South Korea

==== Contemporary history ====
[[File:Kim Dae-jung presidential portrait.jpg|thumb|upright|President [[Kim Dae-jung]], the 2000 [[Nobel Peace Prize]] recipient for advancing democracy and human rights in South Korea and East Asia and for reconciliation with North Korea, was sometimes called the "[[Nelson Mandela]] of Asia".<ref name="The Guardian-2009" />]]
In June 2000, as part of President Kim Dae-jung's "[[Sunshine Policy]]" of engagement, a [[Inter-Korean summit|North–South summit]] took place in [[Pyongyang]], the capital of North Korea.<ref>{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |title=North and South Korean leaders meet |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2000/jun/13/northkorea1 |work=the Guardian |date=13 June 2000 |language=en |access-date=31 October 2022 |archive-date=14 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180214015818/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2000/jun/13/northkorea1 |url-status=live }}</ref> Later that year, Kim received the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] "for his work for democracy and human rights in South Korea and in East Asia in general, and for peace and reconciliation with North Korea in particular".<ref>{{cite web |url= http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2000/index.html |title= The Nobel Peace Prize 2000 |publisher= The Nobel Foundation |year= 2000 |access-date= 17 February 2009 |archive-date= 3 February 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120203175049/http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2000/index.html |url-status= live }}</ref> However, because of discontent among the population for fruitless approaches to the North under the previous administrations and, amid North Korean provocations, a conservative government was elected in 2007 led by President [[Lee Myung-bak]], former [[mayor of Seoul]].<ref>{{cite news |title=South Korea's New President Sworn In – DW – 02/25/2008 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/south-koreas-new-president-sworn-in/a-5213894 |work=dw.com |language=en |access-date=31 October 2022 |archive-date=31 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221031125726/https://www.dw.com/en/south-koreas-new-president-sworn-in/a-5213894 |url-status=live }}</ref> Meanwhile, South Korea and Japan jointly co-hosted the [[2002 FIFA World Cup]].<ref>{{cite news |title=FIFA World Cup: When South Korea created history in 2002 {{!}} Goal.com |url=https://www.goal.com/en/news/fifa-world-cup-2002-south-korea-history-semifinal/blt7b0eedc7838c3dc9 |work=www.goal.com |access-date=1 November 2022 |archive-date=1 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221101084318/https://www.goal.com/en/news/fifa-world-cup-2002-south-korea-history-semifinal/blt7b0eedc7838c3dc9 |url-status=live }}</ref> However, [[Japan–Korea relations|South Korean and Japanese relations]] later [[Japan–Korea disputes|soured]] because of conflicting claims of sovereignty over the [[Liancourt Rocks dispute|Liancourt Rocks]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Rocky relations between Japan and South Korea over disputed islands |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/aug/18/japan-south-korea-disputed-islands |work=the Guardian |date=18 August 2010 |language=en |access-date=1 November 2022 |archive-date=16 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230316055633/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/aug/18/japan-south-korea-disputed-islands |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:2010 G-20 Seoul summit.jpg|thumb|South Korea became the first non-[[G7]] chair of the [[G-20]] when it hosted the [[2010 G-20 Seoul summit|2010 Seoul summit]].<ref>Oliver, Christian. "Seoul: S Korea looks forward to its own party", ''Financial Times'' (UK). 25 June 2010.</ref>]]

In 2010, there was an [[List of border incidents involving North and South Korea|escalation in attacks]] by North Korea. In March 2010 the South Korean warship [[ROKS Cheonan sinking|ROKS ''Cheonan'' was sunk]] killing 46 South Korean sailors, allegedly by a North Korean submarine. In November 2010 [[Yeonpyeongdo|Yeonpyeong Island]] [[Bombardment of Yeonpyeong|was attacked]] by a significant North Korean artillery barrage, with 4 people dying. The lack of a strong response to these attacks from both South Korea and the international community (the official UN report declined to explicitly name North Korea as the perpetrator for the ''Cheonan'' sinking) caused significant anger with the South Korean public.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.asiafoundation.org/resources/pdfs/201104SnyderandByun.pdf|title=Cheonan and Yeonpyeong. The Northeast Asian Response to North Korea's Provocations|date=1 May 2011|publisher=[[Asia Foundation]]|access-date=13 March 2018|archive-date=14 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180314174320/https://www.asiafoundation.org/resources/pdfs/201104SnyderandByun.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

South Korea saw another milestone in 2012 with the first ever female President [[Park Geun-hye]] [[2012 South Korean presidential election|elected]] and assuming office. The daughter of former President Park Chung Hee, she carried on a conservative brand of politics.<ref>{{cite news |title=Park Geun-hye sworn in as South Korea president |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-21570512 |work=[[BBC News]] |date=25 February 2013 |access-date=31 October 2022 |archive-date=31 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221031121124/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-21570512 |url-status=live }}</ref> President Park Geun-hye's administration was formally accused of corruption, bribery, and influence-peddling for the involvement of close friend [[Choi Soon-sil]] in state affairs. There followed a series of [[2016–2017 South Korean protests|massive public demonstrations]] from November 2016,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://asiatimes.com/article/long-will-south-koreas-protests-remain-peaceful/|title=How long will Seoul protests remain peaceful?|last=Langan|first=Peter|date=28 November 2016|publisher=[[Asia Times]]|access-date=2 December 2016|archive-date=28 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240328145415/https://asiatimes.com/2016/11/long-will-south-koreas-protests-remain-peaceful/|url-status=live}}</ref> and she was removed from office.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-south-korea-park-impeach-2017-story.html|title=South Korea's president is removed from office as court upholds her impeachment|date=10 March 2017|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=10 March 2017|archive-date=9 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170309190803/http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-south-korea-park-impeach-2017-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> After the fallout of Park's impeachment and dismissal, elections were held and [[Moon Jae-in]] of the [[Democratic Party of Korea|Democratic Party]] won the presidency, assuming office on 10 May 2017.<ref>{{cite news |title=New Korean president willing to work with North – DW – 05/10/2017 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/new-south-korean-president-moon-sworn-in-and-willing-to-visit-north-korea/a-38779018 |work=dw.com |language=en |access-date=31 October 2022 |archive-date=31 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221031121333/https://www.dw.com/en/new-south-korean-president-moon-sworn-in-and-willing-to-visit-north-korea/a-38779018 |url-status=live }}</ref> His tenure saw an improving political relationship with North Korea, some increasing divergence in the military alliance with the United States, and the successful hosting of [[2018 Winter Olympics|the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2018/02/11/south-koreas-moon-may-be-on-brink-of-legacy-defining-moment/110314864/|title=South Korea's Moon may be on brink of legacy-defining moment|date=11 February 2018|newspaper=USA Today|access-date=28 March 2024|archive-date=13 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613051923/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2018/02/11/south-koreas-moon-may-be-on-brink-of-legacy-defining-moment/110314864/|url-status=live}}</ref> In April 2018, Park Geun-hye was sentenced to 24 years in jail because of abuse of power and corruption.<ref>{{cite news |title=Park Geun-hye: South Korea's ex-leader jailed for 24 years for corruption |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-43666134 |work=[[BBC News]] |date=6 April 2018 |access-date=31 October 2022 |archive-date=1 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101144853/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-43666134 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea|The COVID-19 pandemic]] has affected the nation since 2020. That same year, South Korea recorded more deaths than births, resulting in a population decline for the first time on record.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/04/world/asia/south-korea-population.html|title=As Birthrate Falls, South Korea's Population Declines, Posing Threat to Economy|last=Gladstone|first=Rick|website=[[The New York Times]]|date=4 January 2021|access-date=5 January 2021|archive-date=4 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210104222029/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/04/world/asia/south-korea-population.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In March 2022, [[Yoon Suk Yeol]], the candidate of conservative opposition [[People Power Party (South Korea)|People Power Party]], won a close [[2022 South Korean presidential election|election]] over the Democratic Party candidate by the narrowest margin ever. Yoon was sworn in on 10 May 2022.<ref>{{cite news |title=Who is South Korea's new president Yoon Suk Yeol? |url=https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20220510-who-is-south-korea-s-new-president-yoon-suk-yeol |work=France 24 |date=10 May 2022 |language=en |access-date=28 March 2024 |archive-date=23 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923202013/https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20220510-who-is-south-korea-s-new-president-yoon-suk-yeol |url-status=live }}</ref>