Essay - Introduction and History: the United States and South Korea Have...

Introduction and History:

The United States and South Korea have many similarities, but also diverge in many key ways. An understand*****g and appreciation of the comparisons and contrasts between the United ***** and o*****r countries is essential f***** formulating well-informed and real*****tic policies towards the rest ***** an increasingly interconnected world.

***** greatest period of interaction between the United States and South Korea occurred during the Korean War. That war, waged from 1950-1953, is often called the "Forgotten *****" by many h*****torians. Its impact and legacy, however, do indeed continue to be felt by both Americans and ***** Koreans to this day.

Similarities and Differences:

One of the quickest ways ***** get a snapshot of a country is to identify *****ir form of government. In the case of both ***** United States and South Korea, the official form of ***** is republican, meaning that ***** citizens of the country vote for representatives who attempt to advance their various inte*****s. Moreover, in the case of ***** Korea and ***** United States, there is a division ***** power between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. This division of authority helps balance the assertion ***** ***** in each country, thus m*****imizing ***** possibility of a dict*****tor as in South Korea's northern neighbor. Voting in ***** Korea begins at 19, whereas the voting age in the United ***** is 18.

Though ********** are political similarities between the two countries, the physical difference in size ***** the ***** is enormous. South Korea is approximately ***** size of Indiana (about 38,000 square miles), whereas the United States encompasses greater than 3.5 million square miles.

In terms ***** education standards, South Korea is ahead of the United States, due in part to the strong emphas***** Asian cultures place on educati***** and study. The attendance rate for high school in South Korea is 95%; in the United States the rate for public ***** schools is 70% *****, even then, graduation does not guarantee any likelihood ***** success in college. ***** is ***** contrast to the enormous pressure on *****n students to excel at (and not just graduate from) school.

***** Korea was established in *****45, after the end of World War II. This late entry of South Korea ***** to the world st***** might partially explain the ***** of approach between South Korea ***** the United States ***** involvement in ***** affairs. The two countries' divergent philosophies in this regard is reflected ***** the difference between ***** two in the amount of military sp*****ing: while ***** Korea spends $21 billion on defense, the United States' military bud***** is 439 ***** dollars.

Not only is the United States vastly superior to South Korea in military *****, the ***** States also dwarfs South ***** in economic strength. South Korea's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ***** ***** 900 billion dollars. The United States, in contrast, has a GDP ***** 13 trillion.

Perhaps ***** greatest difference ***** the two countries is the constitution of their respective populations. South Korea is one of the