South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK) and often referred to as Korea, is a country in East Asia, located on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. Also known as the "Land of the Morning Calm", it is neighbored by China to the west and Japan to the east, bordering North Korea to the north. Its capital is Seoul, the second largest metropolitan city in the world and a major global city. South Korea lies in a temperate climate region with a predominantly mountainous terrain. Its territory covers a total area of 100,032 square kilometers and has a population of over 48 million, making it one of the most densely populated regions in the world.

• Currency: South Korean won
• Capital: Seoul
• Climate:South Korea has a humid continental climate and a humid subtropical climate
• Language: Korean

outh Korea is a presidential republic consisting of 16 administrative divisions. Archaeological findings show that the Korean Peninsula was occupied as early as the Lower Paleolithic period. Korean history begins with the founding of Gojoseon in 2333 BCE by Dangun. Following the unification of Three Kingdoms of Korea under Silla 668 CE, Korea went through the Goryeo and Joseon Dynasty as one nation until the end of the Korean Empire in 1910. After liberation and division, South Korea was established in 1948 as a democracy. Following the Korean War, the South Korean economy grew significantly, transforming the country into a major global economy. This is known as the Miracle on the Han River and the country became one of the Four Asian Tigers. South Korea is a developed country with high living standards and is a full democracy. It is a High-income OECD member, having the fourth largest economy in Asia and the 15th largest in the world. South Korea is the world leader in innovation among major economies and a leader in technologically advanced goods such as electronics, automobiles, ships, machinery, petrochemicals and robotics, headed by Samsung, LG and Hyundai-Kia. It is a member of the United Nations, WTO, OECD and G-20 major economies. It is also a founding member of APEC and the East Asia Summit, and a major non-NATO ally of the United States. In the 21st century, there has been increased interest in Korean culture throughout the world, also known as the Korean Wave.

South Korea has been growing as a tourist destination of choice for health and vacation because of their world class physicians, modern technology, and unique caring and compassion at great values for money at a fraction of the cost in the west. the country is home to some of the best hospitals and stand alone specialty clinics in the world, offering world-class expertise, state-of-the-art facilities, and the warmth of hospitality. also, some of the world's best spa retreat resorts and tour destinations can be found in this part of the earth. additionally, it's not unusual to find plus accommodations, foreign language translators, and other amenities at some of the major facilities. south korea has made its initial foray into the lucrative market of medical tourism by launching the council for korea medicine overseas promotion. funded by the hovernment and 28 private hospitals, this organization will market medical packages to foreign patients seeking affordable health care.

The council has initiated a set of measures to promote the medical vacation industry by aiding hospitals in their marketing strategies. in this way, south korea can generate greater overseas awareness of the country's medical and tourism offerings. according to a council official : * the average charge for an in-patient visit in a US hospital is $3,762, which is 13 times higher than in south korea. * the average charge for outpatients in the US is $13,000 which is 9 times higher than in south korea. south korea's affordable health care system has seen the number of foreign patients rise from 10,000 to 13,000 in just 2 years. with all these added measures in place, south korea is on its way to claim its share in the prosperous medical vacation business.