GOVERNMENT
The Republic of Korea (commonly known as "South Korea") is a republic with powers nominally shared among the presidency, the legislature, and the judiciary, but traditionally dominated by the president. The president is chief of state and is elected for a single term of 5 years. The 299 members of the unicameral National Assembly are elected to 4-year terms; elections for the assembly were held on April 9, 2008. South Korea's judicial system comprises a Supreme Court, appellate courts, and a Constitutional Court. The judiciary is independent under the constitution. The country has nine provinces and seven administratively separate cities--the capital of Seoul, along with Busan, Daegu, Daejeon, Gwangju, Incheon and Ulsan. Political parties include the Grand National Party (GNP), Democratic Party (DP), Liberal Forward Party (LFP), Creative Korea Party (CKP), and Democratic Labor Party (DLP). Suffrage is universal at age 19 (lowered from 20 in 2005).
Principal
Government Officials
President--Lee Myung-bak
Prime Minister--Han Seung-soo
Minister of Strategy and Finance--Yoon Jeung-hyun
Minister of Education, Science and Technology--Ahn Byong-man
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade--Yu Myung-hwan
Minister of Unification--Hyun In-taek
Minister of Justice--Kim Kyung-han
Minister of National Defense--Lee Sang-hee
Minister of Public Administration and Security--Lee Dal-gon
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism--Yu In-chon
Minister of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries--Chang Tae-pyong
Minister of Knowledge Economy--Lee Youn-ho
Minister of Health, Welfare and Family Affairs--Jeon Jae-hee
Minister of Environment--Lee Maan-ee
Minister of Labor--Lee Young-hee
Minister of Gender Equality--Byun Do-yoon
Minister of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs--Chung Jong-hwan
Director of the National Intelligence Service--Won Sei-hoon
Senior Secretary to the President for Foreign Affairs and National Security--Kim Sung-hwan
Chairman of Financial Services Commission--Chin Dong-soo
Ambassador to the U.S.--Han Duck-soo
Ambassador to the UN--Park In-kook
Korea
maintains an embassy
in the United States at 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20008 (tel. 202-939-5600). Consulates general are located in
New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Seattle,
Atlanta, Houston, Honolulu, and Hagatna (Guam).
Type: Republic with powers shared between the president, the legislature, and the courts.
Liberation: August 15, 1945.
Constitution: July 17, 1948; last revised 1987.
Branches: Executive--President (chief of state); Prime Minister (head of government). Legislative--unicameral National Assembly. Judicial--Supreme Court and appellate courts; Constitutional Court.
Subdivisions: Nine provinces, seven administratively separate cities (Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Daegu, Gwangju, Daejeon, Ulsan).
Political parties: Grand National Party (GNP); Democratic Party (DP), formerly known as United Democratic Party (UDP); Liberal Forward Party (LFP); Democratic Labor Party (DLP); Creative Korea Party (CKP)
Suffrage: Universal at 19.
Central government budget (2007): Expenditures--$256.6 billion.
Defense (2007): 2.7% of GDP.
