The Miracle on Han River: South Korea

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Recommended: Cultural and Economic differences between North Korea and South Korea

South Korea, once a broken country filled with broken families, has transformed itself into a fine example of perseverance in a tough situation. South Korea and its neighbor to the north have developed past where they were before the Korean War, but in different ways. The two countries, while certainly dependent on each other, are vastly different. Their conflicting styles of government and their differing cultures speak for themselves in this case. South Korea has, over the years, changed dramatically from the crippled country of the Korean War into a blossoming beacon of Asian cultural and economic changes. The combination of its recent economic importance, its heavy cultural influence, and its constant danger of participating in a war makes South Korea one of the most influential countries in the world.

The end of World War II marked the formation of the Republic of Korea (ROK) in the southern half of the Korean peninsula and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the northern half (“Korea, South”). Although these two countries were formed at the same time, they are now vastly different culturally and economically. The two countries do have some similarities and they are similarities that remind the world that Korea was once united. Hangeul, the accepted South and North Korean national language, is considered to be “one of the most scientific writing systems in the world.” The fact that the language is so easy to read and write is thought to be the reason behind South Korea’s high literacy rate (“Facts About Korea”). Other than their language and a few shared cultural practices, the citizens of North and South Korea have very little in common. South Korea is, ironically, more of a democracy than the DPRK ever was ...

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“Korea, South.” CIA World Fact Book. DC: Central Intelligence Agency. 2011. 360-63. Student
Research Center. Web. 9 May 2014.

Lee, Claire. “Bestseller-turned-movie reveals real-life case of widespread child abuse.” Asia
News Network. 25 Aug. 2011: n.Pag. Student Research Center. Web. 13 May 2014.

Lee, Peter H., and Byong-Wuk Chong. “Korean Literature.” Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d.. Web.
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Noland, Marcus. “South Korea.” Foreign Affairs. 93.1 (2014): 17-22. Student Research Center.
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