South Korea

=== Sports ===
{{Main|Sport in South Korea}}

[[File:View from COEX Tower.jpg|thumb|left|[[Seoul Sports Complex]], Korea's largest integrated sports center]]

The [[martial arts|martial art]] [[taekwondo]] originated in Korea. In the 1950s and 1960s, modern rules were standardized, with taekwondo becoming an official [[Olympic Games|Olympic sport]] in 2000.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wtf.org/wtf_eng/site/about_taekwondo/present_day.html |title=Taekwondo |publisher=World Taekwondo Federation |date=29 November 2002 |access-date=10 August 2013 |archive-date=21 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100121165001/http://www.wtf.org/wtf_eng/site/about_taekwondo/present_day.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Other Korean martial arts include [[taekkyeon|Taekkyon]], [[hapkido]], [[Tang Soo Do]], [[Kuk Sool Won]], [[kumdo]] and [[subak]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kmaf.kr/ |title=Korea Martial Arts Federation |language=ko |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719031130/https://www.kmaf.kr/ |archive-date=19 July 2011}}</ref>

[[Association football|Football]] has traditionally been regarded as the most popular sport in Korea, with [[baseball]] as the second.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news1.kr/articles/?2139988 |script-title=ko:프로스포츠, 흥행 봄날 오나…야구·축구 인기몰이 중 |publisher=EBN |date=17 March 2015 |access-date=13 April 2016}}</ref> Recent polling indicates that a majority, 41% of South Korean sports fans continue to self-identify as football fans, with baseball ranked 2nd at 25% of respondents. However, the polling did not indicate the extent to which respondents follow both sports.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gallup.co.kr/gallupdb/reportContent.asp?seqNo=211&pagePos=1&selectYear=0&search=0&searchKeyword=%BD%BA%C6%F7%C3%F7 |script-title=ko:한국갤럽조사연구소 |publisher=Gallup.co.kr |date=20 May 2009 |access-date=10 August 2013}}</ref>

The [[South Korea national football team|national football team]] became the first team in the [[Asian Football Confederation]] to reach the [[FIFA World Cup]] semi-finals in the [[2002 FIFA World Cup]], jointly hosted by South Korea and Japan. The [[Korea Republic national football team|Korea Republic national team]] (as it is known) has qualified for every World Cup since [[1986 FIFA World Cup|Mexico 1986]], and has broken out of the group stage in 2002, in [[2010 FIFA World Cup|2010]], when it was defeated by eventual semi-finalist [[Uruguay national football team|Uruguay]] in the Round of 16, and in [[2022 FIFA World Cup|2022]]. At the [[2012 Summer Olympics]], South Korea won the bronze medal for football.

[[File:Busan Sajik Stadium 20080706.JPG|thumb|[[Sajik Baseball Stadium]] in [[Busan]]. Baseball is one of the most popular sports in South Korea.]]

Baseball was first introduced to Korea in 1905.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Handbook of Korea, 11th ed|author=KOIS ([[Korea Overseas Information Service]])|location=Seoul|publisher=[[Hollym (publishing house)|Hollym]]|year=2003|isbn=978-1-56591-212-0|page=632}}</ref><ref>Trading Markets.com. [https://web.archive.org/web/20101226170841/http://www.tradingmarkets.com/news/stock-alert/ncscf_s-korean-game-developer-ncsoft-interested-in-pro-baseball-1382602.html "S. Korean Game Developer NCsoft Interested in Pro Baseball"]. 21 December 2010. Accessed 26 December 2010.</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Min-sik, Yoon|title=Baseball comes roaring back to Seoul|work= [[The Korea Herald]]|date= 25 October 2013|access-date= 9 November 2013|url= http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20131025000840}}</ref> Recent years have been characterized by increasing attendance and ticket prices for professional baseball games.<ref>Kim Yang-hee (21 April 2011). [http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_entertainment/474168.html "Professional baseball rising in popularity"]. ''The Hankyoreh''. Accessed 21 April 2011.</ref><ref>[http://www.index.go.kr/potal/main/EachDtlPageDetail.do?idx_cd=1662 나라지표-프로스포츠 관중현황]. Index.go.kr (26 January 2016). Retrieved 20 June 2016.</ref> The [[Korea Professional Baseball]] league, a 10-team circuit, was established in 1982. The [[South Korea national baseball team|South Korea national team]] finished third in the [[2006 World Baseball Classic]] and second in the [[2009 World Baseball Classic|2009 tournament]]. The team's 2009 final game against Japan was widely watched in Korea, with a large screen at [[Gwanghwamun]] crossing in Seoul broadcasting the game live.<ref>Wakabayashi, Daisuke; Park Sungha (24 March 2009). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123786547697822121 "Japan beats South Korea to be Baseball Champions"]. ''The Wall Street Journal'' (New York). 20 November 2010.</ref> In the [[2008 Summer Olympics]], South Korea won the gold medal in baseball.<ref>[http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/olympics_blog/2008/08/south-korea-tak.html "South Korea takes Olympics baseball gold"]. ''Los Angeles Times'' (blog). 23 August 2008. Retrieved 7 July 2010.</ref> Also in 1982, at the Baseball Worldcup, Korea won the gold medal. At the [[2010 Asian Games]], the Korean National Baseball team won the gold medal. Several Korean players have gone on to play in [[Major League Baseball]].

[[Basketball]] is a popular sport in the country as well. South Korea has traditionally had one of the top basketball teams in Asia and one of the continent's strongest basketball divisions. Seoul hosted the [[1967 ABC Championship|1967]] and [[1995 ABC Championship|1995 Asian Basketball Championship]]. The [[Korea national basketball team]] has won a record number of 23 medals at the event to date.<ref>{{cite web |title=FIBA Asia Competition Archives |work=Competition Archives |publisher=International Basketball Federation FIBA |date=26 September 2011 |url=http://www.fibaasia.net/Competition_Archives.aspx?id=2 |access-date=15 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140807225139/http://www.fibaasia.net/Competition_Archives.aspx?id=2 |archive-date=7 August 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[File:Korea Taekwondo Hanmadang 70.jpg|thumb|left|[[Taekwondo]], a Korean martial art and Olympic sport]]
South Korea hosted the [[Asian Games]] in 1986 (Seoul), 2002 (Busan), and 2014 (Incheon). It also hosted the Winter [[Universiade]] in 1997, the [[Asian Winter Games]] in 1999, and the Summer Universiade in 2003 and 2015. In 1988, South Korea hosted the [[1988 Summer Olympics|Summer Olympics in Seoul]], coming fourth with 12 gold medals, 10 silver medals, and 11 bronze medals. South Korea regularly performs well in [[archery]], [[shooting]], [[table tennis]], [[badminton]], [[short track speed skating]], [[handball]], [[field hockey]], [[freestyle wrestling]], [[Greco-Roman wrestling]], [[baseball]], [[judo]], [[taekwondo]], [[speed skating]], [[figure skating]], and [[Olympic weightlifting|weightlifting]]. The [[Seoul Olympic Museum]] is dedicated to the 1988 Summer Olympics.

[[Pyeongchang County|Pyeongchang]] hosted the [[2018 Winter Olympics]]. South Korea has won more medals in the [[Winter Olympics]] than any other Asian country, with a total of 45 (23 gold, 14 silver, and 8 bronze). At the [[2010 Winter Olympics]], South Korea ranked fifth in the overall medal rankings. South Korea is especially strong in [[short track speed skating]]. [[Speed skating]] and [[figure skating]] are also popular, and [[ice hockey]] is an emerging sport, with [[Anyang Halla]] winning their first ever [[Asia League Ice Hockey]] title in March 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alhockey.com/ |title=Asia League Ice Hockey official site |publisher=alhockey.com |access-date=29 October 2010}}</ref>

Seoul hosted a professional [[triathlon]] race, which is part of the [[International Triathlon Union]] (ITU) World Championship Series in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dextro Energy International Triathlon Union World championship Series Seoul |url=http://seoul.triathlon.org/ |access-date=26 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100609041817/http://seoul.triathlon.org/ |archive-date=9 June 2010}}</ref> In 2011, the South Korean city of Daegu hosted the [[2011 World Championships in Athletics|2011 IAAF World Championships in Athletics]].<ref>{{cite web|title=2011 World Championships Results|url=http://www.supersport.com/athletics/content.aspx?id=100421|work=SuperSport|publisher=MultiChoice (Pty) Ltd|access-date=27 December 2013|year=2011}}</ref> In 2010, South Korea hosted its first [[Formula One]] race at the [[Korea International Circuit]] in [[Yeongam]].<ref>{{cite web|title=2013 Formula 1 Korean Grand Prix |url=http://www.formula1.com/races/in_detail/korea_907/circuit_history.html|work=Formula 1|publisher=Formula One World Championship Limited|access-date=27 December 2013|year=2003–2013}}</ref> The [[Korean Grand Prix]] was held from 2010 to 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/formula1/25220593 |title=New Jersey, Mexico, and Korea dropped from 2014 F1 calendar |last1=Benson |first1=Andrew |date=4 December 2013 |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=27 December 2013}}</ref>

Domestic [[horse racing]] events are followed by South Koreans and [[LetsRun Park Seoul|Seoul Race Park]] in [[Gwacheon]], [[Gyeonggi Province]] is located closest to Seoul out of the country's three tracks.<ref>{{cite web|title=Horse Racing|url=http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_2_4.jsp?recommCid=803724&folderId=19927|work=Korea Be Inspired|publisher=[[Korea Tourism Organization]]|access-date=27 December 2013|year=2013|archive-date=28 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228003001/http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_2_4.jsp?recommCid=803724&folderId=19927|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Competitive [[video game|video gaming]], also called [[Esports]], has become more popular in South Korea in recent years, particularly among young people.<ref>{{cite book|title=Korea's Online Gaming Empire|url=https://archive.org/details/koreasonlinegami00jind|url-access=limited|first=Dal Yong|last=Jin|author-link=Dal Yong Jin|year=2010|publisher=The MIT Press|page=[https://archive.org/details/koreasonlinegami00jind/page/n64 59]|isbn=978-0-262-01476-2}}</ref> The two most popular games are [[League of Legends]] and [[StarCraft]]. The gaming scene is managed by the [[Korean e-Sports Association]].