South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone; though it also claims the land border with China and Russia. The country’s western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eastern border is defined by the Sea of Japan. South Korea claims to be the sole legitimate government of the entire peninsula and adjacent islands. The country, including all its islands, lies between latitudes 33° and 39°N, and longitudes 124° and 130°E. Its total area is 100,410 square kilometers.

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Unresolved tensions with North Korea has prompted South Korea to allocate 2.6% of its GDP and 15% of all government spending to its military (government share of GDP: 14.967%), while maintaining compulsory conscription for men. Consequently, the ROK Armed Forces is one of the largest and most powerful standing armed forces in the world with a reported personnel strength of 3,600,000 in 2022 (500,000 active and 3,100,000 reserve). South Korean forces have been involved in supporting the US globally, e.g. Vietnam, Iraq and the Middle East.

Problematic Neighbours

Both North and South Korea claim complete sovereignty over the entire peninsula and outlying islands. With longstanding animosity following the Korean War from 1950 to 1953, there have been ongoing attempts to foster good relations and cross border contacts. In 2024, the state of the relationships between the 2 Koreas is poor, primarily due to the nuclear missile tests of the north. North and South Korea are still technically at war (having never signed a peace treaty after the Korean War) and share the world’s most heavily fortified border.

Although a significant trading partner, South Korea and Japan share a troubled history due to Japan’s 35-year colonization of Korea in the 20th century, and the actions of Japan in WWII.

Border Facts

South Korea constitutes the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone; though it also claims the land border with China and Russia. The country’s western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eastern border is defined by the Sea of Japan, to the southeast it is separated from the Japanese island of Tsushima by the Korea Strait. South Korea claims to be the sole legitimate government of the entire peninsula and adjacent islands.

South Korea – North Korea border South Korea faces North Korea across a demilitarized zone (DMZ) 4 km wide that was established by the terms of the 1953 armistice that ended fighting in the Korean War (1950–53). The DMZ, which runs for about 240 km, constitutes the 1953 military cease-fire line and roughly follows latitude 38° N (the 38th parallel) from the mouth of the Han River on the west coast of the Korean peninsula to a little south of the North Korean town of Kosŏng on the east coast.

The demilitarized zone (DMZ) incorporates territory on both sides of the cease-fire line as it existed at the end of the Korean War (1950–53. It begins 2 km from the border. The areas north and south of the DMZ are heavily fortified, and both sides maintain large numbers of troops there. North Korean incursions used to be commonplace. The DMZ is now an area of diverse ecosystems and rare birds, plus over 1 million land mines.

South Korean Registration Plates

South Korean Passport Stamps