South Korea - Far East

Religion: Christian 31.6% (Protestant 24%, Roman Catholic 7.6%), Buddhist 24.2%, other or unknown 0.9%, none 43.3%

Population: 49,039,986

Capital: Seoul

Language: Korean, English (widely taught in junior high and high school)

Nationality: Korean

Major urban areas: Seoul 9.736 million; Busan (Pusan) 3.372 million; Incheon (Inch'on) 2.622 million; Daegu (Taegu) 2.447 million; Daejon (Taejon) 1.538 million; Gwangju (Kwangju) 1.503 million

Time difference: 14 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Ethnic groups: homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

Government type: republic

Literacy rate: 97.9%

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Summary of South Korea

Although only slightly larger than the nation of Portugal, South Korea in eastern Asia has built the 13th largest economy in the world. The people of South Korea have overcome the nation's lack of natural resources to make their country a leading exporter of cars and electronic equipment. South Koreans are a part of one of the world's most homogeneous nations. 99.8 percent of South Koreans are of Korean descent.

Since their split at the end of WWII, relations between South Korea and North Korea have been strained at best. The 38th parallel that famously separates North and South Korea is the most heavily fortified border in the world. In recent years, South Korea has attempted to reestablish connections with North Koreans by offering humanitarian aid, but the North Korean' nuclear aspirations and totalitarian rule have made this difficult and often very tense.

While South Korea's history has been marked by wars and international disputes, a sound, praying Church has thrived through it all. Its fruitfulness is seen in the number of missionaries it sends out to the rest of the world, second only to the United States. There is a need to reach the South Koreans who are from multi-generational Buddhist families. Yet, South Korea has the potential to become Asia's first majority Protestant/evangelical country.

(Used with permission from www.prayercast.com/south-korea.html.)
((Statistical information taken from CIA World Factbook))

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