south korea
south korea Lexical Profile
• noun
A country in East Asia constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula, bordered by North Korea to the north, the Yellow Sea to the west, and the Sea of Japan (East Sea) to the east, with Seoul as its capital.
"South Korea has rapidly developed into a global economic powerhouse renowned for its technological innovation and vibrant cultural exports."
The sovereign state established in 1948 following the post-World War II division of the Korean peninsula, formally known as the Republic of Korea.
"The economic transformation of South Korea after the devastation of the Korean War is often referred to as the Miracle on the Han River."
Word Nuance & Usage
Officially known as the Republic of Korea (ROK), the term is used globally to distinguish the democratic southern half of the peninsula from its northern neighbor, North Korea (DPRK).
Word Origin & Etymology
The name combines the directional 'South' with 'Korea', an exonym derived from 'Goryeo', an ancient Korean dynasty (918–1392) that first brought the nation to the attention of Western merchants.