South Korea

American  

[south kuh-ree-uh, kaw-, koh-] / ˈsaʊθ kəˈri ə, kɔ-, koʊ- /

noun

1. Official Name Republic of Korea.  a country in East Asia: formed 1948 after the division of the former country of Korea at the 38th parallel. 36,600 sq. mi. (94,795 sq. km). Seoul.

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South Korea British  

noun

1. Korean name: Hanguk.  a republic in NE Asia: established as a republic in 1948; invaded by North Korea and Chinese Communists in 1950 but division remained unchanged at the end of the war (1953); includes over 3000 islands; rapid industrialization. Language: Korean. Religions: Buddhist, Confucianist, Shamanist, and Chondokyo. Currency: won. Capital: Seoul. Pop: 48 955 203 (2013 est). Area: 98 477 sq km (38 022 sq miles)

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South Korea Cultural  

1. Officially the Republic of Korea; located on the peninsula separating the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan, two arms of the Pacific Ocean. Its capital and largest city is Seoul.

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Discover More

During the 1980s, South Korea became a major industrial power in Asia.

Supported by the United States, South Korea was created in 1948 after American and Soviet occupation zones established at the end of World War II had divided Korea into north and south.

During the Korean War, noncommunist South Korea, aided by forces of the United Nations, and communist North Korea, aided by Chinese forces, fought from 1950 to 1953.

Other Word Forms

• South Korean
  adjective

Example Sentences

In fast-secularising South Korea, Buddhism is regaining popularity thanks to a "hip" trend wooing Gen Z with festivals, fashion, robots and DJs, even as some fear for the fundamentals of the faith.

From Barron's • Jul. 7, 2026

In June, South Korea unveiled plans for at least $880bn of investments in projects led by Samsung and SK Hynix to build out the country's chip manufacturing in the coming years.

From BBC • Jul. 7, 2026

South Korea extended dollar-won trading to 24 hours on weekdays, effective Monday.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 6, 2026

South Korea became the only Asian nation to ever finish in the top four, as co-host in 2002.

From BBC • Jul. 4, 2026

But Park was dead and South Korea seemed impossibly far away.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden