Korea, Republic of

Located on the southern part of the Korean peninsula, the Republic of Korea (often known as South Korea) only has a land border with the Demilitarised Zone that separates it from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the north. Initially established as a Western looking counter to its Soviet influenced northern neighbour, South Korea went through several periods of authoritarian military rule before moving towards a functioning democracy in the late 1980s. It is now governed by a directly elected president and legislature and features strong liberal democratic institutions. Authoritarian social attitudes still remain, however, including limited respect for freedom of speech or privacy - particularly around issues related to the North - and discrimination based on race and gender.