lords; passage requires agreement by both houses and by the monarch (Royal Assent); many previous, last in 2020 - The European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020, European Union (Future Relationship) Act 2020 (2021) |
Legal system | mixed legal system combining European civil law, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought | common law system; has nonbinding judicial review of Acts of Parliament under the Human Rights Act of 1998 |
Suffrage | 18years of age; universal; note - the voting age was lowered from 19 to 18 beginning with the 2020 national election | 18 years of age; universal |
Executive branch | chief of state: President MOON Jae-in (since 10 May 2017); the president is both chief of state and head of government; Prime Minister KIM Boo-kyum (since 14 May 2021) serves as the principal executive assistant to the president, similar to the role of a vice president head of government: President MOON Jae-in (since 10 May 2017) cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a single 5-year term; election last held on 9 May 2017 (next to be held in March 2022); prime minister appointed by president with consent of National Assembly election results: MOON Jae-in elected president; percent of vote - MOON Jae-in (DP) 41.1%, HONG Joon-pyo (LKP) 25.5%, AHN Cheol-soo (PP) 21.4%, other 12% | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Heir Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14 November 1948) head of government: Prime Minister Boris JOHNSON (Conservative) (since 24 July 2019) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually becomes the prime minister; election last held on 12 December 2019 (next to be held by 2 May 2024) note: in addition to serving as the UK head of state, the British sovereign is the constitutional monarch for 15 additional Commonwealth countries (these 16 states are each referred to as a Commonwealth realm) |
Legislative branch | description: unicameral National Assembly or Kuk Hoe (300 seats statutory); 253 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 47 directly elected in a single national constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 15 April 2020 (next to be held in April 2024) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DP/TCP 180, UFP/FKP 103, JP 6, ODP 3, PP 3, independent 5; composition - men 249, women 51, percent of women 17% | description: bicameral Parliament consists of: House of Lords (membership not fixed; as of December 2019, 796 lords were eligible to participate in the work of the House of Lords - 679 life peers, 91 hereditary peers, and 26 clergy; members are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister and non-party political members recommended by the House of Lords Appointments Commission); note - House of Lords total does not include ineligible members or members on leave of absence House of Commons (650 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority popular vote to serve 5-year terms unless the House is dissolved earlier) elections: House of Lords - no elections; note - in 1999, as provided by the House of Lords Act, elections were held in the House of Lords to determine the 92 hereditary peers who would remain; elections held only as vacancies in the hereditary peerage arise) House of Commons - last held on 12 December 2019 (next to be held by 2 May 2024) election results: House of Lords - composition - men 579, women 217, percent of women 27.3% House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Conservative 43.6%, Labor 32.1%, Lib Dems 11.6%, SNP 3.9%, Greens 2.7%, Brexit Party 2.0%, other 4.1%; seats by party - Conservative 365, Labor 202, SNP 48, Lib Dems 11, DUP 8, Sinn Fein 7, Plaid Cymru 4, other 9; composition - men 430, women 220, percent of women 34%; total Parliament percent of women 30.2% |
Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of a chief justice and 13 justices); Constitutional Court (consists of a court head and 8 justices) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly; other justices appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the chief justice and consent of the National Assembly; position of the chief justice is a 6-year nonrenewable term; other justices serve 6-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court justices appointed - 3 by the president, 3 by the National Assembly, and 3 by the Supreme Court chief justice; court head serves until retirement at age 70, while other justices serve 6-year renewable terms with mandatory retirement at age 65 subordinate courts: High Courts; District Courts; Branch Courts (organized under the District Courts); specialized courts for family and administrative issues | highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of 12 justices, including the court president and deputy president); note - the Supreme Court was established by the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 and implemented in 2009, replacing the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords as the highest court in the United Kingdom judge selection and term of office: judge candidates selected by an independent committee of several judicial commissions, followed by their recommendations to the prime minister, and appointed by the monarch; justices serve for life subordinate courts: England and Wales: Court of Appeal (civil and criminal divisions); High Court; Crown Court; County Courts; Magistrates' Courts; Scotland: Court of Sessions; Sheriff Courts; High Court of Justiciary; tribunals; Northern Ireland: Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland; High Court; county courts; magistrates' courts; specialized tribunals |
Political parties and leaders | Bareun Mirae Party or BMP [SOHN Hak-kyu] (merger of Bareun Party and People's Party) Democratic Party or DP [LEE Nak-yon; resigned March 2021] (renamed from Minjoo Party of Korea or MPK in October 2016; formerly New Politics Alliance for Democracy or NPAD, which was a merger of the Democratic Party or DP (formerly DUP) [KIM Han-gil] and the New Political Vision Party or NPVP [AHN Cheol-soo] in March 2014) Justice Party or JP [SIM Sang-jung] Minjung Party or MP (formed from the merger of the New People's Party (formerly the New People's Political Party or NPP) and the People's United Party or PUP) Open Democratic Pary or ODP [LEE Keun-shik] (formed in early 2020) Our Republic Party [CHO Won-jin and HONG Moon-jong] (formerly Korean Patriots' Party or KPP) Party for Democracy and Peace or PDP [CHUNG Dong-young] People Party or PP [AHN Cheol-soo] (formed in February 2020) Together Citizens' Party [WOO Hee-jong, ChOI Bae-geun] (formed in early 2020 in alliance with the Democratic Party) United Future Party or UFP (formed in early 2020 by the merger of Liberty Korea Party, New Conservative Party, Onward for Future 4.0, and several other minor parties; it has a sister relationship with the Future Korea Party | Alliance Party (Northern Ireland) [Naomi LONG] Brexit Party [Nigel FARAGE] Conservative and Unionist Party [Boris JOHNSON] Democratic Unionist Party or DUP (Northern Ireland) (vacant) Green Party of England and Wales or Greens [Sian BERRY and Jonathan BARTLEY] Labor (Labour) Party [Sir Keir STARMER] Liberal Democrats (Lib Dems) [Ed Davey] Party of Wales (Plaid Cymru) [Adam PRICE] Scottish National Party or SNP [Nicola STURGEON] Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland) [Mary Lou MCDONALD] Social Democratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern Ireland) [Colum EASTWOOD] Ulster Unionist Party or UUP (Northern Ireland) [Robin SWANN] UK Independence Party or UKIP [Pat MOUNTAIN, interim leader] |
International organization participation | ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CICA, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC | ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, C, CBSS (observer), CD, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMISS, UNRWA, UN Security Council (permanent), UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador LEE Soo-hyuck (since 6 January 2020) chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600 FAX: [1] (202) 797-0595 email address and website: generalusa@mofa.go.kr https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/us-en/index.do consulate(s) general: Anchorage (AK), Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas (TX), Hagatna (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington DC | chief of mission: Ambassador Karen Elizabeth PIERCE (since 8 April 2020) chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-6500 FAX: [1] (202) 588-7870 email address and website: britishembassyenquiries@gmail.com https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-washington consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco consulate(s): Orlando (FL), San Juan (Puerto Rico) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Christopher DEL CORSO (since 16 July 2021) embassy: 188 Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul mailing address: 9600 Seoul Place, Washington, DC 20521-9600 telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114 FAX: [82] (2) 397-4101 email address and website: seoulinfoACS@state.gov https://kr.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s): Busan | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Philip T. REEKER (since 1 August 2021) embassy: 33 Nine Elms Lane, London, SW11 7US mailing address: 8400 London Place, Washington DC 20521-8400 telephone: [44] (0) 20-7499-9000 FAX: [44] (0) 20-7891-3845 email address and website: SCSLondon@state.gov https://uk.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh |
Flag description | white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field; the South Korean national flag is called Taegukki; white is a traditional Korean color and represents peace and purity; the blue section represents the negative cosmic forces of the yin, while the red symbolizes the opposite positive forces of the yang; each trigram (kwae) denotes one of the four universal elements, which together express the principle of movement and harmony | blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); properly known as the Union Flag, but commonly called the Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including other Commonwealth countries and their constituent states or provinces, and British overseas territories |
National anthem | name: "Aegukga" (Patriotic Song) lyrics/music: YUN Ch'i-Ho or AN Ch'ang-Ho/AHN Eaktay note: adopted 1948, well-known by 1910; both North Korea's and South Korea's anthems share the same name and have a vaguely similar melody but have different lyrics | name: God Save the Queen lyrics/music: unknown note: in use since 1745; by tradition, the song serves as both the national and royal anthem of the UK; it is known as either "God Save the Queen" or "God Save the King," depending on the gender of the reigning monarch; it also serves as the royal anthem of many Commonwealth nations |
International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
National symbol(s) | taegeuk (yin yang symbol), Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon), Siberian tiger; national colors: red, white, blue, black | lion (Britain in general); lion, Tudor rose, oak (England); lion, unicorn, thistle (Scotland); dragon, daffodil, leek (Wales); shamrock, flax (Northern Ireland); national colors: red, white, blue (Britain in general); red, white (England); blue, white (Scotland); red, white, green (Wales) |
Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of South Korea dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the United Kingdom dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years |
Economy
South Korea | United Kingdom | |
---|---|---|
Economy - overview | After emerging from the 1950-53 war with North Korea, South Korea emerged as one of the 20th century's most remarkable economic success stories, becoming a developed, globally connected, high-technology society within decades. In the 1960s, GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorest countries in the world. In 2004, South Korea's GDP surpassed one trillion dollars. Beginning in the 1960s under President PARK Chung-hee, the government promoted the import of raw materials and technology, encouraged saving and investment over consumption, kept wages low, and directed resources to export-oriented industries that remain important to the economy to this day. Growth surged under these policies, and frequently reached double-digits in the 1960s and 1970s. Growth gradually moderated in the 1990s as the economy matured, but remained strong enough to propel South Korea into the ranks of the advanced economies of the OECD by 1997. These policies also led to the emergence of family-owned chaebol conglomerates such as Daewoo, Hyundai, and Samsung, which retained their dominant positions even as the government loosened its grip on the economy amid the political changes of the 1980s and 1990s. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-98 hit South Korea's companies hard because of their excessive reliance on short-term borrowing, and GDP ultimately plunged by 7% in 1998. South Korea tackled difficult economic reforms following the crisis, including restructuring some chaebols, increasing labor market flexibility, and opening up to more foreign investment and imports. These steps lead to a relatively rapid economic recovery. South Korea also began expanding its network of free trade agreements to help bolster exports, and has since implemented 16 free trade agreements covering 58 countries-including the United State and China-that collectively cover more than three-quarters of global GDP. In 2017, the election of President MOON Jae-in brought a surge in consumer confidence, in part, because of his successful efforts to increase wages and government spending. These factors combined with an uptick in export growth to drive real GDP growth to more than 3%, despite disruptions in South Korea's trade with China over the deployment of a US missile defense system in South Korea. In 2018 and beyond, South Korea will contend with gradually slowing economic growth - in the 2-3% range - not uncommon for advanced economies. This could be partially offset by efforts to address challenges arising from its rapidly aging population, inflexible labor market, continued dominance of the chaebols, and heavy reliance on exports rather than domestic consumption. Socioeconomic problems also persist, and include rising inequality, poverty among the elderly, high youth unemployment, long working hours, low worker productivity, and corruption. | The UK, a leading trading power and financial center, is the third largest economy in Europe after Germany and France. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with less than 2% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil resources, but its oil and natural gas reserves are declining; the UK has been a net importer of energy since 2005. Services, particularly banking, insurance, and business services, are key drivers of British GDP growth. Manufacturing, meanwhile, has declined in importance but still accounts for about 10% of economic output. In 2008, the global financial crisis hit the economy particularly hard, due to the importance of its financial sector. Falling home prices, high consumer debt, and the global economic slowdown compounded the UK's economic problems, pushing the economy into recession in the latter half of 2008 and prompting the then BROWN (Labour) government to implement a number of measures to stimulate the economy and stabilize the financial markets. Facing burgeoning public deficits and debt levels, in 2010 the then CAMERON-led coalition government (between Conservatives and Liberal Democrats) initiated an austerity program, which has continued under the Conservative government. However, the deficit still remains one of the highest in the G7, standing at 3.6% of GDP as of 2017, and the UK has pledged to lower its corporation tax from 20% to 17% by 2020. The UK had a debt burden of 90.4% GDP at the end of 2017. The UK economy has begun to slow since the referendum vote to leave the EU in June 2016. A sustained depreciation of the British pound has increased consumer and producer prices, weighing on consumer spending without spurring a meaningful increase in exports. The UK has an extensive trade relationship with other EU members through its single market membership, and economic observers have warned the exit will jeopardize its position as the central location for European financial services. The UK is slated to leave the EU at the end of January 2020. |
GDP (purchasing power parity) | $2,211,315,000,000 (2019 est.) $2,167,119,000,000 (2018 est.) $2,105,893,000,000 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $3,118,396,000,000 (2019 est.) $3,073,442,000,000 (2018 est.) $3,032,781,000,000 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars |
GDP - real growth rate | 2.04% (2019 est.) 2.91% (2018 est.) 3.16% (2017 est.) | 1.26% (2019 est.) 1.25% (2018 est.) 1.74% (2017 est.) |
GDP - per capita (PPP) | $42,765 (2019 est.) $41,993 (2018 est.) $41,001 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $46,659 (2019 est.) $46,245 (2018 est.) $45,910 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 2.2% (2017 est.) industry: 39.3% (2017 est.) services: 58.3% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 0.7% (2017 est.) industry: 20.2% (2017 est.) services: 79.2% (2017 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 14.4% (2016 est.) | 18.6% (2017 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 6.8% highest 10%: 48.5% (2015 est.) | lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 31.1% (2012) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 0.3% (2019 est.) 1.4% (2018 est.) 1.9% (2017 est.) | 1.7% (2019 est.) 2.4% (2018 est.) 2.6% (2017 est.) |
Labor force | 26.839 million (2020 est.) | 35.412 million (2020 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 4.8% industry: 24.6% services: 70.6% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 1.3% industry: 15.2% services: 83.5% (2014 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 3.76% (2019 est.) 3.85% (2018 est.) | 3.17% (2019 est.) 2.51% (2018 est.) |
Distribution of family income - Gini index | 35.4 (2015 est.) 31.6 (2012 est.) | 34.8 (2016 est.) 33.4 (2010) |
Budget | revenues: 357.1 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 335.8 billion (2017 est.) | revenues: 1.028 trillion (2017 est.) expenditures: 1.079 trillion (2017 est.) |
Industries | electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel | machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, other consumer goods |
Industrial production growth rate | 4.6% (2017 est.) | 3.4% (2017 est.) |
Agriculture - products | rice, vegetables, cabbages, milk, onions, pork, poultry, eggs, tangerines/mandarins, potatoes | wheat, milk, barley, sugar beet, potatoes, rapeseed, poultry, oats, pork, beef |
Exports | $683.996 billion (2019 est.) $672.442 billion (2018 est.) $646.728 billion (2017 est.) | $901.882 billion (2019 est.) $877.501 billion (2018 est.) $851.693 billion (2017 est.) |
Exports - commodities | integrated circuits, cars and vehicle parts, refined petroleum, ships, office machinery (2019) | cars, gas turbines, gold, crude petroleum, packaged medicines (2019) |
Exports - partners | China 25%, United States 14%, Vietnam 9%, Hong Kong 6%, Japan 5% (2019) | United States 15%, Germany 10%, China 7%, Netherlands 7%, France 7%, Ireland 6% (2019) |
Imports | $599.705 billion (2019 est.) $603.535 billion (2018 est.) $593.371 billion (2017 est.) | $987.018 billion (2019 est.) $955.655 billion (2018 est.) $930.354 billion (2017 est.) |
Imports - commodities | crude petroleum, integrated circuits, natural gas, refined petroleum, coal (2019) | gold, cars, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment (2019) |
Imports - partners | China 22%, United States 12%, Japan 9% (2019) | Germany 13%, China 10%, United States 8%, Netherlands 7%, France 6%, Belgium 5% (2019) |
Debt - external | $457.745 billion (2019 est.) $435.98 billion (2018 est.) | $8,721,590,000,000 (2019 est.) $8,696,559,000,000 (2018 est.) |
Exchange rates | South Korean won (KRW) per US dollar - 1,084.65 (2020 est.) 1,189.9 (2019 est.) 1,119.8 (2018 est.) 1,130.95 (2014 est.) 1,052.96 (2013 est.) | British pounds (GBP) per US dollar - 0.7836 (2017 est.) 0.738 (2016 est.) 0.738 (2015 est.) 0.607 (2014 est.) 0.6391 (2013 est.) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 6 April - 5 April |
Public debt | 39.5% of GDP (2017 est.) 39.9% of GDP (2016 est.) | 87.5% of GDP (2017 est.) 87.9% of GDP (2016 est.) note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions |
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $389.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $371.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $150.8 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $129.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.) |
Current Account Balance | $59.971 billion (2019 est.) $77.467 billion (2018 est.) | -$121.921 billion (2019 est.) -$104.927 billion (2018 est.) |
GDP (official exchange rate) | $1,646,604,000,000 (2019 est.) | $2,827,918,000,000 (2019 est.) |
Credit ratings | Fitch rating: AA- (2012) Moody's rating: Aa2 (2015) Standard & Poors rating: AA (2016) | Fitch rating: AA- (2020) Moody's rating: Aaa (2020) Standard & Poors rating: AA (2016) |
Ease of Doing Business Index scores | Overall score: 84 (2020) Starting a Business score: 93.4 (2020) Trading score: 92.5 (2020) Enforcement score: 84.1 (2020) | Overall score: 83.5 (2020) Starting a Business score: 94.6 (2020) Trading score: 93.8 (2020) Enforcement score: 68.7 (2020) |
Taxes and other revenues | 23.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 39.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | 1.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | -1.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | total: 10.3% male: 11% female: 9.7% (2020 est.) | total: 11.2% male: 13% female: 9.2% (2019 est.) |
GDP - composition, by end use | household consumption: 48.1% (2017 est.) government consumption: 15.3% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 31.1% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 43.1% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -37.7% (2017 est.) | household consumption: 65.8% (2017 est.) government consumption: 18.3% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 17.2% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 0.2% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 30.2% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -31.5% (2017 est.) |
Gross national saving | 34.8% of GDP (2019 est.) 35.9% of GDP (2018 est.) 37% of GDP (2017 est.) | 13.3% of GDP (2019 est.) 13.4% of GDP (2018 est.) 13.9% of GDP (2017 est.) |
Energy
South Korea | United Kingdom | |
---|---|---|
Electricity - production | 526 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 318.2 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
Electricity - consumption | 507.6 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 309.2 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2016 est.) | 2.153 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2016 est.) | 19.7 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
Oil - production | 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 1 million bbl/day (2018 est.) |
Oil - imports | 3.057 million bbl/day (2017 est.) | 907,100 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
Oil - exports | 0 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 710,600 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
Oil - proved reserves | NA (1 January 2017 est.) | 2.069 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
Natural gas - proved reserves | 7.079 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) | 176 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) |
Natural gas - production | 339.8 million cu m (2017 est.) | 42.11 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
Natural gas - consumption | 45.28 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 79.17 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
Natural gas - exports | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 11.27 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
Natural gas - imports | 48.65 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 47 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
Electricity - installed generating capacity | 111.2 million kW (2016 est.) | 97.06 million kW (2016 est.) |
Electricity - from fossil fuels | 70% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 50% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 21% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 9% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
Electricity - from other renewable sources | 8% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 39% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
Refined petroleum products - production | 3.302 million bbl/day (2017 est.) | 1.29 million bbl/day (2017 est.) |
Refined petroleum products - consumption | 2.584 million bbl/day (2017 est.) | 1.584 million bbl/day (2017 est.) |
Refined petroleum products - exports | 1.396 million bbl/day (2017 est.) | 613,800 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
Refined petroleum products - imports | 908,800 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 907,500 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
Electricity access | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) |
Telecommunications
South Korea | United Kingdom | |
---|---|---|
Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 24,727,415 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 48.07 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 32.288 million subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 49.37 (2019 est.) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 68,892,541 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 133.93 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 80.967 million subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 123.79 (2019 est.) |
Internet country code | .kr | .uk |
Internet users | total: 49,309,955 percent of population: 95.9% (July 2018 est.) | total: 61,784,878 percent of population: 94.9% (July 2018 est.) |
Telecommunication systems | general assessment: excellent domestic and international services featuring rapid incorporation of new technologies; exceedingly high mobile, mobile broadband, and fixed broadband penetration; strong support from government for initiatives; tech-savvy population has catapulted the nation into one of the world's most active telecommunication markets; all mobile operators offer 5G networks; Chinese telecom Huawei partnered with operators including launch of Seoul TechCity; import of integrated circuits, broadcasting equipment, and phones from China; government and private partnership on national e-commerce and smart city development (2021) (2020)domestic: fixed-line 48 per 100 and mobile-cellular services 135 per 100 persons; rapid assimilation of a full range of telecommunications technologies leading to a boom in e-commerce (2019) international: country code - 82; landing points for EAC-C2C, FEA, SeaMeWe-3, TPE, APCN-2, APG, FLAG North Asia Loop/REACH North Asia Loop, KJCN, NCP, and SJC2 submarine cables providing links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Southeast Asia and US; satellite earth stations - 66 (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments | general assessment: UK's telecom market remains one of the largest in Europe, characterized by competition, affordable pricing, and its technologically advanced systems; mobile penetration above the EU average; government to invest in infrastructure and 5G technologies with ambition for a fully-fibered nation by 2033; operators expanded the reach of 5G services in 2020; super-fast broadband available to about 95% of customers; London is developing smart city technology, in collaboration with private, tech, and academic sectors; legislation banned Chinese company Huawei from UK 5G networks following advisement from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC); importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2021) (2020)domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and fiber-optic systems; fixed-line 48 per 100 and mobile-cellular 118 per 100 (2019) international: country code - 44; Landing points for the GTT Atlantic, Scotland-Northern Ireland -1, & -2, Lanis 1,-2, &-3, Sirius North, BT-MT-1, SHEFA-2, BT Highlands and Islands Submarine Cable System, Northern Lights, FARICE-1, Celtic Norse, Tampnet Offshore FOC Network, England Cable, CC-2, E-LLan, Sirius South, ESAT -1 & -2, Rockabill, Geo-Eirgrid, UK-Netherlands-14, Circle North & South, Ulysses2, Conceto, Farland North, Pan European Crossing, Solas, Swansea-Bream, GTT Express, Tata TGN-Atlantic & -Western Europe, Apollo, EIG, Glo-1, TAT-14, Yellow, Celtic, FLAG Atlantic-1, FEA, Isle of Scilly Cable, UK-Channel Islands-8 and SeaMeWe-3 submarine cables providing links throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Australia, and US; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat; at least 8 large international switching centers (2018) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments |
Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 21,906,172 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 42.59 (2019 est.) | total: 26,786,963 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 40.96 (2019 est.) |
Broadcast media | multiple national TV networks with 2 of the 3 largest networks publicly operated; the largest privately owned network, Seoul Broadcasting Service (SBS), has ties with other commercial TV networks; cable and satellite TV subscription services available; publicly operated radio broadcast networks and many privately owned radio broadcasting networks, each with multiple affiliates, and independent local stations | public service broadcaster, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world; BBC operates multiple TV networks with regional and local TV service; a mixed system of public and commercial TV broadcasters along with satellite and cable systems provide access to hundreds of TV stations throughout the world; BBC operates multiple national, regional, and local radio networks with multiple transmission sites; a large number of commercial radio stations, as well as satellite radio services are available (2018) |
Transportation
South Korea | United Kingdom | |
---|---|---|
Railways | total: 3,979 km (2016) standard gauge: 3,979 km 1.435-m gauge (2,727 km electrified) (2016) | total: 16,837 km (2015) standard gauge: 16,534 km 1.435-m gauge (5,357 km electrified) (2015) broad gauge: 303 km 1.600-m gauge (in Northern Ireland) (2015) |
Roadways | total: 100,428 km (2016) paved: 92,795 km (includes 4,193 km of expressways) (2016) unpaved: 7,633 km (2016) | total: 394,428 km (2009) paved: 394,428 km (includes 3,519 km of expressways) (2009) |
Waterways | 1,600 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2011) | 3,200 km (620 km used for commerce) (2009) |
Pipelines | 3790 km gas, 16 km oil, 889 km refined products (2017) | 502 km condensate, 9 km condensate/gas, 28603 km gas, 59 km liquid petroleum gas, 5256 km oil, 175 km oil/gas/water, 4919 km refined products, 255 km water (2013) |
Ports and terminals | major seaport(s): Busan, Incheon, Gunsan, Kwangyang, Mokpo, Pohang, Ulsan, Yeosu container port(s) (TEUs): Busan (21,992,001), Incheon (3,091,955), Kwangyang (2,378,337) (2019) LNG terminal(s) (import): Incheon, Kwangyang, Pyeongtaek, Samcheok, Tongyeong, Yeosu | major seaport(s): Dover, Felixstowe, Immingham, Liverpool, London, Southampton, Teesport (England); Forth Ports (Scotland); Milford Haven (Wales) oil terminal(s): Fawley Marine terminal, Liverpool Bay terminal (England); Braefoot Bay terminal, Finnart oil terminal, Hound Point terminal (Scotland) container port(s) (TEUs): Felixstowe (3,584,000), London (2,790,000), Southampton (1,924,847) (2019) LNG terminal(s) (import): Isle of Grain, Milford Haven, Teesside |
Merchant marine | total: 1,889 by type: bulk carrier 88, container ship 84, general cargo 357, oil tanker 187, other 1,173 (2020) | total: 1,304 by type: bulk carrier 147, container ship 59, general cargo 116, oil tanker 99, other 883 (2020) |
Airports | total: 111 (2013) | total: 460 (2013) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 71 (2017) over 3,047 m: 4 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 19 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 (2017) 914 to 1,523 m: 13 (2017) under 914 m: 23 (2017) | total: 271 (2013) over 3,047 m: 7 (2013) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 29 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 89 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 80 (2013) under 914 m: 66 (2013) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 40 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2013) under 914 m: 38 (2013) | total: 189 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 26 (2013) under 914 m: 160 (2013) |
Heliports | 466 (2013) | 9 (2013) |
National air transport system | number of registered air carriers: 14 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 424 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 88,157,579 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 11,929,560,000 mt-km (2018) | number of registered air carriers: 20 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 794 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 165,388,610 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 6,198,370,000 mt-km (2018) |
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | HL | G |
Military
South Korea | United Kingdom | |
---|---|---|
Military branches | Armed Forces of the Republic of Korea: Republic of Korea Army (ROKA), Navy (ROKN, includes Marine Corps, ROKMC), Air Force (ROKAF); Military reserves include Mobilization Reserve Forces (First Combat Forces) and Homeland Defense Forces (Regional Combat Forces); Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries: Korea Coast Guard (2021) | British Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), Royal Air Force (2021) note: in 2021 the UK formed a Space Command as a joint command staffed by Army, Navy, and Air Force personnel, as well as civilians and key members of the commercial sector to manage space operations, training, and capabilities; in 2019, the UK formed the Strategic Command (formerly Joint Forces Command) to develop and manage the British military's medical services, training and education, intelligence, and information systems across the land, sea, air, space, and cyber domains; it also manages joint overseas operations |
Military service age and obligation | 18-28 years of age for compulsory military service; minimum conscript service obligation varies by service- 21 months (Army, Marines), 23 months (Navy), 24 months (Air Force); 18-26 years of age for voluntary military service; women, in service since 1950, are able to serve in all branches, including as officers (2020) note: South Korea intends to reduce the length of military service to 18 - 22 months by 2022 | slight variations by service, but generally 16-36 years of age for enlisted (with parental consent under 18) and 18-29 for officers; minimum length of service 4 years; women serve in military services including ground combat roles; conscription abolished in 1963 (2021) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2.7% of GDP (2020 est.) 2.7% of GDP (2019) 2.6% of GDP (2018) 2.6% of GDP (2017) 2.6% of GDP (2016) | 2.32% of GDP (2020 est.) 2.1% of GDP (2019) 2.11% of GDP (2018) 2.09% of GDP (2017) 2.08% of GDP (2016) |
Military and security service personnel strengths | the Republic of Korea Armed Forces have approximately 555,000 active duty personnel (420,000 Army; 70,000 Navy/Marines; 65,000 Air Force) (2020) | the British military has approximately 150,000 total active duty troops (82,000 Army; 34,000 Navy, including 7,000 marines; 33,000 Air Force) (2021) |
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the Republic of Korea Armed Forces are equipped with a mix of domestically-produced and imported weapons systems; domestic production includes armored fighting vehicles, artillery, aircraft, and naval ships; the top foreign weapons supplier is the US and some domestically-produced systems are built under US license; Germany is the second largest supplier of armaments since 2010 (2020) | the inventory of the British military is comprised of a mix of domestically-produced and imported Western weapons systems; the US is the leading supplier of armaments to the UK since 2010; the UK defense industry is capable of producing a wide variety of air, land, and sea weapons systems and is one of the world's top weapons suppliers (2020) |
Military deployments | 250 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 250 South Sudan (UNMISS); 170 United Arab Emirates; note - since 2009, the ROK has kept a naval flotilla with approximately 300 personnel in the waters off of the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula (Jan 2021) | approximately 1,000 Brunei; approximately 400 Canada (BATUS); approximately 2,200 Cyprus; 250 Cyprus (UNFICYP); 850 Estonia (NATO); approx. 1,200 Falkland Islands; est. 200 Germany (note - previously about 2,500, but the UK withdrew all but 200 troops by the end of 2020); 570 Gibraltar; approx. 1,400 Middle East (coalition against ISIS; NATO); up to 350 Kenya (BATUK); approx. 400 Mali (EUTM, MINUSMA, and Operation Barkhane); 150 Poland (NATO) (2021) |
Transnational Issues
South Korea | United Kingdom | |
---|---|---|
Disputes - international | Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km-wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents with North Korea in the Yellow Sea over the Northern Limit Line, which South Korea claims as a maritime boundary; South Korea and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by South Korea since 1954 | in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement between the UK and Spain; the Government of Gibraltar insisted on equal participation in talks between the two countries; Spain disapproved of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy; Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory); in 2001, the former inhabitants of the archipelago, evicted 1967 - 1973, were granted UK citizenship and the right of return, followed by Orders in Council in 2004 that banned rehabitation, a High Court ruling reversed the ban, a Court of Appeal refusal to hear the case, and a Law Lords' decision in 2008 denied the right of return; in addition, the UK created the world's largest marine protection area around the Chagos islands prohibiting the extraction of any natural resources therein; UK rejects sovereignty talks requested by Argentina, which still claims the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; territorial claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory) overlaps Argentine claim and partially overlaps Chilean claim; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm |
Refugees and internally displaced persons | stateless persons: 203 (2020) | refugees (country of origin): 19,744 (Iran), 13,755 (Eritrea), 10,575 (Sudan), 10,389 (Syria), 9,513 (Afghanistan), 8,164 (Pakistan), 5,522 (Sri Lanka) (2019) stateless persons: 4,662 (2020) |
Environment
South Korea | United Kingdom | |
---|---|---|
Air pollutants | particulate matter emissions: 24.57 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 620.3 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 30.28 megatons (2020 est.) | particulate matter emissions: 10.53 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 379.02 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 49.16 megatons (2020 est.) |
Total water withdrawal | municipal: 6.672 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 4.45 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 15.96 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | municipal: 6.227 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 1.01 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 1.183 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 0.01% of GDP (2018 est.) | forest revenues: 0.01% of GDP (2018 est.) |
Revenue from coal | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) |
Waste and recycling | municipal solid waste generated annually: 18,218,975 tons (2014 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 10,567,006 tons (2014 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 58% (2014 est.) | municipal solid waste generated annually: 31.567 million tons (2014 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 8,602,008 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 27.3% (2015 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook