Country name
conventional long form : Republic of Korea
conventional short form: South Korea
local long form: Taehan-min'guk
local short form: none
note : the South Koreans generally use the term "Hanguk" to refer to theircountry
abbreviation: ROK

Data code KS

Government type republic

National capital Seoul

Administrative divisions 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 6 special cities* (gwangyoksi,singular and plural); Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto, Cholla-namdo, Ch'ungch'ong-bukto,Ch'ungch'ong-namdo, Inch'on-gwangyoksi*, Kangwon-do, Kwangju-gwangyoksi*,Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto, Kyongsang-namdo, Pusan-gwangyoksi*, Soul-t'ukpyolsi*,Taegu-gwangyoksi*, Taejon-gwangyoksi*

Independence 15 August 1948

National holiday Independence Day, 15 August (1948)

Constitution 25 February 1988

Legal system combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-Americanlaw, and Chinese classical thought

Suffrage 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch
chief of state: President KIM Yong-sam (since 25 February 1993)
head of government : Prime Minister KO Kon (since 4 March 1997); Deputy Prime Ministers KANGKyong-sik (since 5 March 1997) and KWON O-ki (since 20 December 1995)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation
elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year term; electionlast held 18 December 1992 (next to be held 18 December 1997); prime ministerappointed by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the presidenton the prime minister's recommendation
election results: KIM Yong-sam elected president; percent of vote - KIM Yong-sam (DLP)41.9%, KIM Tae-chung (DP) 33.8%, CHONG Chu-yong (UPP) 16.3%, other 8%

Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats; members elected bypopular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections : last held 11 April 1996 (next to be held NA 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NKP 139, NCNP 79, ULD50, DP 15, independents 16; note - the distribution of seats as of December1996 was NKP 155, NCNP 78, ULD 47, DP 12, independents 7

Judicial branch Supreme Court, justices are appointed by the president subject to theconsent of the National Assembly

Political parties and leaders
majority party : New Korea Party (NKP), KIM Yong-sam, president
opposition: United Liberal Democratic Party (ULD), KIM Chong-pil, president; DemocraticParty (DP), YI Ki-taek, chairman; National Congress for New Politics (NCNP),KIM Tae-chung, president

Political pressure groups and leaders Korean National Council of Churches; National Democratic Alliance ofKorea; National Federation of Student Associations; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National Council of Labor Unions; Federation of KoreanTrade Unions; Korean Veterans' Association; Federation of Korean Industries;Korean Traders Association; Korean Confederation of Trade Unions

International organization participation AfDB, APEC, AsDB, BIS (pending member), CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-77,IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, OAS (observer),OECD, OSCE (partner), UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAVEM III, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador PAK Kun-u
chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600
consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston,Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
embassy: 82 Sejong-Ro, Chongro-ku, Seoul
mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-0001
telephone : [82] (2) 397-4114
FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845
consulate(s): Pusan

Flag description white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center; thereis a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) ineach corner of the white field

NOTE: The information regarding Korea, South on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Korea, South Government 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Korea, South Government 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.