Credit

(Ed Jones/AFP/Getty Images)

South Korea

#20 in Overall Rankings#22 out of 80 in 2019
Credit

(Ed Jones/AFP/Getty Images)

Overview of South Korea

Capital
Seoul
Region
Asia
GDP Per Capita, PPP
$43,290
GDP
$1.6 trillion
Population
51,635,256
Area
99,720 SQ.KM

Overview of South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea, is a nation in eastern Asia with a long history of conflict that occupies the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula.

Liberated from Japan in 1945 at the end of World War II, South Korea was invaded by communist forces in North Korea a few years later. Aid requested by the United Nations helped end the three-year war and support the south on its way to democracy. A critical divide between the two nations along the center of the peninsula remains.

In the decades following independence, strict authoritarian rule took over the recovery of an embattled nation and its sinking economy. The first free national elections took place in 1987, passing control from a dictatorship to the people. In 2016, the country’s first female president was the focus of a corruption scandal, leading to her removal from office in March 2017.

South Korea’s high-tech, service-based economy, is a foreign investment success story, becoming the first recipient of OECD Development Assistance Committee funds to later become a donor of the funds. The nation has seen steady growth and poverty reduction since the 1960s and is now the world’s seventh-largest exporter and 11th-largest economy overall.

The country’s capital, Seoul, is located near the center of the Korean Peninsula, chosen as such during the Joseon dynasty (1392-1897) for its impressive feng shui - the idea that the positioning of objects ensures health and harmony. It is home to the headquarters of Samsung, Hyundai and Kia, representing two of South Korea’s important exports: technology and cars.

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It has one of the world’s largest gross national savings and reserves of foreign investment, reminiscent of a dictatorship that placed heavy emphasis on saving instead of spending. Disposable household income has increased in recent years, and South Korea’s large upper class is keen to spend their money on “brand name” items and products.

South Korea’s culture is based heavily in the humanist ideology of Confucianism. Today, Christianity is the prominent religion with Buddhism as a close second. South Korea faces the challenge of an aging population. Residents are afforded universal healthcare and mandatory education through middle school, with enrollment rates consistently at 100 percent.

[Explore the top universities in South Korea.]

Visitors can explore the country’s temperate climate, sweeping hills and mountains, and wide coastal plains, along with 12 UNESCO Heritage Sites.

South Korea is a member of many international organizations, including the United Nations, G-20, Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum and World Trade Organization.

South Korea Rankings

#20

Overall Rank
CategoryRankScore
#22 out of 80 in 2019
66.8
Read our methodology to see how the scores and rankings were calculated.
Rankings
Adventure14.2#55
Citizenship25.1#24
Cultural Influence40.0#20
Entrepreneurship76.2#8
Heritage32.4#30
Movers61.7#11
Open for Business51.4#31
Power58.3#9
Quality of Life36.0#23

#20

Overall Rank
#22 out of 80 in 2019
66.8
Read our methodology to see how the scores and rankings were calculated.
CategoryRankScore
Rankings
Adventure14.2#55
Citizenship25.1#24
Cultural Influence40.0#20
Entrepreneurship76.2#8
Heritage32.4#30
Movers61.7#11
Open for Business51.4#31
Power58.3#9
Quality of Life36.0#23
#55
Ranking
14.2
Score

Attributes

  • 15.9Fun
  • 13.9Scenic
  • 5.8Pleasant climate
  • 38.9Friendly
  • 0.0Sexy
#24
Ranking
25.1
Score

Attributes

  • 17.1Respects property rights
  • 97.0Progressive
  • 27.8Trustworthy
  • 4.3Gender equality
  • 27.5Well-distributed political power
  • 12.3Cares about the environment
  • 8.7Cares about human rights
  • 10.2Religious freedom
#20
Ranking
40.0
Score

Attributes

  • 24.6Prestigious
  • 35.1Culturally significant in terms of entertainment
  • 28.5Fashionable
  • 43.1Trendy
  • 82.6Modern
  • 44.9Has an influential culture
  • 16.3Happy
#8
Ranking
76.2
Score

Attributes

  • 32.8Provides easy access to capital
  • 14.9Well-developed infrastructure
  • 18.4Transparent business practices
  • 78.8Educated population
  • 88.2Skilled labor force
  • 94.1Entrepreneurial
  • 70.9Connected to the rest of the world
  • 96.8Innovative
  • 97.3Technological expertise
  • 74.3Well-developed legal framework
#30
Ranking
32.4
Score

Attributes

  • 34.8Culturally accessible
  • 39.3Many cultural attractions
  • 33.5Has a rich history
  • 26.5Has great food
#11
Ranking
61.7
Score

Attributes

  • 64.9Distinctive
  • 65.6Different
  • 28.7Unique
  • 72.9Dynamic
#31
Ranking
51.4
Score

Attributes

  • 5.7Corrupt
  • 5.5Favorable tax environment
  • 36.7Bureaucratic
  • 7.9Transparent government practices
  • 59.9Cheap manufacturing costs
#9
Ranking
58.3
Score

Attributes

  • 91.1Strong military
  • 57.8Strong international alliances
  • 74.6Economically influential
  • 47.6Politically influential
  • 23.2A leader
#23
Ranking
36.0
Score

Attributes

  • 72.6Economically stable
  • 60.3A good job market
  • 12.7Affordable
  • 28.8Safe
  • 23.5Politically stable
  • 13.0Family friendly
  • 23.0Well-developed public education system
  • 59.8Well-developed public health system
  • 7.9Income equality

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South Korea in Photos

South Korea: Crowded shopping street in Seoul's Myeongdong district.
Photo from 8. September 2015. Photo by: Daniel Kalker/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images

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Best Countries

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Best Countries is a rankings, news and analysis project created to capture how countries are perceived on a global scale. The rankings evaluate 73 countries across 24 rankings drawn from a survey of more than 20,000 global citizens, measuring 75 dimensions that have the potential to drive trade, travel and investment and directly affect national economies.