South+Korea

// **South Korea**

//**toc

By: Kim, Lidia, and Evelina **

Introduction
 I wanted to do South Korea because I think that it is a interesting country with history that has deep roots.I want to learn new things that I didn't know before. Another reason why I chose South Korea is because it's in the Ring of Fire. Some things I knew about South Korea before I started to research about it was: In the Ring of Fire Part of Asia Official language is Korean The culture I chose is South Korea. It sounds interesting from what I’ve heard. I chose the culture because I’ve heard Mrs.Seear talk about it, because she was born there, and because I find the country very interesting, like, 'it's a country that has split up', and 'it has a volcanic island'. Learning about this country I may be able to answer questions I have, for example why did Korea split up? Or what special cultures do they have? And what kind of landscape do they have? What I knew about South Korea before I started research is: Is part of the Ring of Fire Republic Government, Continent is Asia, Borders Japan.  I chose the country South Korea so that I can learn about different geographic features all around the world and explore cultural differences. I have a lot friends that are from Korea. They say that it is a great country and I want to view the beautiful land. I don’t know much about South Korea but I want to know more about it. I know very little about the country but I do know that the capital city is Seoul and that their closest neighbor is North Korea. One thing I wonder about is why North Korea and South Korea went their separate ways. -**Kim**
 * -Evelina**
 * -Lidia**

Location

 * __Focus Question: Where is the country located?__**

South Korea is found on the lower part of the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. It is located in the Northern hemisphere and is part of the Eurasian plate. South Korea's capital Seoul's geographic coordinates are 37 33 N, 126 59 E. The closest countries are Japan, China and, of course, North Korea. Japan is located South-East from South Korea. The Sea of Japan separates the two from touching. China is found on other side of the Yellow Sea on South Korea's left side (West). North of South Korea there is North Korea, there is no water separating the two countries except a border. On the southern part of South Korea there are two bodies of water, they are called the Cheju and Korea Strait. Jeju Island, in South Korea, has become a tourist hot spot, and has gained the nickname "Asia's Hawaii" because of it's popularity.

**Physical Environment **
__**Focus Question: What is the physical environment like?**__

Yellow Sea, Sea of Japan and the Korean straight surround South Korea. -there are over 34 main water bodies -There are; bays,lakes,rivers,streams,wetlands

The soil in South Korea is well, I presume because they have lot's of vegetation and farmlands. South korea is also full of many low mountains, and the highest mountains are on the north-west side, that go up to 1250 m.

On the shoreline of Chejudo a rich variety of plants grow. More than 70 species of evergreens grow. Chejudo is filled with many trees where as the slope of Mt. Hallasan has only fewer than 20 types of evergreens. The seeds from the plants are usually carried off by the ocean currents and are spread out around South Korea.

-surrounded by mountains -three bodies of water around them=sea of japan, yellow sea, and korean straight= good fishing -In ring of fire -Valleys in mountains

The land formation in South Korea is surrounded by mountains. 70% of the land you can't live in because of the space the mountains take.

South Korea has a temperate climate with warm spring and summer and with a pleasant fall. Winters in South Korea are cold because of the mountains that surround them. There are occasional typhoons in South Korea, that bring high winds and floods.

__Wildlife__
South Korea has about 17 terrestrial animal species. There are different animals in the Highlands and in the lowlands. The highlands are home to animals like roe deer, tigers, lynx and water shrews. Different animals such as black bears, river deer, and mandarin voles use the lowlands as their homes. Many of the wild deer, wild bears, and wild cats are extinct in South Korea.

Ring of Fire
__**Focus Question: How have movements of the earth’s crust affected the shape of the landscape and/or the physical environment?**__

Focus Answer: The movements of the earths crust affected the shape of the land scape, mostly on the eastern side of Korea Peninsula, where the earth's crust is slowly lifting it up, because of the plates, one of them is moving on the other. The physical environment has not been affected as much, because there are hardly and earthquakes or eruptions,

A **shield volcano** is a large volcano with sides that slope, which is what "Hallasan and Ulleungdo" are.


 * Hallasan** is a shield volcano on Jeju Island in South Korea. Hallasan is the highest mountain, of South Korea.


 * Ulreungdo** is an volcanic island, in the Sea of Japan,which looks like a steep sided island, and very large at the top. (Picture of It down below)Which reseves the name, stratovolcano.This island rises from the seafloor, reaching an elevation of 984 metres at Seonginbong Peak. The island is primarily of **trachyandesite rock**. The volcano erupted about 9000 years ago, and made ash go as far as central Honshū over 800 km away.



 ∆ Ulreungdo
 * trachyandesite rock** is an ingeous rock, which has a little or no quartz.

∆ Ring of Fire

Interacting with the environment
**__ Focus Question: What special things do people do, build, or make because of this environment? __** South Korea is surrounded by three major bodies of water. The three include- The Yellow Sea The Sea of Japan And the Korean Straight. South Korea benefits from living on the coast by having good fishing areas and a natural resource which they **__can__** use for oil, and food. Seafood is served at almost every meal, because there is plenty of it to go around. South Korea's land is mostly mountains with a few flat places, because of this they don't have a lot of farming space. Instead they grow rice, beans, and vegetables in valleys that are found in mountains (This type of farming is called Terrace-farming). People also gather and cultivate wild plants such as mushrooms, and bracken. Food is very **//important//** in Korean culture because it related to the environment (location,climate, and geography). Winters in Korea are cold because of the mountains that's why the people preserve food.
 * __ Food __**

Pibimpap (picture to the left) Kimchi (middle picture)

 Due to the lack of space in South Korea, people live very close to each over. A common home in South Korea for a family would be in a high-rise building. Hundreds of people live in one high-rise. A dozens or two high-rises are located near each over. Since they so many people live together it is not shocking to find thousands of people in one community. Space is a big matter in South Korea, their building structure is usually going up (high-rises- not many houses) while most commonly in North America we are building outward. When people go on with their business in restaurants, malls or sidewalks, they usually bump in to each other (culture). While in North America it would be considered rude, and not welcoming. The most common way of transportation in South Korea is taking the bus or train. Trains in South Korea are clean and they come frequent. Driving a car would be expensive and would be hard because of traffic. People share taxis when driving long distances and when looking around town.
 * __Housing and Space__**
 * __Transportation__**

In the past, places like Seoul had small problems with water and air pollution. However, the Mayor of Seoul helped solve this problem by restoring clean water to places like Cheonggyecheon, (which is in central Seoul) where they cleaned it from all oil. Another example of being environmental friendly is that they have looked into different energy sources, they have built nuclear power, solar power, and wind power.
 * __Environment Problems__**

** Conclusion **
**__ Focus Question: What are the most important or interesting things you would like others to know about this culture? __** Answer- One type of festival held in South Korea is called Andong Mask Dance Festival. This festival is has always been held for ten days on the last Friday of the last week of September. This festival originated from a legend from a long time ago. The legend is about these spirits that entered into a dream of a young member of the Ho clan. The spirits told him that he must make wooden masks and perform for the spirits pleasure.If he didn't do as they asked and keep it a secret, he would be killed. So the young man left his family and lover and went to work in a cave by close by mountains. There he worked 100 days until his lover went looking for him. When she saw him and the masks the young man died. After 800 years the village where the man lived still remains.
 * Question 1- What kind of festivals are held in South Korea?**

Answer- Korea split up in two because after World War 2 which lasted from 1939 to 1945 USA and Russia decided to split it up. The north went to Russia and became the communist government and the South went to the USA becoming the democracy government. Korea had split up at the 38th paralell line north.
 * Question 2- Why is did Korea change into two separate countries?**


 * Question 3- Was South Korea always an republic country?**

Answer - It was only three years after the World War 2 (1939 - 1945) when South Korea had become an independent country a government called Republic of Korea (ROK) was formed. It was on August 15 1948 that the ROK was the new form of government with Syngman Rhee as their first president.


 * Question 4- What cultures does South Korea have?**

Answer- South Korea's cultures developed from North Korea's also, but after the split it changed. The idustrilization in South Korea changed the way people live, and they have concetrated in cities like Seoul. They encourage Art, Technology, Korean Animation, and Music as their main cultures.

Fun Facts
Each region of South Korea has it's own special dish related to it's environment. The highest mountain in South Korea is called Hallasan. It is found in Jeju, and is a elevation total of 1,950 m! The peace treaty between South Korea and North Korea was never signed after World War 2 meaning that technically they are still at war. South Korea is the world 5th steel producer though it imports coal because the country doesn't have those natural resources. Did you know that there were about 46,584,500 people living in South Korea in 2000?

media type="youtube" key="UxyY4lqAjcE" width="425" height="350"

Sources -
[|http://www.wordtravels.com/Travelguide/Countries/South Korea/Map] [] [] [] [|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallasan https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ks.html] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] []  []' [] [] [] [] [] http://engwell.wikispaces.com/South+Korea [] []

Credits:
-Conclusion Question's 1 and 2 - Interacting with the environment -Fun Facts -Physical Environment -Sources -Youtube Video(South Korea Tourism) - Added Eurasian plate and editing paragraphs so that its easier to read
 * __Evelina__**

-Location -Conclusion Question 3 -Physical Environment -Sources -Fun Facts
 * __Kim__**

__**Lidia**__ -Ring Of Fire (plus pictures) -Fun Facts -Conclusion Question 4 -Physical Environment -Sources -Adding a Fact in Interacting with the environment

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Learning Log
Feb.26- Today I figured out that I can change the font by using Microsoft Word Feb.27- Today I will research about Korea's environment March.1- Toady I will start writing about how the physical environment affected the way they live March.2- Today I will do more research March.3-Edit Wiki (grammar) March.4- Will add more questions to the conclusion. March.5- I will do my part on the notes (main ideas and supporting details) March.9- Today I will find another reliable source for interacting with the environment. March.10- Today I will keep looking for another site March.11- I was in REACH the whole day... I'm still looking for a good site and trying to answer conclusion questions! :) March.12- Today I will make the links into real links March.24- Fnd the plate South Korea is on / fixed the pictures (ring of fire and mountain) March.25- Edit paragraphs to make reading more smooth, and find information on 1 or 2 cultural universals. March.26- Finish Interacting with the environment
 * Evelina**

Feb.26 - Today I will try to find information about the location in South Korea. March.2 - Today I will try to post the location facts as well as the Introduction. March.3- Today I will try to edit the spelling. March.4 - Today I will look for the reason why South and North Korea are now independent countries. March.5 - Today i will look for websites that will be able to help me find information about South Korea. March.8 - Today I will fix the Table Of Contents as well as the picture headings. March.10 - Today i will work on the physical environment. March.12 - Today i will finish the two parts of the physical environment. March.24 - Today I will try to separate the Physical environment by the 6 categories. March.25 - Today i will add to the 'Wildlife' section from the physical environment March.26 - Today I will work on my conclusion question 'Was South Korea always a Republic country?'
 * Kim**

Feb.26-Today I will figure out how South Korea is affected by the Ring Of Fire. March.1- March.1 - Today I will post my introduction, and get some info about volcano's in South Korea. March.2-I will help Kim post her Location 'thing', and edit my part. March.3- Today I will post a picture of a volcano in South Korea, and look for more volcano's in South Korea. March.4- I'm going to start on physical environment, with Kim, Evelina. March.5- Today I am going to find kid sites, and for main ideas and supporting details I am going to do ground and Water Bodies. March.9- Today I will do my part on how the earths crust in South Korea is. March.10- Today I will look for another site on earths crust in South Korea. March.11- I will edit the spelling for our page. March.12- I will work on the physical environment. March. 24- I will add to the Ring of fire, and try to find a video of any volcano's in South Korea erupting. March. 25- I am still working on the universals sheet, and I will find whatever I can for ring of fire. March. 26- I have finished off the Ring of fire, and I'm going to send kim the universals sheet so that she can write it.
 * Lidia**

**Comments**
Lidia- We can use this for talking to -each other-, but if you don't like it, you can delete. Evelina- It's good that we are starting to work on it more.Where is Kim? Lidia-I don't know. I hope she comes on...today. Evelina-Ditto Kim - Sorry guys! i have a really bad laptop at home :'( Evelina- It's ok Kim. That means you have to do most stuff at school. What happened to the navigation pages??? Kim - Okay guys so in my opinion i think that there isn't enough color in our page so i think we need to get more pictures. Evelina- ditto :) Lidia- Lol. (kim) I agree, I think we need more color. Kim - I added the focus questions for all of them so it is easier to just look at the page rather than just looking at the project page and then back here Evelina- I added a new picture of a mountain in South Korea Lidia- I got a picture of a volcano in South Korea. Kim - My computer can't seem to post pictures on the wiki so I have to post it on this laptop (Mac) Lidia- How are we going to delete the '?0?' off the table of contents? Kim - I dunno. I'm going to change all of the things that aren't the headings to normal... maybe that'll fix i Evelina- Kim you fixed it! Ya! :) Lidia- We should write more on the physical environment, and the conclusion, except we should do that at the end. Evelina- I answered some questions we had about south korea on the conclusiion already. Lidia are you done the ring of fire? I still need to choose two more cultrul universals so that I have three. I think they will be Food (already wrote about it) Shelter, amd transportation. Lidia- I'm done the ring of fire.Sure, Kim - I am adding something for the conclusion too and for the fun facts.... and Lidia, don't forget the physical environment worksheet!! Lidia- I didn't forget it, man! Evelina- I'M DONE!! If you guys finish today we won't need a extension. :) Good Luck. I'll look for pictures, and edit paragraphs. :) (I use to many smiley faces) :) Kim - Okay so guys, i kinda fixed some stuff that didn't make sense to me on the wiki so tell me if i messed something up. Evelina- It's all good Kim. I tryed posting 3 pics on food in interacting in the environment. But they keep going on seperate lines!!! :( Someone help me if it doesn't work after i try again...