How many people are there in South Korea? Population of South Korea (2019). Urban and rural population
South Korea is the name of the Republic of Korea, adopted in the media to avoid confusion when mentioning the neighboring state. Previously, this country was one with North Korea. Therefore, the peoples living there today have common roots. The population of South Korea for 2019 is 51,294,272 people(current as of March 28, 2019).
History of the South Korean ethnic group
Koreans have been considered the indigenous inhabitants of the Republic of Korea since ancient times. In the 19th century, the Chinese also immigrated to these territories. Today, immigrants from neighboring countries live and work in South Korea. Taiwanese, Chinese and even a small number of Japanese have lived there for a long time.
The main religions of the country are the following beliefs:
- Buddhism;
- Confucianism;
- Shamanism;
- Christianity;
- Taoism;
- Belief in ancestors.
The official language of the country is Korean. There are many dialects of the official language on the territory of the state.
Population of South Korea in numbers
The South Korean population is more than 51.2 million people. The ratio of men and women is approximately equal. The birth rate is twice as high as the death rate. For example, more than 400 thousand people are born in South Korea every year.
« In the Middle Ages, Korean women gave birth to 7-10 babies. Only 2-3 children survived to adulthood. And the total life expectancy did not exceed 30 years at that time. Therefore, with a high birth rate, Korea has had problems with demography for a long time».
The total area of the Republic of Korea is 99,720 square kilometers. The population density is 510 people per square meter. These indicators directly indicate the overpopulation of the country.
The pension burden ratio in South Korea reaches 15%. The indicator is quite low, because the working population in Korea is much larger than those who are retired.
The average life expectancy in the country is 79 years. Men live up to 75 years, and women live 7 years longer on average. Compared to previous centuries, such figures indicate the development of medicine and concern for the ecology of the republic. In addition, these indicators are close to European standards.
South Korea is a rather closed country for foreigners. That is why its centuries-old traditions can be found unchanged. The South Korean population is growing due to the birth rate, but also due to moderate immigration. The government of the country is not interested in a large increase in population, because there is already overpopulation in South Korea.
The official name is the Republic of Korea (ROK). It occupies the part of the Korean Peninsula south of the 38th parallel. Area 99.2 thousand km2, or 45% of the entire territory of Korea. Population: 47.340 million people. (2001). The official language is Korean. The capital is Seoul (10.3 million people, 2000). Public holiday - Liberation Day on August 15. On this day in 1945, Korea was liberated from 35 years of Japanese colonial rule. This day also marks the anniversary of the creation of the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, formed in 1948. Other important public holidays are Sol, or Lunar New Year (the first day of the first month according to the lunar calendar), Independence Movement Day (March 1), Buddha's Birthday (the eighth day fourth month according to the lunar calendar), Remembrance Day (those who died in wars, celebrated on July 6), Constitution Day (adopted in 1948, celebrated on July 17), Chuseok (the day of remembrance of ancestors, celebrated on the fifteenth day of the eighth month according to the lunar calendar), Education Day state (celebrates the formation of the first Korean state in 2333 BC, celebrated on October 1), Christmas (celebrated on December 25). The monetary unit is the won.
Member of the UN (since 1991) and its specialized organizations, OECD (since 1996), WTO (since 1995), APEC (since 1989), etc.
Sights of South Korea
Geography of South Korea
It is located between 124°11'00'' and 131°52'42'' east longitude and 33°06'40'' and 43°00'39'' north latitude. In the north, Korea borders with the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation. The western coast of Korea is washed by the Yellow Sea, the eastern coast by the Sea of Japan. The depth of the seas does not exceed 100 m, so the bottom forms a shallow continental shelf. Shallow seas are favorable for fishing. On the shallow shelf since the 1990s. Geological survey work is underway to search for mineral resources. The weak and warm Kuroshio Current, coming from the Philippines, bifurcates at the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula. One current goes to the Yellow Sea along the western coast of Korea, the other to the Sea of Japan. These currents do not have a significant effect on winter temperatures. The strong East Korean Current (Donghan Current) runs along the east coast in a northerly direction and has a high temperature gradient compared to neighboring waters. The main part of the east coast experiences higher winter temperatures than the west due to the influence of the monsoon and warm currents.
The east coast has a relatively flat coastline. The largest bays located here are Yongkhyn and Yenil. A network of lagoons, including the most famous Gyeongpo and Hwangjinpo, create favorable conditions for tourism. The west coast has an indented coastline, characterized by an abundance of tidal flats and a wide range of high and low tides (6-9.3 m). The largest island, Jeju Island, with an area of 1,777 km2, is located off the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula.
Most (70%) of Korea's territory is occupied by hills and mountains. The Nangnim mountain ranges in the North and Taebaek in the South stretch in a north-south direction and serve as a watershed between the western and eastern slopes. Smaller mountain ranges run parallel to each other from northeast to southwest. In the area of the Cam Plateau, at an altitude of 1500 m above sea level, the highest peak on the Korean Peninsula is located - Mount Paekdusan (2744 m). Other mountain peaks are Mount Nannimsan in the Nannim Range region in the North, Mount Hallasan on Jeju Island (1950 m) of volcanic origin, as well as Mount Seoraksan (1780 m) and Mount Kumgangsan (1638 m), which attract tourists with their picturesqueness. Largest rivers (km): Amnokkan (790), Naktong (525), Tumangang (521) and Hangan (514).
Most of the soils are of granitic or gneiss origin with an admixture of limestone and volcanic rocks. Agriculture is based on artificial soils formed by humans over a long period of time.
In Korea, reserves of hard and brown coal, iron ore, polymetallic ores, gold, silver, graphite, and salt have been identified. The bulk of mineral resources are located in the north of the Korean Peninsula.
The wild fauna in Korea is represented by large mammals (tiger, leopard, black Himalayan and brown Ussuri bear, lynx, sika deer, wapiti, musk deer), as well as birds (379 species registered), small mammals (badger, marten, weasel), 25 species reptiles, 14 amphibians and 130 freshwater fish. The tiger, lynx, and other large mammals live in high mountain areas in the north of the Korean Peninsula.
The climate of Korea is continental, monsoon. The summer monsoon brings heavy rainfall. The winter monsoon is dry and brings low temperatures. The average January temperature is 0-3.5°C in the South of the peninsula and from -6°C (in the flat part) to -26°C (in the Kama plateau area) in the North, the average July temperature is +25.3°C in the South and +22-25°C in the North. Average annual precipitation ranges from 500 mm in the central and eastern regions to 1400-1500 mm on the southern coast. 70% of precipitation falls from June to September. There is a large fluctuation in annual indicators: once every 8 years, annual precipitation in the South falls below 1000 mm.
The climate of the Korean Peninsula is influenced by two types of cyclones. One type is spring, bringing heavy rainfall in March-April and early summer. The second type is typhoons that come to Korea in July-August. Every 2-3 years there is a strong typhoon that can cause significant damage.
Population of South Korea
Population density 476 people. per 1 km2. In terms of population, the Republic of Kazakhstan ranks 26th in the world, and in terms of population density - 3rd. The 1960s, the first peaceful decade after many years of wars and post-war reconstruction, saw high rates of population growth (about 3% per year). In the 1970s this figure dropped to 2%, and in the 1990s. and the first years of the 21st century. - up to less than 1%. In the coming quarter century, according to current forecasts, population growth rates may drop to zero. The ratio of the male and female population is close to one: in 2001, the number of men was 28.8 million people, and women - 28.5 million people. Urban population 79%.
Average life expectancy is 76 years. For women this figure is 79.5 years, for men - 72 years. The economically active population (aged 15-64 years) is 72%. The population of the Republic of Korea is homogeneous: non-Koreans account for less than 1% of the population.
A little more than half of the country's population consider themselves to be staunch adherents of any religious denomination. Of these, 51% are followers of Buddhism, 34% of Protestantism, 11% of Catholicism, 2% of Confucianism, 2% of other faiths.
History of South Korea
Korea is one of the oldest states in East Asia. The earliest state formation in the history of Korea is Ancient Joseon, which flourished in the 5th-6th centuries. BC. Translated from Korean, “Joseon” means “Land of Morning Freshness” or “Land of Morning Calm.”
In the 1st century BC. The early feudal states of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla are formed on the Korean Peninsula. This historical period of time is called the “Three Kingdoms Period.”
The three states were at the stage of early feudal development. Confucianism and Buddhism were established in them.
Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla waged a long internecine struggle for leadership. The Chinese empires of Sui and Tang intervened in the bloody conflicts between the Korean states.
In the 7th century Silla was victorious in the wars against Goguryeo and Baekje. A united Silla was created - the first unified state in Korean history. In the 8th century the united Silla turned into a strong centralized feudal state. At the beginning of the 9th century. Silla declines as a result of feudal strife.
In 918, commander Wang Gon united the lands of the Korean Peninsula and formed the state of Koryo (hence the European name Korea). The entire period of the existence of Koryo (10th century - late 14th century) was marked by constant wars with the Khitans, Jurchens, and a courageous struggle against the Mongol invasions.
At the end of the 11th century. The state of Koryo began to noticeably weaken. The country was ravaged not only by the Khitans, Jurchens, and Mongols, but also by feudal cliques. The weakening of the state was accompanied by increased feudal exploitation, which led to popular uprisings. In the end 12th century In Korea, there were three major peasant uprisings that covered a significant part of Korea.
In 1392, the commander Yi Song Gye carried out a coup d'etat and proclaimed a new dynasty - the Yi dynasty, which ruled Korea until 1910. The founder of the dynasty, Yi Song Kyo, gave a new name to the state he created - Joseon in memory of Ancient Joseon.
The new wang (king) and his followers carried out a number of reforms aimed at reviving Korea and strengthening the centralized state.
In the 15th-17th centuries. Korea put up stubborn resistance to foreign conquerors. In 1592-98, Korea, with the help of China, repelled the Japanese invasion. In the long destructive war (known in history as the Imjin War) against Japan, the Korean people showed courage and heroism. The Korean fleet, using the iron-clad ship "Kobukseon" ("Turtle"), won several victories over the Japanese fleet. The Korean navy was led by the outstanding military leader Admiral Yi Sun-sin.
In the beginning. 17th century The Korean people also repelled the invasions of the Manchu tribes.
Fearing new foreign invasions, the ruling aristocracy of Korea in the 17th century. began to pursue a policy of isolation from the outside world. Korea began to be called a “hermit country.” Barrier outposts were built along the Korean coast, and the population was prohibited from communicating with foreigners. Even fishermen were not allowed to go far into the sea, so as not to have contact with sailors of foreign ships. Nevertheless, in the end 18th century European missionaries began to penetrate into Kazakhstan, bringing with them the ideas of Christianity. The Christian religion gradually established itself in Korean society.
Internal life of Korea in the 17th and 18th centuries. marked by conflicts, internecine strife, conspiracies and coups, and the struggle of various “parties.” Nevertheless, this period in the history of Korea is also characterized by the development of crafts and trade, and the emergence of workshops. Mining began to develop, and the extraction of gold, silver, and copper was established. Commodity-money relations gradually formed.
An outstanding page in the history of Korean culture of the 18th century. There was an ideological movement called “sirhak” (“real sciences”), which arose as a counterweight to orthodox Confucianism. Sirhakists opposed the brutal exploitation of the peasantry, for the introduction of equal land use, and the development of national industry and trade. They called for adopting all the best that other nations have, and protested against social inequality and superstition. Supporters of this trend demanded an end to the policy of “sadezhuyi” (“kowtowing” to the “elder brother”, which was China). The views of the Sirhak ideologists reflected the growing democratic tendencies in Korean society and the beginning of the crisis of the feudal system.
Beginning 19th century marked by the instability of the Korean state, the growth of protests by peasants and artisans against the dominance of feudal lords and aristocracy. During this period, a new teaching, “tonghak” (“eastern teaching”), emerged, incorporating the ideas of Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity and Korean shamanism. The main idea of tonhak is that all people are equal.
In the 19th century Korea becomes the target of expansion by countries that tried to “open” Korea by force. In 1876, Japan was the first to impose an unequal treaty on Korea. Then other states - the USA (1882), Great Britain (1883), Russia (1884), France (1886) - concluded similar agreements with it. A struggle developed between the main powers for dominance in Korea.
In the 1870-90s. In the conditions of the crisis of feudal relations and external influence in Korea, the “kaehwa undong” (“reform movement”) movement was born, the ideological basis of which was the “movement for real sciences” (“sirhak”). Supporters of “kaehwa undong” opposed feudalism, for the development of capitalist relations, against Chinese influence in the country, and for expanding ties with foreign countries. Their program included the suppression of corruption, the reorganization of the Armed Forces, improving the situation of the people, and learning the best practices of other countries.
On December 4, 1884, the reformers carried out a coup d'etat, but 2 days later, with the help of Chinese troops under the command of Yuan Shikai, the reform movement was suppressed.
In the end 19th century A broad peasant movement against feudal oppression developed in Korea. This movement resulted in the Peasants' War of 1893-94, which, at the insistence of the ruling circles of Korea, was suppressed by Chinese troops. China's military action displeased Japan, which sent troops to Korea under the pretext of protecting its subjects and defeated the Chinese forces. As a result of the defeat of China in 1895, Korea freed itself from Chinese vassalage and became an independent state.
In 1896, the Korean royal court relied on Russia in the hope of preventing Korea from being enslaved by Japan. Russia stands for preserving Korea's independence. After defeat in the war with Japan in 1905, Russia was unable to resist Japanese influence in Korea. In November 1905, Japan imposed a defense treaty on Korea, which meant the establishment of a Japanese protectorate over it. In August 1910, Japan completely annexed Korea, turning it into a Government General - part of the Japanese Empire.
Japanese colonial rule in Korea continued for almost 40 years, bringing untold disasters and suffering to the Korean people. Over the years, Korea has gone through three stages of Japanese governance: the first is the “saber regime”, the second is the “cultural management” or “velvet cat’s paw”, and the third is “integration”, i.e. attempts to involve Koreans in lower-level power structures.
An important stage in the history of the national liberation movement of Korea was the March First Uprising of 1919, in which up to 2 million Koreans took part. The March First movement was crushed by the Japanese colonialists.
During World War II, Korea was turned by Japan into a military-strategic springboard. Hundreds of factories were built in Korea to produce weapons and military equipment for the Japanese army. A number of Korean industries (metallurgical, chemical), and railway transport served the Japanese Empire. Japan exported significant amounts of rice produced in Korea for its own needs.
The brutal suppression of freedoms, national oppression and lack of rights pushed the Korean people to fight against colonial enslavement. A partisan movement developed in Korea. One of the partisan detachments was led by Kim Il Sung, the future leader of North Korea. The Korean provisional government operated in Shanghai. More than 5 thousand Koreans fought in the ranks of the armies of the anti-Hitler coalition.
The defeat of the Japanese Kwantung group by the Soviet Army in August 1945 brought liberation to the Korean people. However, the confrontation that began between the USSR and the USA did not allow the creation of a unified Korean state. In May 1948, on the initiative of the United States, parliamentary elections were held in South Korea (US area of responsibility). On August 15, 1948, the Republic of Korea was proclaimed. Syngman Rhee becomes the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
In August 1948, elections to the Supreme People's Assembly were also held in North Korea. On September 9, the creation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is proclaimed. Kim Il Sung is appointed Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers. He is also the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea.
After the formation of two Korean states, confrontation on the peninsula intensified. In 1950, the Korean conflict broke out, responsibility for the outbreak of which lies both with the leaders of the DPRK and the Republic of Korea, Kim Il Sung and Syngman Rhee, and with the allied states of the North and South (USSR and the USA).
The armed forces of the PRC (on the side of North Korea), as well as the United States and its allies (on the side of South Korea) took part in the Korean War. The USSR provided material assistance to the DPRK in the war. The UN Security Council resolution of June 25, 1950 recognized the DPRK as an aggressor. The Korean War, which lasted 3 years, ended with the signing of an armistice agreement in July 1953, which is still in effect today.
Government and political system of South Korea
According to the Constitution, the political system of the Republic of Kazakhstan is defined as democratic, and its people are endowed with sovereign rights. The Constitution was adopted on July 17, 1948; later amendments were made to its text.
Administratively, the country is divided into 9 provinces (Gyeonggin-do, Gangwon-do, Chungcheongbuk-do, Chungcheongnam-do, Jeollapuk-do, Jeollanam-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Gyeongsangnam-do, Jeju-do) and 7 cities with administrative rights of provinces (million people, 2000): Seoul, Busan (3.8), Daegu (2.5), Incheon (2.5), Gwangju (1.4), Daejeon (1.4), Ulsan (1.0). In addition, there are 232 lower-level administrations: 72 administrations of “si” (large cities), 89 administrations of “kun” (counties), 69 administrations of “ku” (urban districts within large cities).
The Republic of Kazakhstan is a presidential republic. The highest body of legislative power is a unicameral legislative assembly consisting of 273 deputies elected for 4 years by direct vote. 1/6 of the total number of deputies is elected according to party lists, 5/6 - in single-mandate electoral districts.
The main function of parliament is legislative. Other functions include adopting a budget, overseeing the conduct of foreign policy, declaring war and sending troops abroad, stationing foreign troops in the country, and monitoring or investigating special matters of national importance.
The President is elected by direct universal suffrage for a term of 5 years, after which he has no right to run again. The President is both the head of state and the executive branch. As the leader of a political party, he appoints senior government officials according to his party's recommendations. The President appoints the Prime Minister and other heads of the executive branch. The President is also the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and directs the state's foreign policy.
The president carries out the functions of the head of the executive branch through the State Council, consisting of 15-30 people appointed by the president and reporting only to him. Members of the State Council can head or supervise ministries, act on behalf of the president, and have the right to attend and speak at meetings of the National Assembly.
The Prime Minister, who heads the government, is appointed by the President with the approval of the National Assembly. Under the administration of President Kim Dae-jung (1998-2003), public administration reform was carried out. In 1998-2001, as a result of the reorganization of government bodies, the number of ministerial posts was reduced from 43 to 31, and the total number of civil servants (in the government apparatus and in local authorities) decreased by 10% to 829,816 people.
The leading political parties are the Democratic Party of the New Millennium (more often called the Democratic Party), the Great Country Party, and the United Liberal Democrats. There are also a number of small parties whose political influence is negligible. In the parliamentary elections of 2000, the opposition Great Country Party won. Its faction as of June 2002 consisted of 133 deputies, the Democratic Party faction - 119 deputies (including 4 independent deputies who joined the faction after the parliamentary elections), the United Liberal Democrats faction - 17 deputies, the Democratic People's Party - 2 deputies, independents - 4 deputies .
Syngman Rhee was elected as the first president of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 1948, whose reign occurred during the Korean War and the reconstruction period, which was characterized by a difficult political and economic situation. In April 1960, under pressure from powerful student protests, Syngman Rhee was forced to resign from his post.
With the formation of the government by the representative of the Democratic Party Chang Myung, the transitional stage of the country's development began, which ended in May 1961 with a military coup and the coming to power of General Park Chung-hee, who then won the presidential election of 1963. This period was marked by an authoritarian style of government, in which the administration of Park Chung-hee , tightly controlling socio-political processes in the country and suppressing opposition speeches, achieved the concentration of financial, material and human resources in strategic areas of economic development. Under President Park Chung-hee, the foundations of a development model were laid that allowed the country to achieve impressive economic success and remained without significant changes until the crisis of 1997-98.
After the assassination of President Park Chung Hee in October 1979, a short transition period followed, during which the country was headed by President Choi Kyu Ha, who took office. As a result of a military coup in December 1979, General Chung Doo-chwan came to power and was elected president of the country in August 1980 by the National Unification Conference (electoral college).
In 1987, the country's Constitution reinstated the provision for direct presidential elections, and in the same year, former General Roh Dae Woo was elected to the highest government post.
As a result of the progressive transformations taking place in the country, in 1992 a civilian politician, a representative of the ruling party, Kim Yong Sam, was elected president.
In 1997, a symbolic event for the Republic of Kazakhstan took place: for the first time, a peaceful transfer of power as a result of democratic elections took place from the ruling party to the opposition, when Kim Dae-jung, who for many years was considered a symbol of opposition to the authoritarian regimes that ruled in the Republic of Kazakhstan until the beginning, was elected president. 1990s
In December 2002 he won, and in February 2003 the representative of the Democratic Party of the New Millennium, Noh Moo-hyun, began to perform his duties.
The armed forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan consist of the Ground Forces, Navy and Air Force. The total number of Armed Forces is 690 thousand people, of which 560 thousand are Ground Forces, 67 thousand are Navy, 63 thousand are Air Force (2001). Military expenditures amounted to 15,388 billion won (11.92 billion US dollars) in 2001. The South Korean army is armed with 2,360 tanks, 2,400 armored personnel carriers, 5,180 artillery pieces, 160 ships and 6 submarines, approx. 550 fighters, etc.
The cornerstone of Kazakhstan's foreign policy is the strategic military-political alliance and close trade and economic relations with the United States. Since the normalization of diplomatic relations between the ROK and Japan in 1965, South Korean-Japanese ties in the fields of politics, security, economics and culture have been actively expanding. In August 1992, the Republic of Kazakhstan established diplomatic relations with the PRC, after which bilateral relations began to develop dynamically in many areas, primarily in the economy. China has become one of the most important foreign trade partners of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
In the beginning. 21st century The Republic of Kazakhstan pays priority attention to the state of relations with the countries of East Asia. Since 1999, the Republic of Kazakhstan has participated in annual meetings of the heads of state and government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, China and Japan, during which current issues of international relations are discussed, with priority given to a joint search for ways to solve economic problems. The Republic of Kazakhstan is also actively developing contacts with the countries of Southeast Asia within the framework of the “ASEAN+three” dialogue (10 member countries of ASEAN and the Republic of Kazakhstan, China, Japan).
The ROK established diplomatic relations with the USSR in September 1990. Russian-South Korean ties cover the areas of politics, security, economics, science and culture. Meetings between the leaders of the two countries at the highest level have become regular. However, economic cooperation has significant untapped reserves. The volume of trade turnover is $3.2 billion, the declared South Korean investments in the Russian Federation are approx. $270 million (2002).
Economy of South Korea
Over the 55 years of its existence, the Republic of Kazakhstan has gone from being an underdeveloped country, gaining in the 1970s. the status of a “new industrial economy”, to recognition as an industrialized state, which was formalized by joining the OECD in 1996. The volume of GDP amounted to 545 billion won (422 billion US dollars) in 2001 (increased by 1.3 times since 1995).
After World War II, Korea found itself thrown back far in its economic development. The Korean War completed the destruction of industrial potential in the south of the peninsula. Established at the beginning 1960s The authoritarian regime of General Park Chung Hee was able to carry out accelerated industrialization and ensure high rates of economic growth, which made it possible to build a highly developed economy in a compressed historical period. The concentration of human, material, financial, scientific and technical resources in strategic areas of development of export-oriented industries played a major role. With the assistance of the government, large conglomerates, or chaebols, were formed (Hyundai, Samsung, etc.), and support was provided for their advancement into world markets. The government was helped in this by banks controlled by it, through which financial flows were redistributed.
At the same time, the state's efforts were aimed at forming the foundations of a market economy: a legislative system was developed, a network of financial institutions and exchanges was developed, a securities market was formed, and the mechanism of relations with the world market was improved.
The sociocultural factor played an extremely important role in the formation of modern South Korea. The Koreans' commitment to Confucian ethics with its preaching of hard work, desire for education, discipline, and reverence for elders was fully used by the state and business for development purposes. Length of the working week in the 1960s and 70s. was actually not regulated, reaching 60 or even 70 hours per week. The duration of the vacation was only a few days. And in modern conditions, the vast majority of Koreans do not dare to leave their workplace for more than a week. The activities of trade unions were allowed only at the enterprise level and were strictly regulated.
With the assistance of the state, large national businesses were able to successfully reproduce on Korean soil the advanced methods of organizing business activities borrowed from developed countries. The strictly organized economic system created by Park Chung-hee, although it was deformed and weakened in the 1980s, nevertheless existed, retaining its main features, until the middle. 1990s The search for new forms of development was hampered by the bloc of politicians, bureaucrats and representatives of big business that had formed in the previous period, which contributed to the reproduction of large-scale corruption. This turned out to be the price to pay for the deep involvement of the state in economic processes.
Under these conditions, only a sharp change in the economic situation could break the existing status quo. The monetary and financial crisis that spread in East Asia in 1997 not only destabilized the economic situation in South Korea, but also made it impossible for the economic mechanism that existed at that time to function.
The core of the economic reforms carried out in 1998-2002 by the Kim Dae-jung administration was the curtailment of direct government intervention in the economy and, accordingly, the formation of fundamentally different relationships between state institutions and business. A course was taken to ensure the independence of the banking and credit sector and create equal conditions for commercial structures to access credit resources, to support progressive industry reforms and strengthen competitive principles, incl. by expanding access to the domestic market for external investors. The administration of President Roh Moo-hyun has announced its desire to continue and develop the economic reforms it has begun. After the recession of 1997-98, the South Korean economy quickly reached pre-crisis levels and restored the sustainability of economic development. The country's external debt in 2002 was $128.8 billion, while foreign exchange reserves reached $121.4 billion.
The leading role in the South Korean economy is played by the manufacturing industry (32% of GDP) and the service sector (52%). The share of construction accounts for 8.2%, agriculture 4.5%, electric power 3%, mining industry 0.3%.
Extractive industries production in the 1990s. and in the first years of the 21st century. stagnates or even declines. Coal reserves are estimated at 1.5 billion tons, but its production, which amounted to 24.5 million tons in 1985, then constantly decreased to 5 million tons (2000). In turn, the production of iron ore, after its maximum of 665 thousand tons in 1985, also decreased to 180 thousand tons. The same trend characterizes the production of graphite and other mineral resources. The process of reducing the production of domestic raw materials is associated with growing competition from the import of cheaper and higher-quality fuel and raw materials, mainly from Australia, Canada, the USA, and Indonesia.
Metallurgy, the chemical industry, and shipbuilding play an important role in the country's economy. The production of sea vessels in the Republic of Kazakhstan increased 7 times in 1980-2000 (total carrying capacity 12 million tons), steel production - 1.7 times (41 million tons). Industries such as electronics, automotive, and biotechnology are developing dynamically. Car production in 1980-2000 increased 23 times (2.8 million units).
Traditionally, the so-called system is widespread in the Republic of Kazakhstan. lifetime employment, in which the employee has a high chance of connecting his activities with the only place of work in his work history. Under these conditions, unemployment in the Republic of Kazakhstan is usually insignificant - 2-4%. From the end 1990s The labor market is changing, acquiring features inherent in a developed market economy (mobility, flexibility), while unemployment remains low (2.9% in 2002).
The South Korean economy is characterized by low inflation, the level of which in the 1990s. It fluctuated between 2-5%, with the exception of the crisis year of 1998, when price growth increased to 7.5%. In the post-crisis period, price dynamics decreased again. Inflation based on the dynamics of retail prices was 2.7% in 2002.
The leading role in the economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan is played by a small group of large companies - chaebols. They account for 57% of the country's exports. By their nature, these are conglomerates, the structure of which evolved in the 1960-90s with the accumulation of financial, human and technological resources. in favor of increasingly advanced industries: from light industry and basic industry to automotive, electronics, computer science, biotechnology and aerospace engineering. The number of strategic industries sometimes grew to 8-10. After the crisis of 1997-98 and under pressure from the state, the chaebols reduced the number of strategic business areas to 2-3. Leaders of South Korean business occupy significant positions in the world market in such industries as metallurgy (POSCO), automotive and shipbuilding (Hyundae), and production of electronics and information systems (Samsung and El G).
The dynamic development of the South Korean economy over the past four decades has been accompanied by profound structural changes that have led to a decrease in the role of the agricultural sector in the country's economic complex. Although the volume of agricultural production increased almost 15 times in 1970-2000, the share of the agricultural sector in GDP decreased from 26.1 to 4.5%, while at the same time a significant decrease in the share of the agricultural population in the total population of the country during this period from 44.7 to 9. 5%. In agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the average size of a farm is 1.3 hectares. Only 6.3% of farmers have a land plot of 3 hectares or more. The trend of aging of the agricultural population, which has been observed for a long time, has led to the fact that the share of farmers aged 60 years and older increased from 24% in 1990 to 41% in 2001. The development of social infrastructure (education, healthcare) and housing construction in rural areas is still lagging behind. The accumulated problems have negatively affected the profitability of the agricultural business. The income level of rural households in 2000 was only 80% of that of urban households, whereas in 1990 this figure was 97%.
At the same time, positive processes are taking place in agriculture: increasing its concentration and specialization, increasing the efficiency of a number of industries. The number of farms specializing in rice production with arable land of 3 hectares or more increased in 1990-98 from 18 thousand to 35 thousand. These farms ensured a decrease in the 1990s. cost of rice by 30%. The concentration of production in pig farming is growing: 7% of farms containing more than 1000 pigs produced 52% of pork (1998).
In providing support to agriculture, the government proceeds not only from purely economic calculations. It considers the development of the agricultural economy as a guarantee of maintaining a favorable social environment that facilitates the transmission to new generations of national traditions that are under threat in the context of globalization. According to the OECD, the level of support for agriculture in South Korea is 5 times higher than the average indicators of the member countries of this organization. With the support of the state, the volume of agricultural products produced has doubled over the past 15 years. Rice production reached 5.5 million tons (2001), which covers the country's needs for this important product and allows the Republic of Kazakhstan to provide food assistance to the DPRK. The production of citrus fruits is 644 thousand tons, apples 400 thousand tons, grapes 450 thousand tons. Noticeable changes are taking place in livestock farming: due to the growth of cheaper imports, the number of beef cattle decreased in 1995-2001 from 2.6 million to 1.4 million heads, the number of dairy cows remains stable at 550 thousand, while in the context of strengthening the competitiveness of pig and poultry farming, the number of pigs increased in the same period from 6.5 million to 8.7 million, poultry - from 85.8 million to 102.4 million. Currently, the main emphasis in agricultural policy is not so much on increasing quantitative indicators, but on increasing production efficiency in the agricultural sector.
The Republic of Kazakhstan has a developed transport and communications system. The length of commercially operated railways is 3.12 thousand km. At the same time, the length of double tracks is 1 thousand km, 668 km are electrified, or 21% of all railways. Railways transported 43.86 million tons, or 10.281 billion tkm, in 2001. There is a 412 km high-speed railway line connecting Seoul and the port city of Busan in the southeast of the country. The total length of paved roads is 91.5 thousand km (2002). The first expressway, 24 km long, between Seoul and Incheon was built in 1968. In 1970, the Seoul-Busan highway (428 km) was put into operation, the construction of which became an important milestone in the development of transport infrastructure in the Republic of Kazakhstan. By 2002, the length of expressways was more than 2.6 thousand km. In the Republic of Kazakhstan there are approx. 13 million cars, of which 8.9 million are passenger cars, which is more than 35 times higher than in 1980. The material and technical base of air transport is constantly being strengthened in the Republic of Kazakhstan. In 2002, the first stage of the new Incheon International Airport near Seoul opened. At the same time, Gimpo Airport is gradually reorienting itself to serving domestic routes. Two South Korean airlines, Korean Airlines and Asiana Airlines, with a fleet of 118 and 59 aircraft, respectively, provide transportation of passengers and air cargo to the Republic of Kazakhstan and more than 70 countries around the world. In 2000, the country carried a total of 22.5 million passengers, and 19.5 million passengers on international flights. The leading role in ensuring the delivery of commercial cargo to the country and abroad belongs to maritime transport. The country's largest seaports are Busan, Ulsan, Incheon, and Mokpo. In total, 530 million tons of cargo were processed in the international seaports of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2000.
As part of the national program of the national network of telecommunications and information science in the country “Cyber K. 21”, a unified, developed information system accessible to any type of user has been created, uniting 34 thousand government agencies, 10 thousand schools, 1000 computer education centers for the population. There are more than 15 million personal computers in the country, and there are 44 regular and 50 cell phones per 100 residents. Covering 22.3 million Internet users, the South Korean Internet market is the fourth largest in the world in terms of capacity after the United States, Japan and Germany.
Domestic trade and the service sector in the Republic of Kazakhstan are developing dynamically. Moreover, this applies to different market segments. The volume of retail trade through the discounter chain amounted to 12 trillion won in 2001 (10 trillion in 2000). TV sales amounted to 2 trillion won, Internet sales at the beginning. 21st century doubled annually, and the turnover of department stores amounted to 16.1 trillion won.
From the 2nd half. 1980s The tourism industry is developing intensively in the Republic of Kazakhstan. This is facilitated by the regular holding of international exhibitions, business forums, cultural festivals, and major sports competitions in the Republic of Kazakhstan (1988 Summer Olympics, 2002 FIFA World Cup, 2002 Asian Games and world championships in various disciplines). As a result, the number of foreign tourists visiting the Republic of Kazakhstan annually increased from 170 thousand in 1970 to 5.5 million in 2002. The growth in the well-being of the population led to a significant increase in the number of South Koreans traveling abroad on vacation. In 2001, 6 million people spent their holidays in other countries: approx. 4 million visited Asia (mainly China and Japan), more than 800 thousand visited the USA, approx. 400 thousand - in Europe, 260 thousand - in Australia and Oceania.
The leading role in the monetary system of the Republic of Kazakhstan is played by the Korean Bank, created in 1950, which performs the functions of a central bank. The Korean bank carries out issuing operations, implements monetary policy, and lends to the banking system. For several decades, until the financial crisis of 1997-98, the banking and credit system was under strict state control. Control over the banking system made it possible to direct financial flows to those areas of the economy that the government designated as priorities. However, the regulatory role of officials, sometimes guided by selfish interests, led to ineffectiveness of banking and credit operations and a deterioration in the financial position of credit institutions. Since 1998, the banking and credit system has been undergoing a reform process under the control of the Financial Supervision Commission: the commission is developing a plan for implementing reforms, establishing general principles for the operation of the banking system, and forming a new system of supervision over banking and credit institutions and non-banking financial institutions. Using privatization, admission of non-residents and a number of other measures in its policy, the government is rehabilitating banking and credit institutions. By 2002, 20 banks and 1,528 non-banking institutions operated in the Republic of Kazakhstan, among them 3 commercial banks, 44 insurance companies, 121 mutual savings companies, 1,268 credit unions, 129 investment trust companies and a number of others.
The budgetary and financial system of the Republic of Kazakhstan combines the finances of the central government, provincial and local authorities. The 2001 budget amounted to 100.2 trillion won ($85.9 billion). The volume of taxes collected in 2001 amounted to 95 trillion won (82 billion dollars). Of these, income tax accounted for 19.5%, corporate tax 17.7%, value added tax 27%, and customs duties 6.2%. At the same time, as part of the ongoing reform of the tax system in 2001, the government reduced income tax rates by 10% (from 10-40% to 9-36%), the corporate tax rate was lowered by 1 point to 15-27%.
In terms of foreign trade turnover ($314.57 billion in 2002), the country ranks 12th in the world. At the same time, exports amounted to $162.47 billion (8th highest in the world), imports - $152.1 billion, with a positive balance of $10.37 billion (2002). Leading South Korean exports: household and industrial electronics and electrical equipment (34.5%), light industry products (15.6%), passenger cars (8%), industrial equipment (7.7%), chemical products (7.3 %), sea vessels (6.6%), ferrous metallurgy products (6.3). Having become one of the world's leading shipbuilding powers, the Republic of Kazakhstan has become the world's largest manufacturer of sea vessels for the transportation of liquefied gas. South Korean companies are among the leading exporters of electronics and telecommunications equipment, steel and automobiles. The top 10 export products in South Korea account for 26.6% of exports. 100 export goods provided 60.7% of South Korea's exports in 2000. Almost half (48.5%) of South Korean imports are fuels and raw materials. A significant share falls on the import of high-tech goods: electronics and electrical engineering (24%), machinery and equipment (12%). Expanding domestic consumer demand has led to consumer durables accounting for 5% of imports.
The main foreign economic partners of the Republic of Kazakhstan are the USA, Japan and China. In 2001, the United States accounted for 20.7% of exports and 14.6% of imports; for Japan, the same figures were 11 and 18.9%, and for China, respectively, 12.1 and 9.4%. The share of trade turnover with the Russian Federation is approx. 1%.
The dynamic development of the South Korean economy since the beginning. 1960s led to a significant improvement in the financial situation of the population. The average monthly salary in 2000 was 1.75 million won (about $1,400) with an average working week of 46.6 hours. The longest working week is observed in the transport and communications industries - 48.8 hours. The shortest in construction - 44 ,4 hours
Serious changes have occurred in the provision of housing for South Koreans. In the Republic of Kazakhstan, 79% of the population lives in cities (in 1960 - 38%). The government developed a program for the construction of 92 2 million apartments in 1988, which was successfully exceeded: 2.7 million apartments were built during these years. In 1992-97, 500-600 thousand apartments were built annually, which made it possible to reduce housing prices and improve the living conditions of South Koreans. Half of the population of the 7 largest cities of the Republic of Kazakhstan lives in apartment buildings.
Social insurance in the Republic of Kazakhstan began to be used on a large scale only from the end. 1980s Since 1988, the state pension system initially extended to employees of institutions and companies of 10 people. and more, since 1992 - with the number of employees 5 people. and more, since 1995 it began to cover also those employed in agriculture and rural residents who are self-employed. The health insurance system began to be introduced in the Republic of Kazakhstan only in 1988-89. Over the past period, medical care for the population has significantly improved. The number of medical institutions increased in 1996-2001 from 31 thousand to 41.3 thousand, and the average number of beds in them increased from 209 to 304. Great efforts are being made to prevent some (viral) and early diagnosis of other (oncological) diseases. In 2001, as part of the national program to combat cancer (1st place among the causes of death in the Republic of Kazakhstan), the National Oncology Center-Hospital was opened, which was entrusted with the function of coordinating relevant research and treatment activities. The program for free screening and early diagnosis of cancer covers 20% of the country's population.
Traditionally, women have played a minor role in business and public life in the country. However, in the 1990s. The opposite trend began to clearly appear: marriage and the birth of children for a growing number of young Korean women does not become a reason for abandoning a business or public career. Supporting the growing activity of women, the government initiated in 2000 an increase in the quota of civil service positions reserved for women to 20%.
Science and culture of South Korea
Government and business circles of the Republic of Kazakhstan are aware that the economic prospects of South Korea will largely depend on how successful the development of science and education will be. The education system consists of six years of primary education, three years of secondary education, and three years of secondary education in advanced schools. Higher education can be obtained at colleges and universities (about 230 in 2001), which also operate master's and postgraduate programs that provide the opportunity to obtain a scientific degree.
Payment for school education is provided by central and local authorities (in the proportion of 78%: 22%), so it is practically accessible to all: only a small part of the costs of purchasing educational materials is covered by parents. Although higher education institutions are 80% private, the government provides financial support to both the universities themselves and parents of students, providing preferential loans to pay for their children's education. Officials are encouraged to improve their educational level in the country and abroad. The number of college and university students in 2001 was 1.73 million. Leading universities in the country: Seoul National University, Korea University, Kyung Hee University, Korea University of Education. Tens of thousands of South Korean students are pursuing or continuing their education at higher education institutions in the United States, Europe and Japan.
The development of a strategy for the development of science in the Republic of Kazakhstan is determined by the Council on Science and Technology, headed by the president of the country. The committees included in the Council coordinate the activities of government departments and the private sector in the scientific field. Particular attention is paid to the balance of forces in the triangle “scientific laboratories - universities - private business”.
The Ministry of Science and Technology is responsible for the specific financing and implementation of scientific and technical programs and their distribution among scientific centers. The Ministry of Economy, Industry and Energy is responsible for implementing priority areas for the development of high-tech industries. The Ministry of Informatics and Communications provides support for the development of information infrastructure.
The country has created a modern scientific base, the funding of which in 2001 reached $12 billion, or 2.7% of GDP (1/3 - budget expenditures, 2/3 - private). The annual increase in spending on science in 1998-2001 was 14%. Leading industries include medicine, precision instrumentation, and electronics. In these industries, R&D expenses accounted for 5 and 4.2% of sales, respectively. However, the share of spending by the largest South Korean companies on R&D is lower than that of leading Western corporations. Government spending will increase on nuclear research, biotechnology, etc. Meanwhile, the 20 largest private companies account for 40% of all employees in science and 47% of scientists with a doctorate, 55% of all capital investments in R&D.
Institutional transformations are becoming an acute problem, since the hierarchical and complex structure of large business and its concentration on solving tactical problems to the detriment of strategic goals impede innovation. Reforming the innovation sphere implies its commercialization by encouraging the restructuring of large conglomerates, supporting the development of small venture businesses and stimulating the expansion of domestic demand for high-tech products. Only during 2001, declared by the government as the “year of biotechnology,” and until the end. 2002 With the help of the government, up to 600 venture companies specializing in biotechnology were created.
Since 2001, the Ministry of Science and Technology has sharply increased spending on financial support for scientific personnel. For this purpose, the practice of providing awards, grants, and scientific scholarships is expanding. The goal of modern government policy is to significantly improve the financial situation of those employed in science and strengthen the prestige of scientific work, to increase the status of South Korean scientists in society, who for a long time were in the shadow of the bureaucracy, military and businessmen, and also suffered significant material losses as a result of the crisis of 1997-98.
There are 233 museums in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Among the largest are the National Museum of Korea and the State Museum of Folk Art (Seoul). Museum complexes located in the ancient cities and former capitals of Gyeongju and Buyeo are famous. In addition to state, municipal and university museums, there are more than 80 museums in the country created by individuals and corporations.
Activities in the 1950s played an important role in the development of modern fine art in the South of the Korean Peninsula. National exhibition, supported by the state and giving priority to the realistic direction of painting and sculpture. In the subsequent period, other artistic directions developed in the country. Of great importance for the modern cultural life of the Republic of Kazakhstan was the holding of the international art festival “Gwangju Biennale” in 1995 in Gwangju, which reflected the diversity of artistic trends in the art of the Republic of Kazakhstan, its growing ties with world cultural centers.
Modern Korean literature (including modern prose and poetry) develops under the significant influence of Western literature.
Korean musical and theatrical art has its roots in primitive religious rites. Traditional colorful theatrical performances combining dance, song and oral storytelling are presented on the stage of the Jeongdong Theater (Seoul). The first Western-style theater opened in Seoul in 1908. In the Republic of Kazakhstan, there are several theaters and stage venues that stage performances of various genres. A number of them are located on Daehanno Street in central Seoul.
South Korean cinema after rapid growth in the 2nd half. 1950s experienced a long decline. Since the 1980s The film industry in Kazakhstan is on the rise again. The popularity of South Korean films is growing, many of which have received recognition at international film festivals in Cannes, Berlin, Venice, and Moscow.
Opera, symphonic music, classical and modern ballet are becoming increasingly popular in the country. Currently, there are 30 symphony orchestras in Seoul and other cities of the country. Korean singers and musicians, many of whom were educated in the best educational institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan and other countries, regularly perform on the stages of famous theaters and at leading concert venues in the world.
04:11 pm - give birth more! no - less! no - still, more!
I have already written and spoken about the curious upheavals in South Korean demographic policy more than once (for example,). In a nutshell: at first (under Syngman Rhee) the southerners did not pay attention to the birth rate, then they desperately - and successfully - fought against it, knocking down the TFR over half a century from 6.1 births per woman in 1960 to 1.1-1, 2 births per woman now; and then they began to lift it - without much success, as one might expect.
What about North Korea? The top management there also took demographic problems seriously. The fluctuations of the middle class policy were not advertised, but they were very significant. In addition, these fluctuations were remarkably similar to the fluctuations experienced by the population policy of the South. In fact, the northerners imitated the southerners, but with a lag of 5-7 years. It is not clear whether this was a conscious imitation, or a reaction to fairly similar problems, or the result of the fact that both the North and the South, in general, had some idea of world trends in demographic policy and tried, so to speak, to keep up from centuries (I am inclined to think that all three factors were at work)
To a first approximation, there are three stages in North Korea's demographic policy. In the first, from the founding of the North Korean state in 1948 until the mid-1960s, the North Korean government generally encouraged fertility. In the second stage, from the mid-sixties to the late nineties, policies were aimed at limiting the birth rate and reducing the rate of population growth. In the last 15 years, since the late nineties, the state as a whole has returned to a policy of promoting fertility.
Korean War 1950-53 led to huge demographic losses. The population of the DPRK decreased by 1.1 million people: from 9.6 million at the beginning of 1950 to 8.5 million at the beginning of 1954. Of this number, approximately half were killed in the war (both deaths at the front and during bombing of North Korean cities by American aircraft), and the other half were refugees who fled to the southern part of the country (over 1945-1953, more than a million people fled to the South, most of them in the fall and winter of 1950-51). Therefore, the DPRK government initially actively supported a high birth rate. This support was often of a propaganda nature, but there were also real deeds: in the first post-war years, the DPRK created an impressive medical care system for such a poor country.
For the DPRK, the 1950s were the time of the “baby boom”. At that time, TFR (total fertility rate, to simplify somewhat - the average number of births per woman of childbearing age) was close to the natural level and amounted to 6 births. It is clear that the population of North Korea was growing rapidly at that time.
It is curious that at that time even such growth rates seemed insufficient to many in the DPRK leadership. In March 1963, Kim Il Sung said, for example: “In the face of a shortage of labor resources, while maintaining the current rate of population growth, it seems impossible to find the amount of labor required to expand production.”
However, sometime around 1965, official attitudes toward high birth rates changed. This was most likely due to two circumstances.
Firstly, the rate of economic growth began to decline, and this decline primarily affected agriculture.
Secondly, it can be assumed that the DPRK was also influenced by news from South Korea, where the government of Park Chung Hee at that time was just beginning to launch an active campaign to limit the birth rate.
Therefore, in 1975, Kim Il Sung, on the contrary, did not call for a further increase in the birth rate, but complained about the excessively high birth rate and admitted that population growth was a burden for the country and increased budget expenses.
By that time, the birth control campaign was in full swing, although writing about it in the open press was prohibited (why is not clear, but in the DPRK quite harmless things often fall into the category of secret information). As a matter of fact, the very fact of such a campaign was revealed by Eberstadt, who in the early nineties analyzed the population statistics that the Koreans themselves gave him. Now more and more materials about this campaign are appearing.
The fight against large families was then carried out in the DPRK using both traditional and North Korean methods. On the one hand, doctors were ordered to promote contraceptives, and on the other, parents with many children in the early seventies could be criticized at meetings in their “organization.” Active propaganda was carried out in schools: they explained to children that an excessive number of children creates problems for both the country and the family.
The campaign to reduce the birth rate was successful: around 1970, the birth rate began to decline rapidly. True, it is impossible to say with certainty whether this decline was the result of government efforts or, more likely, simply reflected general changes in society, primarily urbanization and the increase in the educational level of women.
The dashing nineties arrived, and the policy of birth control had to be abandoned. This was partly due to the desire to compensate for the losses caused by the famine of 1996-99, when about half a million people died, but mainly due to concern that the country's birth rate had fallen slightly below the replacement level, that is, the level that guarantees a stable population population. This trouble happened in the North in the late nineties, that is, about ten years later than in the South. Now in the South, TFR fluctuates around 1.2 r/w, and in the North - around 2.0 r/w (very slightly below the level of simple reproduction, but still lower, and consistently lower).
So now the North Korean leadership is again in favor of large families. However, there are currently no opportunities to provide such families with material support, so everything is limited, rather, to verbal encouragement.
Again, this turn to promoting fertility was in many ways reminiscent of what happened around the same years in South Korea, where in the nineties, low, below replacement, fertility also began to be perceived as a serious political and social problem.
So: for all the differences between the North and the South, they often faced similar problems and reacted to them in the same way.
Moscow, January 15 - "Vesti.Ekonomika" Over the next 10 years, 80% of G20 countries will face unprecedented population declines that will profoundly change the global economy. Developed economies are literally on their way to extinction, while less developed economies grow like weeds.
UN population forecasts are too optimistic and have little to do with reality. Extremely low fertility rates in industrialized countries contradict UN forecasts.
The South Korean government's forecast shows that within 7 years the country's population will begin to decline and if this trend continues, the country's population will simply die out in the future.
South Korea's demographic collapse coincides with China's, and Japan's population is already declining. The world's second, third and eleventh largest economies will see their workforce and consumer base become smaller and smaller, but renowned analysts see no problem with this. Typically, the working-age population, which produces and consumes the most, begins to decline 10 years earlier.
The country with the most homogeneous population and Asia's 4th largest economy is about to decline. South Korea has the world's lowest birth rate (16 years in a row), resulting in a rapidly aging population. 2016 saw the lowest birth rate in 7 years.
Although the population grew rapidly from 1946, it began to decline in 1966 due to the birth control program.
Urbanization, availability of higher education, and increased participation of women in the labor force have affected the population size. As in many cultures, in South Korean culture, male descendants are very important to the principle of family continuity, as they provided financial support and took care of their parents in old age, so everyone strived to have sons.
If the first child was not a boy, it was necessary to produce as many children as needed until a son was born. In 1973, a law on selective abortion was passed, but, as it turned out, there were abuses of the law in the event that a woman was pregnant with a female child.
Overall, the population has increased in most provinces. Then the government intervened, introducing the slogan “It is better to give birth to one child and give him a full education.” In 2016, the total population of South Korea was more than 51 million people, 1 million were foreigners.
Any demographic forecast predicts a sharp decline in population. In 2050 there will probably be 40-48 million Koreans, and in 2100 there will be about 20 million.
All these social phenomena and government measures contribute to a decrease in the birth rate of the country's population and its aging. Although population growth in Korea will likely continue for several years, it will soon begin to decline rapidly, so that by 2750 the population of South Korea will simply die out.
By 2045, Korea could become the oldest country in the world: the average age of residents here will be 50 years. The population pyramid has begun to expand, meaning that the number of older people is increasing, while the number of young people and children is decreasing.
In 2016-2017 For the first time, there was a decline in the working-age population aged 15-64 years, which means that consumption levels in Korea have begun to decline. Now people aged 65 years make up 14.12% of society, and those aged 0-14 years make up only 13.21%.
It is likely that in less than 50 years, the number of elderly people will reach more than 40% of the total population of South Korea.
Some of the reasons for Korea's low birth rate are similar to those in Japan in the early 1990s. Couples are reluctant to have a large family due to the high cost of living, including housing and education. South Koreans have the longest working hours in the world, so they don't have time to start a family.
At the same time, there is a high level of unemployment among young people. Women do not want to have children at an early stage of life, preferring to build a career, not being able to get maternity leave, and faced with low levels of male participation in raising children and doing housework. On average, women have their first child at age 31. Many people don't feel the need to start a family.
Low birth rates are not the only problem in South Korea: mortality is another problem. South Korea is one of the countries with the highest suicide rates in the world. 40 Koreans commit suicide every day. This problem very often affects older people.
Half of people aged 65 live in relative poverty, and 1/4 of them live alone. They haven't saved for retirement. They can't find work, and levels of isolation and depression are rising in an aging society.
Among young people, the most common cause of suicide is stress in the workplace and in the education system. 40% of suicides are committed under the influence of alcohol: South Korea is the world's largest consumer of strong alcoholic beverages.
On average, there are 14 suicides per week in this country (compared to three in the United States). Koreans feel overwhelming shame about the psychological problems they experience, yet they are reluctant to undergo appropriate treatment.
Alcohol abuse is considered a more acceptable option here than trying to seek help from a specialist in solving the problem. This undoubtedly contributes to a large number of suicides.
The demographic situation will negatively affect South Korea's economic growth. Seoul, whose residents make up 20% of the entire nation, will feel the biggest change in its population structure: its workforce will shrink. Seoul's population is expected to decline by at least 1 million people by 2040. Already throughout the country, healthcare costs have increased (from 3.8% to 7.2% of GDP).
Economists have suggested that the best option for Japan and Korea may be to end gender discrimination and bring more women into the workforce. Of course, Wall Street economists know that these policies have led to lower birth rates in Europe. Still, financial analysts in New York are desperately looking for ways to expand the workforce in the world's most productive countries.
Korean President Moon Jae-in attaches great importance to the elderly, who now make up the majority of society, and notes the need to create suitable living conditions for such a large population group. As life expectancy has increased, it is worth creating jobs for this age group, especially as the labor force declines.
The president's plan is to raise pensions, double the number of jobs for older workers, increase monthly wages, fund Alzheimer's and dementia care, and make social housing more affordable for seniors.
The South Korean government needs help getting more robots into households. A good solution to the demographic crisis in South Korea would be reunification with North Korea, where the population situation looks more stable. The homogeneity of the race will be preserved, although for now this seems unrealistic.
The situation of South Korea, the world's 11th largest economy and 5th exporter, will affect many countries. It is a global manufacturer of phones, integrated circuits, automobiles, automotive parts, LCD displays and petroleum products, focusing on technology and design. In terms of trade relations, circumstances in South Korea will have the greatest impact on China, the US, Japan, Germany, Australia and Saudi Arabia.
The demographic crisis will also affect the country's security. This will change the geopolitical balance as Japan and South Korea are extensions of the US military in East Asia.
The future of South Korea is extremely uncertain. And there is very little time left to avoid the worst. However, some analysts predict that a downward trend is inevitable.
First of all, let’s indicate where Seoul is located. This is a huge metropolis located on and is the capital of South Korea. This city is one of the largest cities in the world. The official name of the country is the Republic of Korea. This democratic state was formed in the summer of 1945 after the division of spheres of influence on the Korean Peninsula. According to the agreement, this part of the peninsula came under the jurisdiction of the United States, and its northern part came under the influence of the USSR. Today the South consists of 9 provinces with different populations. And Seoul is the most densely populated point in the country.
Population
- the group of children under 15 years old makes up 15.7% of the total number;
- group of people of working age from 15 to 65 - 72.9%;
- in the group of people over 65 years old - 11.4% of the population.
The natural increase for this year, according to calculations, should be more than 184 thousand people. If the level of external migrants remains the same, then the increase will increase by more than 61 thousand people, since more people are arriving in the country than leaving it.
The alarming rate of aging
Seoul's population is rapidly aging. Experts attribute this phenomenon to increased life expectancy and decreased birth rates. Over the past 10 years, the number of young people has been declining, but the number of older people is growing. If this trend continues until 2030, more than 3 million residents in the South Korean capital will be over 65 years of age. By this time, Seoul may take 8th place in the ranking of “aging” cities in the world.
Statistics recorded that in 2013, Seoul, whose population was more than 9 million, had approximately 11% of the “aged” population. It is estimated that by 2019 this figure could rise to 14.3%, and by 2030 it will be 31% of society. Young people, who will bear the burden of supporting pensioners, will be under great pressure. This can reduce the standard of living.
To avoid an aging society, authorities and employers must develop a global strategy aimed at increasing the birth rate.
A little about currency
The currency of Seoul (Republic of Korea) is the Korean won. This currency unit consists of 100 chon. The South Korean won was introduced into circulation in 1962, and since 1980 it has been firmly tied to the dollar exchange rate. Since South Korea is an economically developed state, the population has a fairly high income level. A large percentage of the population works in the shipbuilding and engineering industries. Based on purchasing power parity, South Korea is 13th in the world ranking.
Seoul's currency is officially abbreviated KRW and its international symbol is ₩.
Character traits
Koreans are hardworking people. They work hard and enjoy it. For young people, a career is the main priority. This, among other things, is associated with the low birth rate in the country.
Tourists cannot always correctly assess the character of Seoul residents. It seems to them that everyone around them is closed and unfriendly. In fact, the population of Seoul does not have the habit of publicly expressing their emotions. They consider this a sign of bad manners. To understand the soul of a resident of a country, you need to gain his trust and become a friend.
The Korean communication culture also has its own traditions:
- South Koreans do not shout at each other, do not show offence, and do not discuss their enemies behind their backs. They are sure that all these are signs of weakness.
- The best dishes are always prepared for guests. Respect for the guest is another important feature of the national character.
- South Koreans respect old age. They never argue with their elders, even when they are wrong. The younger one must remain silent.
Residents of the Republic of Korea are patriots of their country. They stand up for it and are always ready to help their fellow citizens anywhere in the world. If a tourist speaks disrespectfully about South Korea, he deeply offends everyone who hears him.
