ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a brief historical background and a description of major events in Korea, South. It also provides basic political, economic, and social data arranged in the following categories: polity, economy, population, purchasing power parities, life expectancy, ethnic groups, capital, political rights, civil liberties, and status. The chapter discusses the progress and decline of political rights and civil liberties in Korea, South. South Korea's democratic transition began in 1987, when military strongman Chun Doo Hwan gave in to widespread student protests and allowed his successor to be chosen in a direct presidential election. South Koreans can change their government through elections and enjoy most basic rights. South Korean newspapers are privately owned and report fairly aggressively on government policies and alleged official wrongdoing. Women face employment discrimination in the private sector and are frequently the first to be laid off when companies restructure, according to the US State Department report.
