Population, GDP, natural resources, leaders and history of South Korea: the Magna Factbook country file, with its Magna Power score (69.12/100, ranked #14 of 195).
South Korea is a presidential republic in Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea. The country's capital is Seoul; it covers 99,720 sq km. Independence: 15 August 1945 (from Japan). Terrain: mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south. Climate: temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter; cold winters. Population: 51.5 million (2025 estimate). Population growth: +0.09% per year. Median age: 47.0 years. Life expectancy: 83.4 years (2024 est.). Languages: Korean, English Religions: Protestant 17%, Buddhist 16%, Catholic 6%, none 60% (2021 est.) Urban population: 81.5% of total population (2023). Major u…
| Capital | Seoul |
|---|---|
| Population | 51,486,343 (2025 est.) |
| GDP (PPP) | $2.607 trillion (2023 est.) |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | $50,400 (2023 est.) |
| Real GDP growth | 1.4% (2023 est.) |
| Inflation | 2.3% |
| Unemployment | 2.7% |
| Public debt | 52.3% of GDP (2023 est.) |
| Exports | $835.149 billion (2024 est.) |
| Imports | $758.724 billion (2024 est.) |
| Life expectancy | 83.4 years (2024 est.) |
| Median age | 47.0 |
| Urbanization | 81.5% of total population (2023) |
| Government | presidential republic |
| Independence | 15 August 1945 (from Japan) |
| Languages | Korean, English |
POWER 69.12/100 — The Magna Power score is our 0–100 composite of structural national power — five dimensions, 100+ indicators. It is the Bureau's own assessment, not a mirror of World Bank or CIA figures.
Momentum +3 — Quarterly momentum: the Bureau's read on the country's trajectory over the last quarter, from −10 (deteriorating fast) to +10 (accelerating).
Seoul leaned into the future: the supplementary budget and the state growth fund pushed hard toward AI and semiconductors, and the government raised its own growth outlook in September.
Solid institutions, a chip-driven upswing, and no domestic crisis — a quietly positive quarter.
Coal, Tungsten, Graphite, Molybdenum, Lead, Hydropower.
Lee Jae Myung — President. President LEE Jae-myung (since 4 June 2025)
South Korea maintains 187 embassies abroad, hosts 116 foreign diplomatic missions, holds permanent missions to ASEAN Jakarta, OECD Paris, UN New York, UN Geneva, UNESCO Paris. The breadth of a diplomatic network is a direct measure of diplomatic power — it shows how far a country’s influence, alliances and interests reach.
| Embassies abroad | 187 |
|---|---|
| Foreign missions hosted | 116 |
| Multilateral missions | ASEAN Jakarta, OECD Paris, UN New York, UN Geneva, UNESCO Paris |
Source: Lowy Institute Global Diplomacy Index 2024 (released 2024-02-25), https://globaldiplomacyindex.lowyinstitute.org/; Wikipedia 'List of diplomatic missions in South Korea'
Transport networks are economic power made physical — ports, runways, railways and pipelines decide what a country can move, sell and defend.
| Sea access | Coastal — 2413 km of coastline. |
|---|---|
| Airports (total) | 92 + 1280 heliports (registration prefix HL) |
| Major seaports | Busan, Gwangyang Hang, Inchon, Masan, Mokpo, Pyeongtaek Hang, Ulsan |
| Railways | 3979 km |
Cheongju International Airport/Cheongju Air Base (K-59/G-513) (CJJ) — Cheongju; Daegu International Airport (TAE) — Daegu; Gimhae International Airport (PUS) — Busan; Incheon International Airport (ICN) — Seoul; Jeju International Airport (CJU) — Jeju City; Muan International Airport (MWX) — Muan (Piseo-ri); Seoul Gimpo International Airport (GMP) — Seoul; Yangyang International Airport (YNY) — Gonghang-ro; Gunsan Airport / Gunsan Air Base (KUV) — Gunsan; Gwangju Airport (KWJ) — Gwangju.
Showing 10 of 15 major airports.
Sources: OurAirports public-domain extract (2026-10-02); per-entry Wikipedia links included; CIA World Factbook via cia_factbook snapshot (2026-09-28)
| Political system | presidential republic |
|---|---|
| Last election | 2025 — presidential; 2025-06-03; winner: Lee Jae-myung (Democratic); snap election after Yoon impeachment; 49.42% Wikipedia |
| Next election | 2030 — presidential (scheduled) |
Source: constitutional schedule / public election calendar
POWER 69.12/100 Ranked #14 of 195 countries in the Magna Country Rankings. Full ranking breakdown for South Korea.
Historical timeline of South Korea
