Geography and Climate
Korea`s total area comprises 993,900square kilometers, with a total land area of 955,900square kilometers. The capital is Seoul. Other major cities are Pusan, Inchon, Taegu, Kwangju, Taejon.

The countryside consists mostly of rolling hills with wide coastal plains in the southwest, and the Taebaeck Mountain Range in the east of which the Sorak Mountains by the coast are a prominent part. They offer majestic panoramas of soaring peaks and colossal rock formations towering above the clouds.

Cheju Island off the southern coast is Korea`s largest island as well as smallest province. Its sub-tropical climate, sandy beaches, and handsome landscape of gentle slopes and vast meadows sprinkled with volcanic rocks make the island a favourite tourist destination, especially among honeymooners.

On the whole, Korea has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. Summers can be hot and humid with occasional heavy rainfall. Most areas can expect snow in winter. Spring is balmy and mild while autumn is refreshing and cool.

Autumn is often considered the favourite season among Koreans. From mid-September to mid-November the weather is perfect. Leaves display a dazzling kaleidoscope of yellow and red, the air is crisp, and the sky is clear and radiant.

Population
According to estimates by the National Statistics Office, Korea`s population reached 46,430,000 at the end of November 1998. Korea`s population is by and large homogeneous. However, there is a sizeable community of ethnic Chinese who number around 20,000. Furthermore, Korea's international community has been growing rapidly for many years.

Language
The official language is Korean. Korean is an Ural-Altaic language and is related to Japanese, Mongolian, Turkish, Finnish and Hungarian, among others. Korean has its own distinct, phonetic script called Hangul . Sometimes Hangul is used in combination with Chinese characters.

Government
Korea is divided into 9 provinces called do, (Cheju, North and South Chungchong, North and South Cholla, Kangwon, Kyunggi North and South Kyungsang-do), and 6 special administrative cities(Seoul, the capital; Inchon; Kwangju; Pusan; Taegu; Taejon).

Korea¡¯s chief of state and head of the executive branch of government is the President who is elected directly by the people for a single five-year term. He appoints the Prime Minister upon consent of the National Assembly(legislature), and the State Council(cabinet) upon recommendation of the Prime Minister. The President is the Chair of the State Council and the Prime Minister is its Vice-Chair. The National Assembly is unicameral and members are elected for four-year terms. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is appointed by the President upon consent of the National Assembly, for a single six-year term.