South Korea - Government
Based on the etymolgy of South Korea, it was 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.). The Government system in this country is the presidential republic type and the different Administrative divisions includes:

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: Chungcheongbuk-do (North Chungcheong), Chungcheongnam-do (South Chungcheong), Gangwon-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do (North Gyeongsang), Gyeonggi-do, Gyeongsangnam-do (South Gyeongsang), Jeju-do (Jeju), Jeollabuk-do (North Jeolla), Jeollanam-do (South Jeolla)

metropolitan cities: Busan (Pusan), Daegu (Taegu), Daejeon (Taejon), Gwangju (Kwangju), Incheon (Inch'on), Ulsan

special city: Seoul

special self-governing city: Sejong

National symbols

Taegeuk (yin yang symbol), Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon), Siberian tiger; national colors: red, white, blue, black.

The flag
The National flag of South Korea has 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.
The National Anthem
Title "Aegukga" (Patriotic Song)
Lyric/music YUN Ch'i-Ho or AN Ch'ang-Ho/AHN Eaktay
More about the government of South Korea
Date of Independence 15 August 1945 (from Japan)
National holiday Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)
Legal system mixed legal system combining European civil law, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought
International law organization participation has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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
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
Executive Branch
Chief of state President YOON Suk Yeol (since 10 May 2022)
Head of government President YOON Suk Yeol (since 10 May 2022)
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 March 2022 (next to be held in March 2027); prime minister appointed by president with consent of the National Assembly
Election results
2022: YOON Suk-yeol elected president; YOON Suk-yeol (PPP) 48.6%, LEE Jae-myung (DP) 47.8%; other 3.6%

2017: MOON Jae-in elected president; MOON Jae-in (DP) 41.1%, HONG Joon-pyo (Liberty Korea Party) 24%, AHN Cheol-soo (PP) 21.4%, YOO Seung-min (Bareun Party) 6.8%, SIM Sang-jung (Justice Party) 6.2%
Legislative branch
Description Unicameral National Assembly or Gukhoe (300 seats; 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 10 April 2024 (next to be held in April 2028)
Election results Percent of vote by party/coalition (constituency) - Democratic Alliance 52.3%, PPP 45.7%, others 2%; percent of vote by party/coalition (proportional) - PPP 36.7%, Democratic Alliance 26.7%, Rebuilding Korea Party 24.3%, New Reform Party 3.6%, New Future Party 1.7%, others 7%; seats by party - Democratic Alliance 176 (DPK 169), PPP 108, Rebuilding Korea Party 12, New Reform Party 3, New Future Party 1; composition - men 240, women 60, percentage women 20%
Judicial branch
Highest court(s) 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
Diplomatic representation in the US
Chief of mission Ambassador CHO Hyundong (since 19 April 2023)
Chancery 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Telephone [1] (202) 939-5600
FAX [1] (202) 797-0595
Email address and website
[email protected]

https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/us-en/index.do
Consulate(s) general Anchorage (AK), Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Hagatna (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Philadelphia
Diplomatic representation from the US
Chief of mission Ambassador Philip S. GOLDBERG (since 29 July 2022)
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
[email protected]

https://kr.usembassy.gov/
Consulate(s) Busan
National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites 16 (14 cultural, 2 natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes (n); Changdeokgung Palace Complex (c); Jongmyo Shrine (c); Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple (c); Gochang, Hwasun, and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites (c); Gyeongju Historic Areas (c); Namhansanseong (c); Baekje Historic Areas (c); Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea (c); Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty (c)
Key Political parties and their leaders in South Korea
    • International organization participation
  • ADB
  • AfDB (nonregional member)
  • APEC
  • Arctic Council (observer)
  • ARF
  • ASEAN (dialogue partner)
  • Australia Group
  • BIS
  • CABEI
  • 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
  • UNHRC
  • UNIDO
  • UNIFIL
  • UNISFA
  • UNMIL
  • UNMISS
  • UNMOGIP
  • UNOCI
  • UNOOSA
  • UNWTO
  • UPU
  • Wassenaar Arrangement
  • WCO
  • WHO
  • WIPO
  • WMO
  • WTO
  • ZC
    • All Important Facts about South Korea

    Want to know more about South Korea? Check all different factbooks for South Korea below.

    South Korea is found in Eastern Asia