South Koreans

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South Koreans

PRONUNCIATION: sowth kaw-REE-uns
LOCATION: Republic of Korea (South Korea)
POPULATION: 49 million
LANGUAGE: Korean
RELIGION: Mahayana Buddhism; Christianity (Protestantism and Roman Catholicism); Ch'ondogyo (combination of Christianity with native pre-Christian beliefs)

INTRODUCTION

The Republic of Korea, generally called South Korea, lies south of an artificially demarcated line that divides the Korean peninsula in two, separating South Korea from the communist Democratic People's Republic of Korea to the north. Centrally located between China, Japan, and Russia, the Korean peninsula has been subject to foreign invasions throughout recorded history. Historically it was known as "the Land of the Morning Calm" (Choson), and some of the Korean Peninsula was ruled by the Chinese for several centuries until the end of the Bronze Age (c. 200 AD), a period when China established a lasting influence on Korean culture, especially through its language and the Confucian belief system. Over the following centuries, the three Korean kingdoms that emerged after the long period of Chinese rule—Paekche, Silla, and Koguryo—were alternately unified and divided.

In 1876 the Kanghwa Treaty opened Korea to Japan and to the West. Japanese pirates had attacked the country since Medieval times, and Japan occupied it from 1910 to 1945. After World War II, the 38th parallel became the line of demarcation between the Soviet and United States occupation zones and, with some important changes, between the two Koreas that emerged after their governments were unable to reach a re-unification agreement. In the Korean War (1950-1953), South Korea, with the aid of United States and United Nations multinational forces, repulsed an attack by the north and fought to maintain its independence from communist rule.

After a long period of successive military regimes, South Korea has undergone a series of political and economic reforms in recent years. However, North Korea—now one of the world's few remaining Communist countries—remains a secretive, authoritarian and relatively closed society. The border between the two nations is still guarded around the clock by armed troops, and reunification-the subject of continuing bilateral talks over the past 50 years—remains a distant dream, and technically there is still a state of war between the North and the South.

LOCATION AND HOMELAND

South Korea is located in the southern half of the Korean peninsula in East Asia. Occupying 45% of the peninsula, which it shares with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), South Korea has an area of 38,023 sq km (98,484 sq mi). Hills and mountains cover about 80% of the country's terrain, separating its eastern and western regions. The east has a rugged coastline where the mountains meet the sea. The country's cultivated land, much of it planted with rice, is found in the south and west, where rivers flow westward to the Yellow Sea.

South Korea is one of the most densely populated countries both in Asia and in the world, with a population density of 438 persons per sq km (or 1,134 per sq mi). The nation's population estimate for July 2007 listed the population as 49,044,790, more than twice that of North Korea. In 2007, 9.8 million people—nearly a quarter of the total population—lived in Seoul, the capital and South Korea's largest city. Other major cities (with their 2007 populations) are Pusan (3.5 million people), Inchon (2.45 million), and Taegu (2.3 million). The Korean people are one of the world's most ethnically homogeneous nationalities, consisting almost exclusively of the Han, a people believed to be descended from the Mongols of Central Asia. There are no numerically significant ethnic minorities in South Korea.

LANGUAGE

Korean is generally thought to belong to the Altaic language family, along with Turkish, Mongolian, Japanese, and other languages. China's far-reaching influence on Korean culture, especially in the form of Confucianism, is reflected in the large number of Chinese words found in the Korean language. Until the 15th century, Korean was written using Chinese characters. Then, in 1446, a mostly phonetic Korean alphabet, called Han'gul, was developed and it has been used ever since.

How are you?	anahasiyo?
Hello	yoboseyo
Goodbye	aniyong ikeseyo
Yes	ye
No	anio
Thank you	kamsa kamnida

NUMBERS:
one	il
two	ee
three	sam
four	sa
five	o
six	yuk
seven	chill
eight	pal
nine	ku
ten	sip
100	paek
1000	chon

FOLKLORE

Korean folklore celebrates human longevity and the survival of the Korean people. A number of folktales involve either animals or heavenly beings who either become human or long to do so, and many have similar plots to those of early northern China. Others celebrate the figure of the wise hermit living a simple, secluded existence on a mountain top. Koreans have traditionally used special drawings called pujok as talismans in and around their houses to bring them luck and ward off evil. These talismans are usually printed in red, a color believed to have special beneficial properties and often seen in shamanistic rituals.

RELIGION

There is a great deal of diversity in South Korean religious life. Koreans have traditionally combined elements from different belief systems, such as Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. Today, about 25 million people are thought to be Christian, and most of these are members of the approximately 160 different Protestant denominations, with about 4.3 million being Roman Catholics. Some 24.5 million of the population are Mahayana Buddhist, approximately 1.5 million are Confucian, and there are also about 500,000 who follow Shamanist pre-Christian beliefs, or belong to newer religions that combine Christianity with native pre-Christian beliefs. The most widespread is Ch'ondogyo ("the Heavenly Way"), founded in 1860.

MAJOR HOLIDAYS

Holidays in South Korea are celebrated either by the date on the modern solar calendar, or, in some cases, according to the lunar calendar that Koreans used for thousands of years in the past to reckon time. The New Year is one of South Korea's most important holidays, with bells usually ringing out at midnight. For the lunar New Year (Sol), which is either in late January or early February, there are three days set aside for family celebrations that include honoring parents and grandparents, shooting off firecrackers to frighten away evil spirits, and eating holiday foods.

The birthday of the Buddha (the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, usually early in May) is an important holiday for Korean Buddhists, who hang lanterns in the courtyards of Buddhist temples throughout the country. These lanterns are then carried through the streets in nighttime processions. Tano, held during the fifth month of the lunar calendar (around the beginning of June) is a major holiday in rural areas, where it is the traditional time to pray for a good harvest. It is celebrated with a variety of vigorous games and competitions, including wrestling matches for men and swinging contests for women (the holiday is also called Swing Day).

Other national holidays include Independence Movement Day (March 1), Arbor Day (April 5), Children's Day (May 5), Memorial Day (June 6), Constitution Day (July 17), Liberation Day (August 15), National Foundation Day (October 3), and Christmas (December 25). Mention should also be made of important festivals such as that of Snow, in January, and Cherry Blossoms in April.

RITES OF PASSAGE

The harvest festival of Chusok in early September, often called the Korean Thanksgiving, is a legal holiday, although it, too, is based on the lunar calendar. Time-honored Chusok customs include exchanging gifts and staying up all night to watch the full moon. Another important holiday is Hansik, a special day for honoring ancestors, which is observed early in April (the 105th day of the lunar year). People carry food and wine to the graves of deceased relatives and picnic at the gravesite, during which time they ensure that it is well-tended.

Traditionally, Korean marriages were arranged, especially among the elite. Today, however, the popularity of arranged marriages, particularly in urban areas, has declined considerably, although many Koreans still follow the practice in a modified form: parents and other relatives locate prospective marriage partners, but the young people have the final say in approving their choices. Among the urban upper classes, the services of highly paid semiprofessional matchmakers are also becoming increasingly popular.

Ancestor worship plays a prominent role in Korean folk belief, which regards death as a rite of passage to a new state rather than a termination. Christian, Buddhist, and Confucian concepts also affect Korean attitudes toward death.

INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS

Respect for parents and for elders in general is a central value for Koreans, and much of this and related tradition comes from Confucian values. There are detailed and elaborate rules governing one's speech and actions in the presence of older persons (although these rules are less rigidly observed than in the past). Even when not in the presence of their elders, Koreans are generally very courteous and emotionally reserved. Proper etiquette forbids strong displays of happiness, distress, or anger. When at home, Koreans have traditionally sat on the floor, although today chairs are becoming increasingly common. The most formal and polite posture when seated on the floor is to kneel with one's back kept straight and one's weight on the balls of both feet.

LIVING CONDITIONS

The traditional Korean house was made of wood or clay with a thatched roof (later replaced by tile or slate). Today, most South Koreans in urban areas live in high-rise, multi-story dwellings, and most homes are built of concrete. Houses are generally built low, with small rooms. In order to keep out the cold, there are few doors and windows. The Koreans have a unique traditional heating system called ondal that is still found even in many of the most modern homes. Heat is carried through pipes installed beneath the floors, a system geared toward the traditional Korean custom of sitting and sleeping on mats or cushions placed on the floor.

Health care in Korea has improved substantially since the 1950s. Average life expectancy has risen from 53 to 77.4 years (2008). However, the infant mortality rate is still relatively high, and many doctors tend to emigrate after completing their training. Traditional causes of death, such as tuberculosis and pneumonia, have been replaced by conditions more typical of industrialized societies, such as cancer, heart disease, and stroke.

South Korea's transportation system has been continually modernized and expanded. Roads and highways, especially in the area of Seoul, underwent major improvements in the 1980s in anticipation of the 1988 summer Olympics. The country has an excellent rail network, and Seoul has a modern subway system which is gradually replacing buses as the major means of transport in the city and its environs. There are bus lines between all major cities, and bicycles are also a popular means of transport. Korean Airlines flies between the country's major cities and foreign destinations including Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, and the United States.

FAMILY LIFE

The typical South Korean household consists of a nuclear family with two children. Although young children are nurtured and indulged, respect for one's parents—and one's elders, generally—is a central value in Korean life, and fathers in particular exercise a great degree of authority over their sons. Although divorce was not tolerated in the past, today it has become quite common and no longer carries the stigma it once did.

CLOTHING

The majority of South Koreans wear modern Western-style clothing most of the time. During the country's very cold winters, warm clothing is a must, and most Koreans begin wearing long underwear early in the fall. Traditional garb (called hanbok) is still worn on a daily basis by some rural dwellers, and by all Koreans on special occasions such as weddings and holidays. For women, this type of clothing includes a long, full skirt called a chima and a short jacket (chogori) with a wide bow at the side (the entire outfit is also called chimachogori). The men's outfit is white and includes pants (baji) and a long coat or jacket (turumagi) worn over a sleeveless vest and adorned in front by a wide bow like that on the women's costume. In past times, the most distinctive item of male clothing was the kat, a high black horsehair hat with a wide brim and a chin strap. Today seen only occasionally on elderly men, it was once standard headgear for married men, who wore their hair in a braided topknot underneath it.

FOOD

The Korean national dish is kimchi, a spicy, fermented pickled vegetable mixture whose primary ingredient is cabbage. A dietary staple, it is prepared in large quantities in the fall by families throughout Korea and left to ferment for several weeks in large earthenware jars buried in the ground. A typical Korean meal includes soup, rice served with grains or beans, and kimchi served as a side dish. (A recipe for kimchi follows.) Other common dishes include bulgogi (strips of marinated beef), kalbi (marinated beef short ribs), and sinsollo (a meal of meat, fish, vegetables, eggs, nuts, and bean curd cooked together in broth). Koreans eat with chopsticks and a spoon, often at small, collapsible tables that can be moved to any room of the house.

Kimchi
*Note: Kimchi needs to be prepared at least two days ahead of time so it can ferment and develop its full flavor
1 cup coarsely chopped cabbage
1 cup finely sliced carrots
1 cup cauliflower florets, separated
2 tablespoons salt
2 green onions, finely sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon garlic granules
¼ tablespoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger or ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Place cabbage, carrots, and cauliflower in colander and sprinkle with salt. Toss vegetables and set in sink for about one hour. Rinse with cold running water, drain well, and place in a medium-sized bowl. Add onions, garlic, red pepper, and ginger and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least two days, stirring frequently. Yields about four cups.

EDUCATION

The Koreans' Confucian heritage has provided them with a great reverence for education, and literacy rates are some of the highest in the world: 97% for women and 99.3% for men. Education is free and compulsory in the primary grades between the ages of 6 and 12, and the great majority of students go on to six more years of middle school and high school. Discipline is strict, and children attend school five-and-a-half days per week. South Korea has over 200 institutions of higher education, including both two- and four-year colleges and universities. Ewha University is one of the world's largest women's universities. The leading public university in South Korea is Seoul National University.

CULTURAL HERITAGE

Chinese art, Confucianism, and Buddhism have all had a major influence on the arts in Korea. Some 80,000 art objects are collected in the National Museum and outstanding examples of Korean architecture can be seen in historic palaces and Buddhist temples and pagodas. The National Classic Music Institute trains its graduates in traditional Korean music and Korean folk painting (min'hwa) is still practiced. Western art forms have been very influential in South Korea. The Korean National Symphony Orchestra and the Seoul Symphony Orchestra perform in Seoul and Pusan. Western-style drama, dance, and motion pictures have also become very popular among South Koreans.

WORK

In 2005 some 6% of South Korea's labor force was employed in agriculture, forestry, and fishing and 27% in manufacturing, with the service sector employing 67% of the people. Unem-ployment was 3.7%. South Korea has been subject to continued labor unrest in recent years as living costs have outpaced wages, especially for manual laborers. Workers have struck for higher wages, shorter working hours, and improved safety conditions on the job. Working hours in South Korea are among the longest in the world, averaging nearly 55 per week.

SPORTS

Koreans enjoy a variety of internationally popular sports, including baseball, volleyball, soccer, basketball, tennis, skating, golf, skiing, boxing, and swimming. Baseball is especially popular, and South Korea has a professional baseball league, whose games are broadcast on television, as are competitions at the college and high school levels. The best-known traditional Korean sport is the martial art of taekwondo, taught by Koreans to people throughout the world as a popular form of self-defense. The 1988 summer Olympic Games were held in Seoul, and South Korea was the co-host of the 2002 F.I.F.A. Football World Cup.

ENTERTAINMENT AND RECREATION

Both traditional Korean forms of recreation and modern Western pastimes are enjoyed in South Korea. Age-old games and ceremonial dances are still performed at festivals and other special occasions. These include mask dances (Kanggangsuwollae), the Chajon Nori ("juggernaut") game, in which participants ride in wooden vehicles, and mass tug-of-war games involving as many as a hundred people.

Among more modern forms of entertainment, television is enjoyed throughout the country. Soap operas and detective programs are among the most popular types of programming. Outside the home, South Koreans enjoy gathering in the country's numerous coffeehouses (called tabang or tashil) and bars. Koreans enjoy Western classical music, and their country has produced many fine performers. They are especially fond of singing and it is common for Koreans to sing for each other at dinners and other social occasions. In addition to instrumental music, ballet and opera are also popular and South Korea's motion picture industry releases dozens of new movies every year.

FOLK ART, CRAFTS, AND HOBBIES

Fine Korean furniture, including wood and brass chests and lacquered items with mother-of-pearl inlay, is valued by collectors worldwide. Korean craftspeople are also known for their celadon ceramics, a term that refers to a type of greenish glaze that originated in China.

SOCIAL PROBLEMS

Most South Korean families face the common economic concerns of low wages, long working hours, and high rates of inflation. Few can afford to own their own homes. Korea's land has been eroded by poor farming practices and by deforestation during the country's occupation by Japan in the first half of the 20th century. In recent years, regional tension between Cholla and Kyongsang provinces has been a cause for concern.

In the 1980s, growing numbers of Koreans began to use the illegal substance crystalline methamphetamine, known as hiroppon in Korea and "speed" in the United States. By the end of the decade there were thought to be as many as 300,000 using the drug, including many ordinary working people attempting to cope with high-pressure jobs and long work hours. Asian gangs were also engaged in shipping hiroppon manufactured in South Korea to other countries, including Taiwan, Japan, and the United States.

GENDER ISSUES

The role of women in South Korean society has changed dramatically although much of South Korea is still very conservative. Women are not expected to smoke in public or in many areas drink alcohol in public. Many more women are in the work force than ever before—women make up some 34% of the total workforce—with women being found in all sectors, including the armed forces. There are some businesses run by women, although this remains rare, and there are some prominent women members of the National Assembly.