Portal:South Korea
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대한민국 포털
The South Korea Portal
Selected article -
The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict fought on the Korean Peninsula between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was supported by China and the Soviet Union, while South Korea was supported by the United Nations led by the United States under the auspices of the United Nations Command (UNC).
After the end of World War II in 1945, Korea, which had been a Japanese colony for 35 years, was divided by the Soviet Union and the United States into two occupation zones at the 38th parallel, with plans for a future independent state. The zones formed their own governments in 1948 due to political disagreements. North Korea was led by Kim Il Sung in Pyongyang, and South Korea by Syngman Rhee in Seoul; both claimed to be the sole legitimate government of all of Korea.
Both sides engaged in extensive border clashes while Rhee's government suppressed communist uprisings at Jeju and Yeosu-Suncheon. On 25 June 1950, North Korea launched an invasion of South Korea. In the absence of the Soviet Union's representative, the UN Security Council denounced the invasion, calling on member states to help repel the invasion. UN forces under the unified command comprised 21 countries, with the US providing around 90% of military personnel. On 27 June 1950 President Harry S. Truman ordered US air and sea forces to aid South Korea. (Full article...)
Selected image
South Korea is located in East Asia, on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula jutting out from the far east of the Asian land mass. The only country with a land border to South Korea is North Korea, lying to the north with 238 kilometres (148 mi) of border running along the Korean Demilitarized Zone. South Korea is mostly surrounded by water and has 2,413 kilometres (1,499 mi) of coast line along three seas; to the west is the Yellow Sea, to the south is the East China Sea, and to the east is the East Sea. Geographically, South Korea's land mass is approximately 100,032 square kilometres (38,623 mi2). 290 square kilometres (110 mi2) of South Korea are occupied by water. The approximate coordinates are 37° North, 127° 30 East. Notable islands include Jeju Island (Jejudo), Ulleung Island (Ulleungdo), and Liancourt Rocks (Dokdo).
More did you know -
- ...that in 1999, Song Il-gon became the first Korean filmmaker to win an award at the Cannes Film Festival?
- ...that with little prior experience, South Korean actress Kim Ok-bin was given a leading role in her first film, Voice, and was nominated for "Best New Actress" at the Blue Dragon Film Awards?
- ... that Korean writer Park Kyung-ni spent 25 years writing the 16-volume epic novel Land, which has been included in the UNESCO Collection of Representative Works?
In the news
- 13 October 2026 –
- Eight people are injured in a mass stabbing at a supermarket in Incheon, South Korea. A suspect is arrested. (BBC News) (CNA)
- 8 October 2026 – South Korea–Ukraine relations, North Korean involvement in the Russo-Ukrainian war
- South Korea recalls its ambassador to Ukraine after accusing Ukraine of breaching a non-disclosure agreement by disclosing the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea. (AFP via The Straits Times)
- 29 September 2026 – North Korea–South Korea relations
- Korean conflict
- South Korean defense minister Kang Shin-chul says that land mines planted by North Korea likely caused two explosions last week that injured three South Korean soldiers in the Demilitarized Zone south of the military demarcation line, potentially violating the armistice. (AFP via RFI)
- 29 September 2026 – 2026 Asian Games
- Badminton at the 2026 Asian Games, South Korea at the 2026 Asian Games
- In badminton, South Korea's An Se-young wins the women's singles gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games, becoming the first woman to win two singles titles and the first to defend the title, defeating Japan's Akane Yamaguchi 21–17, 21–9. (AFP via RFI)
Good article -
The ABU Radio Song Festival 2012 was the first edition of the biennial ABU Radio Song Festivals, organised by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU). The festival took place in the KBS Hall, which is located in the South Korean capital of Seoul and coincided with the 49th general assembly of the ABU. The ABU Radio Song Festival attracted twenty-six original entries representing eighteen radio broadcasters from fifteen countries, which competed in a preliminary jury round. The juries selected thirteen entries from twelve radio broadcasters in ten countries to qualify for the final show which was held on 11 October 2012. Fifteen entries were originally selected to participate in the grand final. However, Fiji and Sri Lanka withdrew from the radio competition prior to the final show, and thus only thirteen entries participated in the competition on 11 October 2012.
South Korea won the Grand Prix award with the song "For a Rest" performed by boy band Billy Acoustie. Danielle Blakey representing Australia won the gold award with the song "Fearless", Brunei received the silver award with the song "Yang Terindah (So Beautiful)" performed by Maria Aires, with Sammy Ray Jones also representing Australia receiving the bronze award with his song "Rinet". K-Town Clan representing Malaysia received the special jury award with their song "Party Animal". The next edition was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (Full article...)
General images -
Samsung Galaxy Tab (from Culture of South Korea)
Yoon takes the presidential oath of office outside the National Assembly, 10 May 2022. (from History of South Korea)
Inauguration of the 21st President of South Korea Lee Jae-myung. (from History of South Korea)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in shaking hands inside the Peace House on 27 April 2018 (from History of South Korea)
Lee Myung-bak, President of South Korea from 2008 to 2013 (from History of South Korea)
President Park Geun-hye with chaebol business magnates Lee Kun-hee and Chung Mong-koo, May 2013 (from History of South Korea)
Sinchon movie theatre (from Culture of South Korea)
An Internet cafe in Seoul (from Culture of South Korea)
South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan with U.S. President Ronald Reagan in Seoul, November 1983 (from History of South Korea)
Korean newspapers (from Culture of South Korea)
President Park Chung Hee, who ruled South Korea from 1961 to 1979 (from History of South Korea)
A card portrait of Park Chung Hee during a military parade on Armed Forces Day, 1 October 1973 (from History of South Korea)
President Kim Dae-jung, the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize recipient for advancing democracy and human rights in South Korea and East Asia and for reconciliation with North Korea, was sometimes called the "Nelson Mandela of Asia." (from History of South Korea)
Burial grounds of the victims of the Gwangju Uprising at Mangwol-dong cemetery (from History of South Korea)
Fireworks during the closing ceremonies of the 1988 Summer Olympics (from History of South Korea)
Syngman Rhee, the 1st President of South Korea (from History of South Korea)
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Did you know (auto-generated)
- ... that the dish gogi-guksu, from South Korea's Jeju Island, developed in part because of the Japanese colonial period?
- ... that a South Korean actor sold his belongings and went $7 million into debt to keep his amusement park running?
- ... that Hometown Village is a community of Sakhalin Koreans who were finally allowed to return to South Korea after the dissolution of the Soviet Union?
- ... that Canadian veterinarian Frank Schofield was described as "an eternal Korean" by a South Korean prime minister?
- ... that women in a South Korean province offer baekseolgi and fresh water to a star god believed to bring prosperity to the family?
- ... that a 4th-century set of Roman glassware was highly valued by Silla royalty in Korea, and is considered a National Treasure?
WikiProjects
See WikiProject Korea for collaborating on South Korea topics, and more broadly, on all things Korea-related.
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East Asia
Associated Wikimedia
The following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject:
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Wiktionary
Dictionary and thesaurus
Web resources
- The official website of the Republic of Korea (Korea.net)
- The Official Korea Tourism Guide Site
- Korea National Statistical Office
- Video on South Korea-US Relations from the Dean Peter Krogh Foreign Affairs Digital Archives
- "South Korea". The World Factbook (2025 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency.
- A Country Study: South Korea in the Library of Congress
- South Korea from UCB Libraries GovPubs
- Korea OECD
- South Korea profile from the BBC News
- South Korea Encyclopædia Britannica entry
- The War Memorial of Korea
- Key Development Forecasts for South Korea from International Futures
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