Korea, South Government - 2004

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Korea
conventional short form: South Korea
local short form: none
note: the South Koreans generally use the term "Han'guk" to refer to their country
local long form: Taehan-min'guk
abbreviation: ROK

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Seoul

Administrative divisions:
9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7 metropolitan cities* (gwangyoksi, singular and plural); Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto, Cholla-namdo, Ch'ungch'ong-bukto, Ch'ungch'ong-namdo, Inch'on-gwangyoksi*, Kangwon-do, Kwangju-gwangyoksi*, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto, Kyongsang-namdo, Pusan-gwangyoksi*, Soul-t'ukpyolsi*, Taegu-gwangyoksi*, Taejon-gwangyoksi*, Ulsan-gwangyoksi*

Independence:
15 August 1945 (from Japan)

National holiday:
Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

Constitution:
17 July 1948

Legal system:
combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought

Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President NO Mu-hyun (ROH Moo-hyun) (since 25 February 2003)
note: President NO was impeached on 12 March 2004; KO Kun is the acting president
head of government: Prime Minister KO Kun (KOH Kun) (since 27 February 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers YI Hon-chae (LEE Hun-jai) (since 10 February 2004) and AN Pyong-yong (AHN Byung-young) (since 23 December 2003)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation
election results: results of the 19 December 2002 election - NO Mu-hyun elected president; percent of vote - NO Mu-hyun (MDP) 48.9%; YI Hoe-ch'ang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5%
elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 19 December 2002 (next to be held in December 2007); prime minister appointed by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats elected by direct, popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - Uri 51%, GNP 41%, DLP 3%, MDP 3%, others 2%; seats by party - Uri 152, GNP 121, DLP 10, MDP 9, others 7 (2004)
elections: last held 15 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2008)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (justices are appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Labor Party or DLP [leader KWON Yong-kil]; Democratic People's Party or DPP [leader KIM Tae-yong]; Grand National Party or GNP [Pak Kun-hye, chairman]; Millennium Democratic Party or MDP [leader HAN Hwa-kap]; United Liberal Democrats or ULD [KIM Chong-p'il, president]; Uri Party [CHONG Tong-yong, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean Trade Unions; Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National Council of Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans' Association; National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic Alliance of Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National Federation of Student Associations

International organization participation:
AfDB, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CP, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador HAN Sung-chu (HAN Sung-joo)
chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle
consulate(s): New York, Tamuning (Guam)
FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205
telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. HUBBARD
embassy: 82 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710
mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-5550
telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114
FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845