Demographics of South Korea

Although a variety of different Asian peoples had migrated to the Korean Peninsula in past centuries, very few have remained permanently, so by 1990 both South Korea and North Korea were among the world's most ethnically homogeneous nations. The number of indigenous minorities was negligible. In South Korea, people of foreign origin, including Westerners, Chinese, and Japanese, were a small percentage of the population whose residence was generally temporary. Like their Japanese neighbors, Koreans tend to equate nationality or citizenship with membership in a single, homogeneous ethnic group or "race" (minjok, in Korean). A common language and culture also are viewed as important elements in Korean identity. The idea of multiracial or multiethnic nations, like India or the United States, strikes many Koreans as odd or even contradictory. Consciousness of homogeneity is a major reason why Koreans on both sides of the DMZ viewed their country's division as an unnatural and unnecessary tragedy.

Against the background of ethnic homogeneity, however, significant regional differences exist. Within South Korea, the most important regional difference is between the Kyongsang region, embracing North Kyongsang and South Kyongsang provinces in the southeast, and the Cholla region, embracing North Cholla and South Cholla provinces in the southwest. The two regions, separated by the Chiri Massif, nurture a rivalry said to reach back to the Three Kingdoms Period, which lasted from the fourth century to the seventh century A.D., when the kingdoms of Paekche and Silla struggled for control of the peninsula (see The Origins of the Korean Nation , ch. 1; fig. 2). Observers noted that interregional marriages are rare, and that as of 1990 a new fourlane highway completed in 1984 between Kwangju and Taegu, the capitals of South Cholla and North Kyongsang provinces, completed in 1984, had not been successful in promoting travel between the two areas. South Korea's political elite, including presidents Park Chung Hee, Chun Doo Hwan, and Roh Tae Woo, have come largely from the Kyongsang region. As a result, Kyongsang has been a special beneficiary of government development assistance. By contrast, the Cholla region has remained comparatively rural, undeveloped, and poor. Chronically disaffected, its people rightly or wrongly have a reputation for rebelliousness. Regional bitterness was intensified by the May 1980 Kwangju incident, in which about 200 and perhaps many more inhabitants of the capital of South Cholla Province were killed by government troops sent to quell an insurrection. Many of the troops reportedly were from the Kyongsang region (see Students in 1980 , ch. 1; United States Forces in South Korea , ch. 5).

Regional stereotypes, like regional dialects, have been breaking down under the influence of centralized education, nationwide media, and the several decades of population movement since the Korean War. Stereotypes remain important, however, in the eyes of many South Koreans. For example, the people of Kyonggi Province, surrounding Seoul, are often described as being cultured, and Ch'ungch'ong people, inhabiting the region embracing North Ch'ungch'ong and South Ch'ungch'ong provinces, are thought to be mild-mannered, manifesting true yangban virtues (see Traditional Social Structure , this ch.). The people of Kangwon Province in the northeast were viewed as poor and stolid, while Koreans from the northern provinces of P'yongang, Hwanghae, and Hamgyong, now in North Korea, are perceived as being diligent and aggressive. Cheju Island is famous for its strong-minded and independent women.

Population

48,846,823 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 18.9% (male 4,844,083/female 4,368,139)
15-64 years: 71.8% (male 17,886,148/female 17,250,862)
65 years and over: 9.2% (male 1,818,677/female 2,678,914) (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.42% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 10 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 5.85 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.13 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.04 years
male: 73.61 years
female: 80.75 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.08 children born/woman (August 2006 est.)

Nationality

noun: Korean(s)

adjective: Korean

Ethnic groups

South Korea is rather homogeneous with absolute majority of the population of Korean ethnicity. There are about 80,000 Chinese — especially those who came from other parts of Asia other than China, Hong Kong, and Macau, e.g. Japan, Malaysia, India, and Philippines. There are migrant workers from China, the Philippines and Malaysia, and in the main cities, particularly Seoul, there is a small number of foreigners related to business and education. There are also some 29,000 United States military personnel.

Religions

Nonreligious: 46%
Christian: 26%
Buddhist: 26%
Confucianists: 1%
Other: 1%

Source: CIA World Factbook 2006

NOTE: The Christian denominational figures add up to considerably more than the total number of Christians due to widespread dual membership and unrecorded transferal of membership, especially within Protestant bodies. This probably accounts for the almost certainly inflated statistics published in some circles, purporting to show that around 50 percent of South Koreans are Christians.

It should also be noted that although self-styled Confucianists are few, the great majority of South Koreans, irrespective of their formal religious affiliation, are strongly influenced by Confucian concepts.

Languages

Korean; English widely taught in junior high and high school.

High school students can also choose any of the following languages to learn: Mandarin, Japanese, French, German, Russian, Spanish, Arabic.

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.9% male: 99.2% female: 96.6% (2002)

References

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External links

South Korea: Balancing Labor Demand with Strict Controls, Park Young-bum, Migration Information Source, December 2004.