South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK) (Korean: 대한민국, pronounced [tɛːhanminɡuk̚]) and often referred to as Korea, is a state in East Asia, located on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by China to the west, Japan to the east, and North Korea to the north. Its capital is Seoul. South Korea lies in a temperate climate region with a predominantly mountainous terrain. Its territory covers a total area of 100,032 square kilometers and has a population of over 50 million.

Archaeological findings show that the Korean Peninsula was occupied by the Lower Paleolithic period. Korean history begins with the founding of Gojoseon in 2333 BC by the legendary Dan-gun. Following the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea under Silla 668 AD, Korea went through the Goryeo Dynasty and Joseon Dynasty as one nation until the end of the Korean Empire in 1910, when Korea was annexed by Japan. After liberation and occupation by Soviet and U.S. forces at the end of World War II, the nation was divided into North and South Korea. The latter was established in 1948 as a democracy. A war between the two Koreas ended in an uneasy cease-fire. After the war, the South Korean economy grew significantly and the country was transformed into a major economy and a full democracy.

South Korea is a presidential republic consisting of 16 administrative divisions and is a developed country with a high standard of living. It has the fourth largest economy in Asia and the 15th largest in the world. The economy is export-driven, with production focusing on electronics, automobiles, ships, machinery, petrochemicals and robotics. South Korea is a member of the United Nations, WTO, OECD and G-20 major economies. It is also a founding member of APEC and the East Asia Summit.

South Korea is a developed country and had one of the world's fastest growing economies from the early 1960s to the late 1990s. Its rapid transformation into a wealthy and industrialized economy in this short time was termed the Miracle on the Han River. This growth surge was achieved through manufacturing oriented exports and a highly educated workforce. As of 2009, South Korea is the world's eighth largest exporter.

A member of the OECD, South Korea is classified as a high-income economy by the World Bank, an advanced economy by the IMF and CIA and a developed market by the FTSE Group. It has a very high HDI, measuring particularly high in the Education Index, where it is ranked first in Asia and seventh worldwide. South Korea is currently ranked as the most innovative country in the world among major economies in the Global Innovation Index.

South Korea is the current chair of the G-20 major economies and will be the first country in Asia to host the G-20 summit when it does so in Seoul in November 2010. It is one of the 24 selected (including the European Commission) OECD members in the Development Assistance Committee, a group of the world's major donor countries contributing to development aid and poverty reduction in developing countries. It is also a founding member of APEC, ASEAN Plus Three and EAS.

The South Korean economy is led by large conglomerates known as chaebol. These include global multinational brands such as Samsung, LG and Hyundai-Kia.

The 10 largest South Korean companies by market value in 2009 were Samsung Electronics, POSCO, Hyundai Motor, KB Financial Group, Korea Electric Power, Samsung Life Insurance, Shinhan Financial Group, LG Electronics, Hyundai Mobis, LG Chem.

As the largest of the Four Asian Tigers, the South Korean economy is the fourth largest in Asia and 15th largest in the world. In 2009, South Korea surpassed the United Kingdom, Russia and Canada to become the world's eighth largest exporter. South Korea is a major trading partner of the world's largest economies - it is the third largest trading partner of China and Japan, the seventh largest trading partner of the United States and the eighth largest trading partner of the European Union. It ranks 31st in the world for economic freedom, and its economy is considered "moderately free".

South Korea is the world's largest shipbuilder, and the fifth largest automobile maker in the world. It is Asia's largest exporter of oil products, and dominant in the global construction industry, in which South Korea's Samsung C&T built Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building. The country's industrial powerhouse, Ulsan, has a GDP per capita of $63,817 and would be the world's third wealthiest economy if ranked. It is home to the world's largest automobile assembly plant operated by Hyundai Motor, the world's largest shipyard operated by Hyundai Heavy Industries and the world's largest oil refinery owned by SK Energy.

Its capital, Seoul, is consistently placed among the world's top ten financial and commercial cities and was named the world's sixth most economically powerful city by Forbes with a GDP per capita of $32,171 in 2008.

South Korea is pursuing a large number of multi-billion dollar developments, most notably the Digital Media City in Seoul, Centum City in Busan and Songdo International City in Incheon. The 133-floor supertall Digital Media City Landmark Building is slated to become the world's second tallest building in 2015, housing the world's tallest observatory and hotels, while the 151-floor supertall 151 Incheon Tower will become the world's tallest twin towers in 2014. Centum City is home to the world's largest department store, the Shinsegae Centum City, which set a new Guinness World Record in 2009.