Country Profile
South Korea,officially the Republic of Korea is a Sovereign State in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. It is described in a 1948 U.N. resolution as the only lawful government in Korea. The name "Korea" is derived from Goryeo, a Dynasty which Ruled in the Middle Ages.
South Korea is divided into 16 administrative divisions.
Capital Seoul
Currency South Korean Won
Official Language Korean
Population 50 Million(2011 Estimate)
Religion 30%Christians;23%Buddhists and 47% has No Religious Preference
History
After the First Sino-Japanese War(Aug 1894 To April 1895) and the Russo-Japanese War(Feb 1904 To Sep 1905), Korea was occupied by Japan(1910–1945).
At the end of World War II, the Japanese surrendered to Soviet and U.S. forces who occupied the northern and southern halves of Korea, respectively.
Despite the initial plan of a unified Korea in the 1943 Cairo Declaration escalating Cold War antagonism between the Soviet Union and the United States eventually led to the establishment of separate governments, each with its own ideology, leading to Korea's division into two political entities in 1948:North Korea and South Korea.
On June 25, 1950,North Korea invaded South Korea, sparking the Korean War(June 1950 To July 1953), the Cold War's(a continuing state of political and military tension between US and its NATO Allies and Soviet Union and its Allies) first major conflict. At the time, the Soviet Union had boycotted the UN, thus forfeiting their veto rights. This allowed the UN to intervene in a civil war when it became apparent that the superior North Korean forces would unify the entire country. The Soviet Union and China backed North Korea, with the later participation of millions of Chinese Troops. After huge advances on both sides, and massive losses among Korean civilians in both the north and the south, the war eventually reached a stalemate.At least 2.5 million people died during the Korean War.
In 1960, a Student Uprising(the "4.19 Revolution") led to the resignation of the autocratic President Syngman Rhee. A period of political instability followed, broken by General Park Chung-hee's Military Coup (the "5.16 coup d'état") against the weak and ineffectual government the next year. Park took over as president until his assassination in 1979
After Park's assassination were marked again by political turmoil.In 1979 there was Coup d'etat of December Twelfth by General Chun Doo-hwan. After the Coup d'état, Chun Doo-hwan planned to rise to power with several measures. On May 17, Chun Doo-hwan forced the Cabinet to expand martial law to the whole nation which closed universities, banned political activities and further curtailed the press.
Chun Doo-hwan assumed the Presidency by the event of May 17, triggering Nationwide protests demanding Democracy.
General Park Chung-hee and his government held Korea under a Despotic Rule until 1987, when a Seoul National University student, Park Jong-chul, was tortured to death which ignited huge demonstrations around the country. Eventually, Chun's, the Democratic Justice Party and its leader Roh Tae-Woo announced the 6.29 Declaration, which included the direct election of the president.
Roh Tae-Woo(Democratic Justice Party) who got 36.6% of the Votes went on to win the Presidential Election held on Dec 16,1987 ( the first free direct presidential election held in South Korea, as well as the first relatively free national election of any sort since the 1960 Parliamentary Election)by a narrow margin against the two main opposition leaders -
Kim Dae-Jung(Unification Democratic Party) who got 27.5% of the Votes and
Kim Young-Sam(Peaceful Democratic Party)who got 27% of the Votes
Government
President of the Republic of South Korea
South Korea is a Semi-Presidential Democratic Republic where the President is the Head of State and of a Multi-Party System.The President is elected by direct popular vote for a single 5-year term.The president appoints the Prime Ministerr with approval of the National Assembly,as well as appointing and presiding over the State Council of Chief Ministers as the Head of Government.
Lee Myung-Bak is the Current President of the Republic of South Korea in office from Feb 25,2008.
Prime Minister of the Republic of South Korea
The PM is appointed by the President with the approval of the National Assembly,who is not required to be a Member of the National Assembly.
National Assembly of the Republic of Korea
The National Assembly is a 300 Member Unicameral Legislature of which 246 Members are elected from Single Member Constituencies and the remaining 54 Members are elected by Proportional Representation for a 4Year Term
2007 Presidential Election of the Republic of South Korea
The 17th South Korean Presidential Election took place on Dec 19,2007 and the election was won by Lee Myung-bak(Grand National Party) securing 49% of the Votes of the (returning Conservatives to the Blue House for the first time in ten years)defeating -
Chung Dong-young(United New Democratic Party)who got only 26% of the Votes and
Lee Hoi-chang,Independent Candidate who got only 15% of the Votes.
2012 Legislative Elections in South Korea -April 11,2012
A Legislative election was held on April 11,2012 for directly contested 246 Seats of National Assembly and 54 proportional representation seats on the basis of total votes.
South Korean Ruling Party Wins Election
Park Geun -hye,Leader of Saenuri Party
The election was won by Conservative Alliance lead by Saenuri Party which got 127 Seats(directly contested) Securing 43.4 % Votes and 25 Block Seats on Proportional Representation defeating
Hang Myeong -sook Leader of Democratic United Party
Progressive Alliance lead by Democratic United Party which got 106 Seats(directly contested) Securing 39.1% Votes and 21 Block Seats on Proportional Representation.
2012 South Korean Presidential Election - Dec 19,2012
The 18th South Korean presidential election was held on Dec 19, 2012. It was the sixth presidential election since democratization and the establishment of the Sixth Republic, and was held under a first-past-the -post system, in which there was a single round of voting and the candidate receiving the highest number of votes was elected
Under the South Korean constitution, presidents are restricted to a single five-year term in office.
The term of incumbent president Lee Myung-bak's (Grand National Party)term will end in 24 February 2013 (after he was elected President in the 2007 Presidential Elections defeating Park Geun-hye and assumed office in February 2008)
At the end of 2011, Park Geun-hye assumed control of the Grand National Party, which was subsequently renamed the Saenuri or New Frontier Party in February 2012 .Opposition to Saenuri is divided primarily between the Democratic United Party and Independent supporters of Ahn Cheol-soo, who has emerged as a leading potential candidate despite his ostensible silence on the race.
Candidates of 2012 Presidential Election
1) Park Geun-hye of Saenuri or New Frontier Party
2) Moon Jae-in of Democratic United Party
Results of the 2012 Presidential Election
30.7 million people voted with turnout at 75.8% and Park Geun-hye of the Saenuri Party was elected the first Female South Korean President with 51.6% of the vote as opposed to 48.0% for her opponent Moon Jae-in of the Democratic United Party.
Park Geun hye's share of the vote was the highest won by any candidate since the beginning of free and fair direct elections in 1987.
South Korea's president-elect Park Geun-hye burns incense as she visits the grave of her father Park Chung-hee, the country's former dictator, at the National Cemetery in Seoul, South Korea. Ms. Park has been elected the country's first female president, a landmark win that could mean a new drive to start talks with rival North Korea.
Park Geun Hye Inaugurated as President of South Korea - Monday Feb 25,2013
Park Geun Hye(DOB February 2, 1952)took office on Monday as South Korea’s first female President of South Korea
Park Geun Hye(61)is no stranger to Seoul’s Blue House, as the presidential residence is called. She served as first lady to her father, military dictator Park Chung Hee, from the age of 22 and in 1979 Park Chung Hee was assassinated and park Geun Hye dropped from view for years before returning to politics
Park Geun Hye after entering the National Assembly in 1998, she built a solid base for herself in the ruling Saenuri Party, or New Frontier Party
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