ABSTRACT
The Korean Peninsula (124°11′–131°53′E, 33°7′– 43°01’N) shares borders with China and Far East Russia. The peninsula is divided into two nations: the Republic of Korea (ROK) in the south and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the north (Figure 25.1). The climate of Korea is primarily continental, except for August when it is oceanic. The long, hot summers are wet; monsoon rains account for 60% of the total annual rainf all. Winters are dry and freezing cold due to Siberian air masses that sweep in from the north. The annual mean temperature ranges from 3 to 14°C depending on altitude; annual precipitation ranges from 600 to 1,500 mm. In Seoul, the mean monthly temperature ranges from −2.5 to 25.4°C in the coldest and hottest months (Korea Meteorological Administration 2002).
