One of the World’s wealthiest countries today used to be one of the poorest.
[ul]
[li]This country was oppressed by a foreign colonial ruler.[/li][li]This country was devastated by war, a war that nearly destroyed the country.[/li][li]This country has had two different military coupes in the last 60 years, and has only been a democracy for just 30 years.[/li][li]This country just hosted the Olympics for the 2nd time.[/li][/ul]
What country am I talking about?
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People used to greet each other by asking, “Have you eaten today?”
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I’m talking about South Korea. This was what the country used to look like after the Korean War. The life expectancy was just over 50 years old. Major cities were completely destroyed, and people struggled to feed their families.
In the decades after the war South Korea’s economy skyrocketed, during a period which is often referred to as the “Miracle on the Han.”
Now South Korea is one of the richest countries in the world, with 11th largest economy by nominal GDP. Seoul is one of the biggest and prosperous cities in the world.
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Seoul has the 4th largest metropolitan economy in the world behind Tokyo, New York, and LA.
South Korea is now one of the most technology advanced countries in the world. Samsung, LG, Hyundai, and Kia are all extremely successful Korean companies. Korea has some of the fastest and most efficient train and metro systems in the world.
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KTX, Korea’s modern trains system, travels at speeds 305km/h or 190mph!
Korea ranks above the US in life expectancy, and education, and has far cheaper health care. South Korea has the fastest internet speeds in the world, and the Seoul subway system is one of the most efficient in the world. It makes Washington DC’s subway system look like a bad joke.
Korea’s rapid economic growth helped transform it from one of the world’s poorest countries to the economic powerhouse that it is today.
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The bright lights of Seoul