According to ezinereligion, in 2007, South Korea had a population of roughly 48 million people. The economy was driven by exports, manufacturing, and technology. South Korea’s foreign relations were strong with other countries in the region as well as with the United States and other western countries. In terms of politics, South Korea was a democratic nation ruled by the Grand National Party (GNP). The GNP had been in power since 1997 and was responsible for enacting economic reforms to improve the standard of living for all South Koreans. This included introducing social welfare programs and economic policies that aimed to reduce poverty, create jobs, and promote economic growth. Furthermore, the GNP also worked towards improving educational opportunities for all citizens and eliminating racial disparities in access to healthcare, housing, education and employment opportunities.
Yearbook 2007
South Korea. In 2007, it was a crisis year for South Korea’s government party Uri and President Roh Moo Hyun. A rapidly declining support for public opinion in February caused 25 Urile members of the National Assembly to break out to form their own party ahead of the important presidential election in December of that year. In May, 20 of those dropped out announced that they formed the New Party for Liberal Reform and Alliance. Another party, the United New Democratic Party (UNDP), was formed in August. The power outages continued, and Uri went from the largest party in the National Assembly to third, after the Conservative opposition party Great National Party (GNP) and UNDP. Shortly thereafter, Uri disbanded and the majority of its MPs went to UNDP.
- According to abbreviationfinder: KR is the 2-letter acronym for the country of South Korea.
In March, Prime Minister Han Myung Sook quit his job to try to be elected Uri’s presidential candidate. She had been sitting on the post for ten months. Han Myung Sook was replaced by Han Duck Soo, advisor to the president on trade issues.
Then things went better for the country’s government in terms of relations with North Korea. At the beginning of the year, conversations at ministerial level were resumed. These had been interrupted in 2006 when North Korea conducted a missile test and an underground nuclear bomb. Promises from North Korea to scrap its nuclear weapons program and shut down the Yongbyon nuclear power plant led to the resumption. In May, joint tests were conducted on the safety of the newly renovated railway lines running through the demilitarized zone separating the countries.
When the IAEA Atomic Energy Agency was able to establish during the summer that North Korea had indeed closed Yongbyon, South Korea and North Korea decided to hold the second summit of the country’s top leaders (the first was held in 2000).
According to CountryAAH, Seoul is the capital city of South Korea. The meeting between President Roh and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Il was held in October. This led to a declaration in eight points, of which perhaps the most important was that the two countries would now work actively to replace the 1953 ceasefire with permanent peace. A follow-up meeting in November between the countries’ heads of government meant that goods could start to be transported by train across the “border” in December.
In July, the country was shaken when 23 South Korean relief workers and Christian missionaries were kidnapped by Taliban in Afghanistan. Two hostages were killed when the kidnappers’ demands for the release of imprisoned Taliban were not heeded. Only since the South Korean government in August promised to withdraw its force in Afghanistan and impose a ban on missionary activity in the country were all released from hostage. The kidnappers had then abandoned the demands to have prisoners released. The fact that the South Korean squad of 200 (non-combatant) men would be taken home at the end of the year was already determined.
In November, President Roh decided that the country’s troops in Iraq of 1,200 men would remain for another year, until the end of 2008, but that it should be reduced to 650 men. Earlier, Roh had announced that the force would be taken home at the end of 2007, but the United States had expressed its strong desire to have the South Korean partner in Iraq.
Economically, an important free trade agreement was signed between the US and South Korea in April. While the United States would gradually release the high import duty on meat for 15 years, South Korea was granted expanded export opportunities for a variety of goods, including cars. Import duties and other support for the country’s rice farmers were not covered by the FTA.
In the December 19 presidential election, Lee Myung Bak was nominated for GNP. He had previously been mayor of Seoul. Lee was a clear favorite throughout the election campaign, even though allegations of stock market fraud were directed at him by competitors. As a formerly successful businessman, he chose to focus on the popular dissatisfaction with President Roh’s economic policies. Lee won big with 49 percent of the vote against 26 percent of the main competitor, UNDP candidate Chung Dong Young.
South Korea weather in March, April and May
Average daily temperatures between 9 ° C and 23 ° C can be expected over the next three months. In Seoul, it gets warmest in May, while March is noticeably cooler. Temperatures in Seoul are between 9 and 23 ° C and in Busan between 13 and 22 ° C.
Do you want to go on a beach holiday? The water temperatures are in March, April and May 4-17 ° C.
In March, at about days 8 expected precipitation in April at about 9 days in May at about 9 days.
In the period from March to May, the sun shines an average of 6 to 7 hours a day. The sunniest weather is in April in Seoul, but with a little less sun you will have to get by in March.