Roh Moo Hyun
President

(pronounced "NOH MOO hee-YUN")

"I solemnly swear to my people that I will defend my country, abide by the Constitution of my country, and devote myself to the realization of reunification of the Korean Peninsula."

The East Asian nation of the Republic of Korea, also known as South Korea, shares the Korean Peninsula with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, which is also known as North Korea. Its topography consists of mountainous terrain to the north and east and plains to the south and east. The western and southern coasts are deeply indented with many harbors and islands. The total area is 98,480 sq km (38,023 sq mi).

South Korea's population was estimated at 48.3 million in 2002. Its people are ethnically homogeneous, with the exception of some 20,000 Chinese. Most Koreans live in the south and...