expenditures - dollar figure: $3.7 billion to $4.9 billion
(FY98 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 25% to 33% (FY98 est.)

Korea, North Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: 33-km section of boundary with China in
the Paektu-san (mountain) area is indefinite; Demarcation Line with
South Korea

======================================================================

@Korea, South

Korea, South Introduction

Background: After World War II, a republic was set up in the
southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a communist-style
government was installed in the north. The Korean War (1950-53) had
US and other UN forces intervene to defend South Korea from North
Korean attacks supported by the Chinese. An armistice was signed in
1953 splitting the peninsula at the 38th parallel known as the DMZ.
Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth, with per
capita income rising to 13 times the level of North Korea. In 1997,
the nation suffered a severe financial crisis from which it
continues to make a solid recovery. South Korea has also maintained
its commitment to democratize its political processes. In June 2000,
a historic first south-north summit took place between the south's
President KIM Dae-jung and the north's leader KIM Chong-il. In
December 2000, President KIM Dae-jung won the Noble Peace Prize for
his lifeling committment to democracy and human rights in Asia. He
is the first Korean to win a Nobel Prize.

Korea, South Geography

Location: Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula
bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea

Geographic coordinates: 37 00 N, 127 30 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 98,480 sq km

land: 98,190 sq km

water: 290 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 238 km

border countries: North Korea 238 km

Coastline: 2,413 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM

continental shelf: not specified

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM; between 3 NM and 12 NM in the Korea Strait

Climate: temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Terrain: mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and
south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m

highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m

Natural resources: coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead,
hydropower potential

Land use: arable land: 19%

per