About Korea
South Korea is a peninsula,
surrounded by water, its only border shared with North Korea at the 38th
parallel (called the “Truce Line”). Korea is traditionally known as the
“Land of the Morning Calm,” with a temperate climate while experiencing
all four seasons. Over 70% of the land is mountainous with rugged
ranges and deep valleys located in the eastern regions. The coastline is
dotted with bays and it has some of the highest tides in the world.
Beaches on the eastern side are sandy, while the western side consists
mainly of mud flats and rocky shores. The Korean culture has evolved
from a series of kingdoms and dynasties, and has become one of Asia’s
economic success stories. The country continues to evolve, attracting
more direct foreign investment and revising internal and international
policies. Although they have borrowed from other cultures, especially
Chinese and Japanese, Koreans have maintained their own distinctive
language, culture and customs. It is a society heavily based on
Confucianism, which even in modern times retains the basic patterns and
manners of family-centered life.
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Korean Educational System
Education is the most valued aspect of Korean
culture, as it is considered the key to success, respect and power. A
centralized administration oversees the process for the education of
children from kindergarten to the third and final year of high school.
Mathematics, science, Korean, social studies, and English are generally
considered to be the most important subjects. The proportion of
college-age students in higher-education institutions was second only to
the United States. The institutions of higher education included regular
four-year colleges and universities, two-year junior vocational
colleges, four-year teachers' colleges, and graduate schools.
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