| Extending south
from northeast China on the mainland of Asia, the Korean
Peninsula covers over 220,000 square kilometers, an area
about the same size as Minnesota. North and South Korea
are separated by a demilitarized zone (DMZ) at the 38th
parallel. The Peninsula is traversed by a series of mountain
ranges. Extensive forest harvesting has resulted in widespread
deforestation of Korea’s mountains and substantial
erosion, although reforestation programs in South Korea
have replaced much of the vegetation on mountain slopes
(Library of Congress: South Korea).
With nearly 48 million people in an area roughly the
size of Indiana, South Korea has one of the highest
population densities in the world. A large fraction
of this population is concentrated either in the temperate
climate of South Korea’s northwestern hills and
mountains or in the fertile land south of Seoul.
Economy—Over the
past three decades, South Korea has experienced remarkable
economic growth. Manufacturing has developed rapidly,
initially in light industry and later in heavy industry,
with a strong emphasis on exports. Rebounding from the
1997-1999 Asian financial crisis, South Korea implemented
reforms to encourage market-oriented economic development.
In 2002, South Korea achieved an economic growth rate
of six percent, a remarkable exception in the recent
global economic recession. South Korea is now the 12th
largest economy in the world, and Koreans enjoy a relatively
high standard of living. (U.S. Department of State 2003e).
Per capita GNP in 2002 was more than US$9,930, approximately
ten times that of China and about half that of Hong
Kong (World Bank 2003a).
|
 North
Korea—About 80 percent of North Korea is
mountainous, and only about 14 percent of the land is
arable (World Bank 2003a). To improve agricultural production
and rural living standards after the Korean War, North
Korea expanded irrigation, rural electrification, mechanization,
and the use of chemical fertilizers. Due to structural
economic decline in the 1980s and other factors, North
Korea lacked the resources to withstand a series of natural
disasters in the early 1990s. Major floods in 1995 destroyed
substantial grain reserves and led to severe food shortages.
“Lack of fertilizer, natural disasters, and poor
storage and transportation practices have left the country
more than a million tons short of grain self-sufficiency
each year” (U.S. Department of State 2003d). Accurate
statistics for deaths due to starvation are unavailable,
but estimates start at over 200,000 (Smith 2002). The
United Nations and other international organizations have
responded with food aid and technical assistance. The
United States contributed 1.8 million (approx. US. tons)
(approx. 1.98 million U.S. tons) of food aid to North
Korea from 1995 through mid-2002, including 40 percent
of the total food aid to North Korea in 2001 (Smith 2002).
In addition to food aid, contributions such as fertilizer
from South Korea have assisted in agricultural recovery.
Technical assistance has supported the improvement of
agricultural production through double-cropping and a
shift to more diversified crops, including the production
of potatoes as a staple. |
| Agriculture—Only
17 percent of the land in South Korea is considered arable
(World Bank 2003a). Most farms in South Korea are small,
on the average about one hectare (approx. 2.5 acres).
In 2001, farm households typically earned more than 50
percent of their income from non-farm sources (USDA/ERS
2003b). Population growth and increasing urbanization
have encroached upon farmland and increased demand for
agricultural products. Although the Korean government
has sought food self-sufficiency, over half of South Korea’s
food is imported (USDA/ERS 2002). In the late 1980s, South
Korea experienced an agricultural crisis as farm households
struggled to maintain adequate income to cover rising
debt burdens for modern farm machinery, consumer goods,
and other expenses. The Korean government implemented
a series of programs to improve rural living conditions
and narrow the income gap between rural and urban residents.
These measures included maintaining restrictions against
the import of beef, rice, and other agricultural products
that would compete against the products of South Korea’s
debt-burdened farmers. Farmers’ associations and
other groups pressured the government to maintain these
import barriers, but negotiations related to Korea’s
continued access to world markets under the General Agreement
on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and other agreements eventually
led to the liberalization of most agricultural imports
(Library of Congress n.d.: South Korea). |
