South Korea

South Korea

            South Korea occupies the southern part of the Korean peninsula, where it is bordered by North Korea, the Sea of Japan, East China Sea and the Yellow Sea. It has a population of 51.47 million people, most of who are ethnically Korean. There is also a minority of Chinese permanent residents and a growing number of foreigners consisting of people from the United States and Japan: about one million. Several foreign nationals are employed in organizations or diplomatic corps, mainly workers from China and Southeast Asia. The official language spoken is the Korean language, with a few people also speaking in English.

The country is constitutionally granted freedom of religion, with no national religion. Confucianism is still quite evident in the daily lives of Koreans and dramatically influences their daily lives, just like Buddhism. A third of the population identify as Christians even though Buddhism impacts their everyday lives. The Confucian culture’s emphasis on showing respect to ancestors and people of seniority influences the family, social, and work-life of Koreans, although to a lesser extent than in the past. Age and marital status play a significant role as a determinant of relative seniority as well as how people relate to each other.

Rituals are a big part of the traditional family life exercised by most Koreans. These are applied to mark life-cycle milestones, honoring ancestors and in the observation of holidays. The wearing of ‘Hanbok,’ a dress that for many years had been used as the everyday wear of Koreans, is deteriorating due to western influence. However, it is commonly worn during special occasions such as the birthdays of babies and weddings. Korean food, such as ‘kimchi,’ an essential cultural identity, remains very popular despite the pervasiveness of foreign dishes.