South Korea: Culture and Tradition

Country Specific
Korea is a small peninsula located between China and Japan. As a result of the Allied victory in
World War II in 1945, Korea was divided into two sovereign states with different political
ideologies: the Republic of Korea to the south and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to
the north. This ended Japan’s 35 year rule of Korea.

South Korea occupies the southern half of the Korean peninsula, which protrudes
about 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) southward from the Eurasian landmass
between Soviet Siberia in the northeast and Chinese Manchuria to the north. About
three thousand islands belong to Korea, among which the Province of Cheju Island
is the largest. The total area of the peninsula, including the islands, is about 85,000
square miles (222,000 square kilometers), of which about 45 percent or about
38,000 square miles (99,000 square kilometers) constitutes the territory of South
Korea.
Geopolitically, the peninsula is surrounded on three sides by the sea and by
Russia, China, and Japan. Korea has suffered from the attempts of these
neighboring countries to dominate it, particularly in the twentieth century. Each of
them considers Korea to be of major importance to its own security, and since
1945 the United States has had a major security interest in the nation. The
peninsula was divided at the 38th Parallel in an agreement between the United
States and the Soviet Union at the end of the World War II. Subsequently, the
Military Demarcation Line established by the Armistice Agreement of 1953 to bring
a cease-fire to the Korean War (1950–1953) replaced the boundary. A 2.5-mile
(four-kilometer) wide strip of land that runs along the cease-fire line for about 150
miles (241 kilometers) is fixed at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) as the no man's
land between North Korea and South Korea.
Language
Hangul is the name of the Korean alphabet. Although the spelling, alphabet and vocabulary differ
slightly between the two countries, Korean is the official language of both South Korea and North
Korea. Linguists believe the Korean language is a member of the Altaic family of languages, which
originated in northern Asia.

There are five major dialects in South Korea and one in North Korea. Despite differences in the
dialects, speakers from different areas can understand each other.

The Korean alphabet is easy to learn and Korea enjoys one of the highest literacy rates in the
world.

Culture
Despite the political unrest that resulted in the division of the region, these two countries still
share the same culture and traditional values. Korea is divided by boundaries, but still united by
culture.

Korea is greatly influenced by the Chinese and Japanese cultures. This influence can be seen by
Confucianism, which established many traditions that can be seen in modern Korea today. These
traditions include the ethical code of conduct in social life and showing respect to the elders and
family.

Koreans also believe in sincerity and loyalty and follow certain codes of conduct while meeting,
eating, praying and even celebrating. At times when many other cultures would shake hands,
Koreans bow. They bow as a sign of gratitude and respect to the person they are meeting.

Family Structure
Family is the most important part of Korean society and the father is the leader of the family. They
also believe in a hierarchical structure and children help their parents and must obey them and
show respect to the elders. As Confucius teachings have a deep influence on Koreans lives, they
believe in duty, loyalty, honor and sincerity. That’s why children live with their parents after they
became adults as they believe it is their duty to take care of their parents.

Religion
Confucianism, Buddhism and Christianity are the main religions. Buddhism is the religion in Korea
with the most followers and its teachings have a great impact on Korean lifestyle, culture and
art. Yungdrung is a main symbol of Korean Buddhism and can be found in all temples and religious
places in Korea.

The division of Korea has also caused a divergence in religious life in the two countries due to the
different political structures. South Korea has been characterized by a rise of Christianity and
Buddhism, while North Korea is considered a secular state.

Celebrations
Festivals have great importance in Korean life. Korean festivals are full of life, colors and joy and
they are celebrated throughout the year. Most celebrations and festivals are related to harvest
and family.
The Korean society depends on farming so many of their celebrations focus on events to pray for a
good harvest. These events have gradually turned into popular celebrations and festivals held
regularly in Korea, like the Hanshi (Cold Food Festival) celebration, which marks the beginning of
the farming season. Hanshi is celebrated 105 days after Dongji (Winter Solstice).

Meals
Korean cuisine is largely based on rice, noodles, vegetables and meats. Some of the famous
Korean dishes include bibimbap, bulgogi and dakgalbi. The Korean culture is based on politeness
and respect and this is clearly evident in Korean table manners.

Here are some Korean manners for sharing meals with others:

Older people should sit down first at the table.

A guest says “jal meokkessumnida”, which means “I will enjoy the meal”, as sign of respect to the
host.

Eat at the same pace of other people sitting at the table.

Chew your food with your mouth closed and do not make noises while chewing.

Food Customs at Ceremonial Occasions.A variety ofttok(rice cake), other

traditional confectionery, and fresh fruits are served to celebrate birthdays,
marriages, and thehwan'gap(the sixtieth birthday). The offerings atch'arye,
memorial services for one's ancestors performed on special holidays, include rice
wine, steamed white rice, soup, barbecued meats, and fresh fruits. After ritual
offerings

Kwang-mok-chong-wang, the guardian of the West at Pulguk-sa Temple in Kyongju, South Korea.

of the wine and food to the ancestral spirits, the family members consume the food
and wine. Their ingestion symbolizes the receiving of blessings from the ancestral
spirits.
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