SOUTH KOREA JOSHUA NEUBIG

SOUTH KOREA SOUTH KOREA HAS A POPULATION OF ALMOST ALL ETHNIC KOREANS. OTHER NATIONALITIES MAKE UP A VERY SMALL PORTION OF THE POPULATION OF SOUTH KOREA. SOUTH KOREA IS CONSIDERED A HOMOGENEOUS ETHNIC NATION.

SOUTH KOREA IS AN EAST ASIAN NATION SOUTH KOREA IS LOCATED IN EAST ASIAN, ON THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE KOREAN PENINSULA. IT IS BORDERED BY NORTH KOREA, THE YELLOW SEA, THE KOREAN STRAIT, AND THE SEA OF JAPAN.

THE SOUTH KOREAN FLAG HAS IMPORTANT MEANING THE CIRCLE IN THE MIDDLE REPRESENTS THE BALANCE OF THE UNIVERSE (YING AND YANG). THE BLUE REPRESENTS NEGATIVE COSMIC FORCES AND THE RED REPRESENTS POSITIVE COSMIC FORCES. THE WHITE PORTION REPRESENTS PEACE AND PURITY. THE OTHER SYMBOLS REPRESENT HEAVEN, EARTH, WATER, AND FIRE.

SOUTH KOREA GAINED INDEPENDENCE IN 1948 KOREA WAS ANNEXED BY THE JAPANESE IN THEY CONTROLLED KOREA UNTIL AT THE END OF WWII, SOUTH KOREA MADE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE ALLIES FORCES, MAKING NORTH KOREA OCCUPIED BY THE USSR AND THE SOUTHERN ZONE BY THE US. ON JUNE 25, 1950, NORTH KOREA INVADED THE SOUTH. THE KOREAN WAR LASTED FROM SOUTH AND NORTH KOREA ARE NOW TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.

KOREANS ARE RESERVED AND WELL- MANNERED PEOPLE KOREANS BOW TO EACH OTHER AS A SIGN OF RESPECT. IT IS EXPECTED TO TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES BEFORE ENTERING HOUSES AND MOST RESTAURANTS. YOUR FAMILY IS USUALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN LIFE. MANY TIMES, EXTENDED FAMILY MEMBERS WILL ALL LIVE TOGETHER.

SOUTH KOREA HAS A FEW DIFFERENT RELIGIONS. SOUTH KOREA'S RELIGIONS INCLUDE BUDDHISM, PROTESTANTISM, ROMAN CATHOLIC, CONFUCIANISM, AND ISLAM. THE MOST COMMON RELIGION IS BUDDHISM, ALTHOUGH ALMOST HALF OF SOUTH KOREANS DO NOT PRACTICE ANY RELIGION.

SOUTH KOREA HAS A HUGE VARIETY OF FOODS. IN KOREA ALL THE DISHES ARE SERVED AT THE SAME TIME. A TYPICAL MEAL CONSISTS OF RICE, SOUP, AND MANY SIDE DISHES. KOREANS USE CHOPSTICKS TO EAT MOST OF THEIR FOODS. SOME OF THE MOST COMMON FOODS EATEN ARE RICE AND KIMCHI. THEY EVEN HAVE MCDONALD'S IN KOREA, BUT THEY SERVE KOREAN BULGOGI BURGERS THERE TOO.

HANBOK - TRADITIONAL KOREAN CLOTHING A HANBOK IS LIKE A LONG ROBE, IT IS USUALLY MADE FROM SILK AND VERY COLORFUL. THE HANBOK IS TYPICALLY WORN ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS SUCH AS FESTIVALS, WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARIES, AND HOLIDAYS. ON NORMAL DAYS KOREAN'S WILL DRESS SIMILAR TO AMERICANS.

SOUTH KOREA AND NORTH KOREA TENSIONS STILL EXIST TODAY BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH KOREA. THE DMZ OR DEMILITARIZED MILITARY ZONE IS A STRIP ON LAND THAT SEPARATES NORTH AND SOUTH KOREA AND SERVES AS A BUFFER ZONE BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES. OCCASIONALLY THERE IS STILL FIRE EXCHANGED BETWEEN THE NORTH AND SOUTH KOREA.