of seats reflects the fluidity of
the current situation where party members are constantly switching
from one party to another

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
majority party: Democratic Liberal Party (DLP), KIM Yong-sam,
president
opposition: Democratic Party (DP), YI Ki-taek, executive chairman;
United People's Party (UPP), KIM Tong-kil, chairman; several smaller
parties
note: the DLP resulted from a merger of the Democratic Justice Party
(DJP), Reunification Democratic Party (RDP), and New Democratic
Republican Party (NDRP) on 9 February 1990

Other political or pressure groups: Korean National Council of
Churches; National Democratic Alliance of Korea; National Federation
of Student Associations; National Federation of Farmers' Associations;
National Council of Labor Unions; Federation of Korean Trade Unions;
Korean Veterans' Association; Federation of Korean Industries; Korean
Traders Association

Member of: AfDB, APEC, AsDB, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, OAS (observer),
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador PAK Kun-u
chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600
consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston,
Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San
Francisco, and Seattle

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador James T. LANEY
embassy: 82 Sejong-Ro, Chongro-ku, Seoul
mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 15550, Seoul; APO AP
96205-0001
telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114
FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845
consulate(s): Pusan

Flag: white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center;
there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of
Changes) in each corner of the white field

@Korea, South:Economy

Overview: The driving force behind the economy's dynamic growth has
been the planned development of an export-oriented economy in a
vigorously entrepreneurial society. Real GDP increased more than 10%
annually between 1986 and 1991. This growth ultimately led to an
overheated situation characterized by a tight labor market, strong
inflationary pressures, and a rapidly rising current account deficit.
As