Republic of Korea
Capital: Seoul
Government Type: Republic
Independence: August 15th, 1945 (from Japan)
National Holiday: Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)
Government Type: Republic
Independence: August 15th, 1945 (from Japan)
National Holiday: Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)
Executive Branch
The president is elected by popular vote for a single five-year term.
Last election was held on 19 December 2012.
Next election to be held in December 2017
The prime minister is appointed by the president with the consent of The National Assembly.
Last election was held on 19 December 2012.
Next election to be held in December 2017
The prime minister is appointed by the president with the consent of The National Assembly.
Legislative Branch
Unicameral National Assembly or Gukhoe has 300 seats and 246 members elected in single-seat constituencies, 54 elected by proportional representation. The members serve four-year terms.
Elections were last held on 11 April 2012.
The next elections are to be held in April 2016.
Percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NFP 152, DUP 127, UPP 13, LFP 5, independents 3.
Elections were last held on 11 April 2012.
The next elections are to be held in April 2016.
Percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NFP 152, DUP 127, UPP 13, LFP 5, independents 3.
Judicial Branch
The Supreme Court justices are appointed by the president with consent of National Assembly
The Constitutional Court justices are appointed by the president based partly on nominations by National Assembly and Chief Justice of the court
The Constitutional Court justices are appointed by the president based partly on nominations by National Assembly and Chief Justice of the court
Suffrage: 19 Years old; Universal
Their U.S. Ambassador: CHOI Young-jin
Their embassy address: 2320 Massachusetts Ave, NW Washington, D.C. 20008
Consulates in the U.S.: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle
Our Ambassador: Sung Y. KIM
Our Embassy Address: 32 Sejongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710
UN Representative: Kim Sook
Their U.S. Ambassador: CHOI Young-jin
Their embassy address: 2320 Massachusetts Ave, NW Washington, D.C. 20008
Consulates in the U.S.: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle
Our Ambassador: Sung Y. KIM
Our Embassy Address: 32 Sejongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710
UN Representative: Kim Sook
The Korean national flag is called Taegukki; white is a traditional Korean color and represents peace and purity; the blue section represents the negative cosmic forces of the yin, while the red symbolizes the opposite positive forces of the yang; each trigram (kwae) denotes one of the four universal elements, which together express the principle of movement and harmony |