Amazing Facts About South Korea: You May Never Know

Did you know that South Korea is the only country in the world to have a national IQ test? Or that the official mascot of Seoul is a teddy bear named "bear-bae"? These are just two of many fun facts about South Korea. From its unique culture to its fascinating traditions, this infographic will give you a broad overview of all things Korea.

• The Origins of South Korea
• Facts about the Geography of South Korea
• Facts about the Economy of South Korea
• The Military and Foreign Affairs in South Korea
• Fun facts about South Korean Culture

The Origins of South Korea

The Korean Peninsula was first divided into three kingdoms in the 2nd century BC. In the 7th century, the Three Kingdoms were united by Silla, which ruled until it was defeated by the Goryeo Dynasty in 935. The Goryeo Dynasty ruled Korea until 1392 when the Joseon Dynasty was created. Nothing in Korean history happens without a name, and this includes modern-day Korea.

The average IQ of Korea is 112, which is the highest in the world. There are some slight regional differences, as you would expect, but it would take a brain as brilliant as South Korea’s to come up with a similar ancestry like the average American. It is known that Silla, the younger sister of Daewoo, carried the gene that gave her an IQ of 112. Seung-Yong Yoo, an Associate Professor at Chung-Ang University, researched this topic extensively and found an additional IQ of 102. Not only is this no mean feat in an Asian country with a population of around 23 million, but it's a testament to strong genealogical influences.

The United States has an average national IQ of 80, which is well below the world average. In fact, the national average is 156. Compared to Korea, the United States has an 8-4 IQ advantage, which places it 40 places below Korea. Choosing the better of two evils, America is left with a 6-22 IQ disadvantage. The next closest country, the Czech Republic, beats both of these countries in all major categories. In this experiment, the IQ gap would narrow to 45.

A nation’s IQ and life expectancy have an inverse correlation. Legal scholar Lee Jussi studied the IQ of a random sample of citizens and found that a 2% increase in IQ lowered life expectancy by 2%. The correlation holds up to multiple tests; we see similar results from education and income levels. South Korea has the highest literacy rate in the world, at 94.6%, which places the country in the top 10 for its literacy rate. Compare that to the United States of only 48.7%.

Facts about the Geography of South Korea

South Korea is located in East Asia, in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula jutting out from northeast Asia. It is surrounded on three sides by water: the Sea of Japan to the east, Korea Strait to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west. Seoul is the capital and largest city. The country is divided into nine provinces and one special autonomous province. Outside of the capital, the landscape ranges from hills dotted with tea estates to flat, sparsely populated ricefields.

As of 2018, the population is 14.3 million people spread across the country’s 28 counties. Some counties fluctuate between 200,000 and 600,000 people; others lie in the 40,000 to 80,000 person range. Consider the difference that one person can make within a specific location. For example, the average income in Yonkers, N.Y., is over $70,000 yearly. To put that in perspective, that would be equivalent to roughly four people making the same income in Seoul.

Despite Seoul’s impressive population, unfortunately, average IQ levels in the country lag behind the rest of the world. According to 2018 Global Stats, South Korea’s national IQ test average score is 80. But that’s not the only thing holding the Korean people back. The country suffers from high levels of income inequality, gender inequality, and high levels of crime.

While Seoul is home to one of the world’s best universities, it’s also often justifiably called “the university town of the East.” With an average household income of $79, 110 people earn over $200,000, and half of the households earn over $500,000 according to 2018 U.S. Census data. The cost of living is also big, accounting for 30 percent of the average household income. Standardized test results are administered every five years in parallel with high school graduation.

Because the country’s exports and industry are largely focused on export-driven industries, the South Korean government has created numerous “guest workers” programs to help bring in foreign labor. There are two types of labor available: skilled and unskilled. Both types are needed, though some industries require more unskilled labor. Foreign nationals make up the majority of unskilled laborers, though.

Facts about the Economy of South Korea

South Korea is a developed country, a member of the G20, and a founding member of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation. South Korea is the world’s 7th largest exporter and 12th largest importer. It is a high-income advanced economy and a member of the OECD. South Korea is known for its unique culture, the culture of innovation and creativity, strong business environment, and technological prowess. This infographic will give you an insight into the different aspects of living in South Korea.

This infographic was created using data from Wikicommons and PopSociety. It is a wonderful country full of diversity and exciting opportunities. If you’d like to learn more about South Korea, there’s a wealth of resources at your disposal. This infographic is also available on Behance.

In addition to living in a beautiful country with some of the world’s most scenic mountains, South Korea also has a vibrant animation industry. The unique culture and traditions of South Korea are evident in the following figures.

Park Jung-Ju is South Korea’s most popular singer of all time. Known by her stage name Park Hyung-min, she is well-known for her varied career spanning a number of genres. She is a member of two universally recognized pop groups, BTS and 2NE1. An entertainment industry veteran, Park has also appeared in movies, dramas, and variety shows.

Park created the multi-million-dollar coronavirus survival capsule in collaboration with the World Health Organization in December 2017 to benefit the victims of the pandemic worldwide. Her initiative was viewed by many as a touching public service.

Map created by the Korea Economic Institute of America.

In 1993, Taeyeon International, a South Korean semiconductor chip manufacturer, was founded after a merger between the Republic of Korea’s Development Institute and a New Jersey-based company. Taeyon leads the way in the semiconductor chip industry in South Korea enabling the growth of many local companies and industries.

Taeyon received the “National Industry 100 award” in 2014 in recognition of its contribution to the South Korean economy.

The Military and Foreign Affairs in South Korea

South Korea is a country that is surrounded by North Korea and the East China Sea. South Korea and North Korea are divided by the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The DMZ is a border barrier that divides the Korean Peninsula roughly in half. It was created by an agreement between North Korea, China, and the United Nations in 1953. It has remained largely unchanged since its creation to this day and consists of a 1965 line dividing the Korean Peninsula into two sides. The DMZ also controls the flow of both goods and people between the two countries.

South Korea’s history has come a long way. The Korean Peninsula has been part of the Unified Korean Peninsula (U.S. designation) since the Korean War ended in 1953. The pair of countries enjoyed a stable two-country relationship during this time until the split was formally formalized in the following year. Between 1950 and 1953, North Korea attacked South Korea several times. Since the start of the Korean War in 1950, North Korea has been an enemy of the Republic of Korea (South Korea).

Gone are the days of the 1950s animosity between the two Koreas. Today, the two countries have a strong relationship, especially their relationship with China. Over the years, the two countries have maintained and developed their relations. And with proper renovation, South Korea will be able to retain a strong competitive edge as China rises over the next decade.

“It is not easy for a country to remain a rising economic and technological power in East Asia once its infrastructure and educational institutions are in place. But South Korea has done so with the flexibility and concerted efforts of its reform-minded leadership team.” — Nobel Laureate in Economics South Korea, Lee Kuan Yew

In the 1960s, South Korea began to attempt to industrialize its farming economy. Approximately 25% of South Korea’s population are farmers and are highly employed compared to other countries in the Asia-Pacific region. South Korean farmers produce one-fifth of the country’s food.

Fun facts about South Korean Culture

Isn’t this just like the Titanic right? The Southeast Asian nation that sank to the bottom of the sea was the mere 5th poorest country in the world at the time of its downfall.

The past few years have turned the South Korean economy around. In 2020, the country’s GDP surpassed Japan’s and surpassed the US’s. While many factors have been attributed to the country’s recovery, one of the most critical factors is a vaccination program. Since the beginning of the pandemic, South Korea has received the aid of 160,000 volunteers.

Even though they are willing to lend a helping hand, “Koreans have one thing in common: We’re boldly helping other people.” — Moon Chul-soo (president of the Free Korea Society), 2019

Although South Korea’s GDP has increased 12 times over the last ten years, the average South Korean’s standard of living has not dramatically changed during this period. Many other low-income countries have drastically changed their standard of living from poor to middle-class. This is South Korea’s success, what they call the “Miracle on the Han River”.

The Miracle on the Han River story is about a river in South Korea with an inflow and a dry-out cycle. Over the years, the Han River has dried up twice. However, it has subsequently been refilled with floodwater. This inflow and dry-out cycle occur every 7 years. South Korean farmers believe this cycle demonstrates a cycle of life. It could spell bad news for a farmer if the river becomes completely dry as shown in South Korean folklore. If there is an excess of water at the time of the flood, then the flood will be accompanied by bad things like losing crops and livestock.

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