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South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK) and often referred to as Korea (Korean: 대한민국, IPA: [tɛː.han.min.ɡuk̚], Hanja: 大韓民國), listen (help·info)) is a presidential republic in East Asia, occupying the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. Also known as the "Land of the Morning Calm", it is neighbored by China to the west, Japan to the east and shares a border with North Korea to the north. Its capital is Seoul, a major global city and a leading international financial centre in Asia, being the second largest metropolitan city in the world.^[2]

Korea is one of the oldest civilizations in the world,^[3] first inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic.^[4] Following the unification of the Three Korean Kingdoms under Silla in 668 AD, Korea went through the Goryeo and Joseon Dynasty as one nation until the end of the Korean Empire in 1910. After liberation and division, South Korea was established in 1948 and has since become one of the two most advanced democracies in Asia. Following the Korean War, the South Korean economy grew significantly, transforming the country into an industrial powerhouse^[5] and an influential military power^[6] in the world. South Korea has an international outlook with memberships in the United Nations, WTO, OECD and G-20 major economies. It is also a founding member of APEC and the East Asia Summit, being a visa waiver and major non-NATO ally of the United States. South Korea is now working towards a peaceful reunification with North Korea.

South Korea is a major economic power^[7] and one of the wealthiest countries in Asia. It is a developed country^[8] with a high standard of living, having a trillion dollar economy that is the fourth largest in Asia and 13th largest in the world. South Korea is one of the world's top ten exporters and a highly industrialized country that is classified as a High-income economy by the World Bank and an Advanced economy by the IMF and CIA. The Asian Tiger is leading the Next Eleven nations and is one of the world's fastest growing developed economies.^[9] South Korea has a high-tech and futuristic infrastructure,^[10] and is a world leader in technologically advanced goods such as electronics, automobiles, ships, machinery, petrochemicals and robotics, headed by Samsung, LG and Hyundai-Kia. It has the world's highest scientific literacy^[11] and second highest mathematical literacy.^[12] South Korea is rapidly becoming a multicultural society^[13] and is a trend setting country in Asia, exerting strong cultural influence in the continent in a phenomenon known as the Korean wave.