Countries of the World
Hwanyoung hapnida in Korea : from heaven to hell.




Annyoung !
Welcome on my blog.
It's my third blog and I hope you will like it like the other about China and Sri Lanka.
Here, you will find informations about South Korea but also North Korea.
You will see the reason of the title of my blog : Of the paradise at the hell.


North Korea and South Korea


Listen to the North Korean national anthem : here.

Ach'imŭn pinnara i kangsan
Ŭn'gŭme chawŏndo kadŭkhan
Samch'ŏlli arŭmdaun nae choguk
Panmannyŏn oraen ryŏksaë
Ch'allanhan munhwaro charanan
Sŭlgiron inminŭi i yŏnggwang
Momgwa mam ta pach'yŏ i chosŏn
Kiri pattŭse
Paektusan kisangŭl ta anko
Kŭlloŭi chŏngsinŭn kittŭrŏ
Chilliro mungch'yŏjin ŏksen ttŭt
On segye apsŏ nagari
Sonnŭn him nododo naemirŏ
Inminŭi ttŭsŭro sŏn naraHanŏpsi puganghanŭn i chosŏn
Kiri pinnaese


Listen to the South Korean national anthem : here.

Donghae mulgwa
Baekdusani mareugo daltorok
Haneunimi bouhasa urinara manse
Namsan wie jeo sonamu cheolgabeul dureun deut
Baram seori bulbyeonhameun uri gisangilse
Gaeul haneul gonghwalhande nopgo gureum eopsi
Balgeun dareun uri gaseum ilpyeondansimilse
I gisanggwa i mameuro chungseongeul dahayeo
Goerouna jeulgeouna nara saranghase

Mugunghwa samcheolli hwaryeogangsan
Daehan saram Daehaneuro giri bojeonhase


North Korea :

This Asian country, called Choson in Korean, is located between China and South Korea.
Its capital is Pyongyang. With its surface of 120 538 km², I think it's a small country but the density is of 192 people/km².
There are 23.1 million North Koreans who all speak the national language which is Korean.
It exists 9 provinces which are Chagang-do, Hamgyong-bukto, Hamgyong-namdo, Hwanghae-bukto, Hwanghae-namdo, Kangwon-do, P'yongan-bukto, P'yongan-namdo and Yanggang-do.


South Korea :

This country is located just under North Korea. It is called Han-guk in Korean.
Its capital is Seoul. It has nearly the same surface as North Korea which is of 99 268 km². The density is one of the most raised in the world with 497,5 people/km².
There are 48,8 million South Koreans who speak the national language too which is Korean.
There are 9 provinces roo which are Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto, Cholla-namdo, Ch'ungch'ong-bukto, Ch'ungch'ong-namdo, Kangwon-do, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto and Kyongsang-namdo.


Like I have said, Korean is the national language. This language is not really spoken in the other countries of the world but just in South and North Korea. In Europe, we can't learn this language which is so beautiful and not more difficult as the other languages like French or Chinese. I can give you some addresses where you can learn Korean :
here or here.

Like you can see, I can't give you many addresses because Korean is a rare language. If you really want to learn Korean, you can have a Korean penpal who will help you by snail mail because on your computer, I imagine you can't write the Korean caracters. If you don't find a Korean penpal, contact me and I will find you one.


Like in my other blogs, I propose you to discover music of the country.
1-Every heart of BoA.
2-Sweet dreams of Jang Nara.
3-I will accept you of Park Ji Yoon.
4- A song of Lena Park.
5- Jealousy of Lena Park.
6-Against all odds of Lena Park again .
7- Michyeo of Lee Jung Hyun .
8-Grace of Lee Soo Young.
9-A love to kill of Lee Soo Young.
10-The Korean version of Timeless of Zhang Yi Lin feat. Xiah.

For the people who like J-pop, C-pop, K-pop, V-pop, C-rock and J-rock : go on this site.





The Korean national flower, the rose of Sharon.




The traditional dress known as hanbok has been worn since ancient times. The hanbok consists of a shirt (jeogori) and pants (baji). The traditional hat is called gwanmo and special meaning is attached to this piece of clothing.





Koreans used to dress differently, making clothing an important mark of social rank. Impressive, but sometimes cumbersome, costumes were worn by the ruling class and the royal family. Jewelry was also used to distance themselves from the ordinary people.




This is a traditionnal Korean house called Hanok in Korean.




Taekwondo is one of the national sport of Korea.


With also a sport which is not really known : ssireum.


Korean cuisine is probably best known for kimchi, which uses a distinctive fermentation process of preserving vegetables. Chili peppers are also commonly used, earning the cuisine a reputation for being spicy. Fish, generally grilled or stewed, is the primary source of protein. Bulgogi (roasted marinated beef, chicken, or pork), galbi (ribs), and samgyeopsal (pork fatback) are popular meat entrees. Korean meals are usually accompanied by a soup or stew, often made with dwenjang bean paste. Popular dishes are bibimbap (mixed rice), naengmyeon (cold noodles), galbitang (stewed ribs), and dwenjang jjigae (fermentated bean paste stew).


The Korean currency is the Won in North and South Korea.


There are 3 religions in North Korea and 5 in South Korea : buddhism ( in North and South Korea ), confucianism ( in North and South Korea ), chondogyo ( in North and South Korea )...


...shamanism and christianity ( only in South Korea ).



The differences :


 Kim Jong-il : a dictator.


Roh Moo-hyun: the South Korean president.
He was born in 1941, he succeeded his father Kim Il-sung, founder and dictator of the Democratic People's Republic, who died in 1994.

A true personality cult gets organized around him ( like each dictator : Stalin, Hitler, ... ).

From 1995, he created and developed the policy of songun which grants the priority to the intensification of the army in the construction of the North Korean socialism.

It is also from 1995 when the first problems of famines appear in North Korea. These problems of famine would have talked from 200000 ( officials numbers )to 2000000 deaths and the regime hindered and diverted a big part of the world food aid for the benefit of the army and the supports of the regime, what led certains ONG to stop their help.
Roh Moo-hyun was born on September 1st of 1946. He has been the President of South Korea since February 25th of 2003. Before entering politics, Roh was a noted human rights lawyer.

His political career was marked by attempts to overcome regionalism in South Korean politics, culminating in his election to the presidency. The emergence of a liberal reformist and anti-American political movement in the country was another factor in his victory.

Roh's policy highlights include an unpopular decision to send Korean troops to Irak, a failed attempt to relocate the capital from Seoul to the Chungcheong region, and a bid for a grand coalition with the conservative Grand National Party that was widely criticized.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBzHCVv5GeQ


Famine struck North Korea in the mid-1990s, set off by unprecedented floods. This autarkic urban, industrial society had achieved food self-sufficiency in prior decades through a massive industrialization of agriculture. However, the economic system relied on massive concessionary inputs of fossil fuels, primarily from the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China. When the Soviet collapse and China's marketization switched trade to a hard currency, full price basis, North Korea's economy collapsed. The vulnerable agricultural sector experienced a massive failure in 1995–96, expanding to full-fledged famine by 1997–99. Hundreds of thousands if not millions died of starvation (estimates range from 200,000 to 3.5 million). North Korea has not yet resumed its food self-sufficiency and relies on external food aid from China, Japan, South Korea and the United States. Recently, North Korea requested that food supplies are no-longer delivered.


Welcome to Seoul !

Seoul is the capital of South Korea. It is now a big and modern city, located on the river Han, at the Northwest of the country. Seoul is the 6th city the most populated in the world with a population of 10 297 004 inhabitants.

For the deplacements, Seoul accounts around 3 000 000 vehicles which circulate every day ( so it is not rare to meet traffic jams ! ) but you can use the subway which has 8 lines, or the bus which has almost 200 services or the 6 freeways which connect the districts of the city between them.

Seoul is composed of 25 districts :
Dobong-gu, Dongdaemun-gu, Dongjak-gu, Eunpyeong-gu, Gangbuk-gu, Gangdong-gu,
Gangnam-gu, Gangseo-gu, Geumcheon-gu, Guro-gu, Gwanak-gu, Gwangjin-gu, Jongno-gu,
Jung-gu, Jungnang-gu, Mapo-gu, Nowon-gu, Seocho-gu, Seodaemun-gu, Seongbuk-gu, Seongdong-gu, Songpa-gu, Yangcheon-gu, Yeongdeungpo-gu and Yongsan-gu.


Welcome to Pyongyang !

Pyongyang is the capital of North Korea.
There are around 2 000 000 inhabitants in this city.
Pyongyang has a metro, since 1973, with 17 stations in all the city but only 2 are accessible for the tourists.
It has also many monuments of the Revolution like the arch of triumph of Kim Il-sung, Juche tower or again the museum of the Korean war.
Pyongyang has a modern architecture because the city was completely destroyed by the American bombs during the war of Korea which lasted of 1950 to 1953.



The Royal Palace of Gyeongbokgung.

Changdeokgung is well integrated into its natural environment. The buildings, the houses and the garden of the palace are arranged in a rather free way but always harmonizes some with nature, which makes of Changdeokgung a model of architecture with regard to the palaces.

The back garden has rare trees, among which some have now nearly 300 years. It is a perfect example of Korean garden in all its splendour. The civils servant of the court and the members of the royal family often came to release themselves there.


This is the different between North Korea and South Korea : the first one is very poor whereas the other is rich and developped.

North Korea is one of the biggest dictarorship in the world and South Korea is a great democracy. North Korea won't be able to develop itself if the successors of Kim Jong-Il will be like him, dictators ( and it will be certainly a dictatorship during long years ).
North Korea is closed of all countries. Informations from there are controled and any reporters can't go to the country. South Korea could help its neighbour but North Korea doesn't agree...
It is like in China, the population doesn't know what it's happening in their own country but also all around the world. They don't know the words " Democracy " and " Liberty "...


Red Devil or Bulgeun Angma is the official supporting group for the Korea Republic national football team. Vociferous and dynamic, this group of supporters find their reason of existence in changing the football culture of Korea. In Feb 13, 2007, Red devil officially announced that they will suspend any further activities.



This is my South Korean penpal Eunsunny that I thank to have given me all these informations about South Korea.

This blog has been chosen for the blog of the month on February 2007. Thanks everybody !


You can visit my other blogs : about Sri Lanka ( blog of the month on October 2006 ), about Sudan, about Vietnam ( blog of the month on April 2007 ), about Japan ( blog of the month on May 2007 ), about China ( blog of the month on July 2007 ), about Brazil ( blog of the month on March 2008 ), about Tanzania, about France or about India ( blog of the month on September 2007 ).


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Hwanyoung hapnida in Korea : from heaven to hell. (Countries of the World)    -    Author : Lucile (france) - Korea


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