United States and South Korea

¶ … United States and South Korea have many similarities, but also diverge in many key ways. An understanding and appreciation of the comparisons and contrasts between the United States and other countries is essential for formulating well-informed and realistic policies towards the rest of an increasingly interconnected world.

The greatest period of interaction between the United States and South Korea occurred during the Korean War. That war, waged from 1950-1953, is often called the "Forgotten War" by many historians. Its impact and legacy, however, do indeed continue to be felt by both Americans and South Koreans to this day.

Similarities and Differences:

One of the quickest ways to get a snapshot of a country is to identify their form of government. In the case of both the United States and South Korea, the official form of government is republican, meaning that the citizens of the country vote for representatives who attempt to advance their various interests. Moreover, in the case of South Korea and the United States, there is a division of power between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. This division of authority helps balance the assertion of power in each country, thus minimizing the possibility of a dictator as in South Korea's northern neighbor. Voting in South Korea begins at 19, whereas the voting age in the United States is 18.

Though there are political similarities between the two countries, the physical difference in size between the two is enormous. South Korea is approximately the size of Indiana (about 38,000 square miles), whereas the United States encompasses greater than 3.5 million square miles.

In terms of education standards, South Korea is ahead of the United States, due in part to the strong emphasis Asian cultures place on education and study. The attendance rate for high school in South Korea is 95%; in the United States the rate for public high schools is 70% and, even then, graduation does not guarantee any likelihood of success in college. This is in contrast to the enormous pressure on Korean students to excel at (and not just graduate from) school.

South Korea was established in 1945, after the end of World War II. This late entry of South Korea on to the world stage might partially explain the difference of approach between South Korea and the United States to involvement in world affairs. The two countries' divergent philosophies in this regard is reflected in the difference between the two in the amount of military spending: while South Korea spends $21 billion on defense, the United States' military budget is 439 billion dollars.

Not only is the United States vastly superior to South Korea in military might, the United States also dwarfs South Korea in economic strength. South Korea's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is about 900 billion dollars. The United States, in contrast, has a GDP of 13 trillion.

Perhaps the greatest difference between the two countries is the constitution of their respective populations. South Korea is one of the most homogenous countries in the world, both ethnically and linguistically. Almost every Korean shares the same cultural and linguistic heritage, with the exception of a small Chinese minority. The United States, in contrast, though white people still are the most prevalent, houses people of all races, including blacks, Asians, Hispanics, American Indians, Alaskan natives, and native Hawaiians. And while South Korea has foreign permanent residents solely from China, the United States embraces immigrants from every continent and country on the planet.

The two countries also widely diverge in terms of religious affiliation. The United States is predominantly Christian. Though Christianity is popular in South Korea, it vies with the most widespread Asian religion of Buddhism for adherents in South Korea. And while South Korea is split only between those two major religions, the United States' tolerant and open society has allowed for the flourishing of other major religions such as Judaism and Islam, as well as the survival of countless minor religions and religious sects.