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

Expectations for corporate earnings in the U.S. and emerging markets are also rising for 2026, driven by the AI theme that also helps Taiwan and South Korea, says BlackRock.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

He said some countries such as South Korea and India that rely heavily on oil and gas coming from the Middle East may need to build new strategic petroleum reserves in the next few years.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

Will Denyer, chief economist at Gavekal Research, suggests pairing long positions in Brazilian and South Korean Equities: Brazil chiefly as a hedge against ongoing conflict and South Korea as a bet on peace.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in March raised its 2026 inflation forecast for South Korea to 2.7% from 1.8%, while lowering its growth forecast to 1.7% from 2.1%.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

During his first month at Hanawon, he received documents and photo identification that certified his South Korea citizenship, which the government automatically bestows on all those who flee the North.

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