Korean

Koreans are the people of the Korean Peninsula: about 51 million live in South Korea and about 26 million in North Korea. They share one language, Korean, written since the 15th century in the Hangul alphabet created under King Sejong, and a history of kingdoms (Goguryeo, Silla, Goryeo, Joseon) that kept the peninsula largely united from the 7th century until Japanese rule (1910-1945) and the division of 1945. The Korean War (1950-1953) left two states on sharply different paths: South Korea grew from poverty into an industrial and cultural power, while North Korea remains a closed state. About 7 million overseas Koreans (Hanin, or gyopo) live abroad, the largest communities in the United States (about 2.6 million) and China (about 2.1 million, including the Joseonjok of the north-east), followed by Japan (the Zainichi), Canada, Central Asia (the Koryo-saram, deported from the Soviet Far East in 1937) and Russia. Since the 1970s Korean construction and engineering firms have also posted workers on contracts across the Middle East.

Korean family life is shaped by Confucian values: respect for parents and elders, duty to the family and a strong drive for education. Rice, kimchi and many side dishes (banchan) make up every meal, with soups and stews and grilled meats such as bulgogi and galbi; families make the winter's kimchi together in late autumn (gimjang). The lunar new year (Seollal) and the harvest festival (Chuseok) bring families together to honour their ancestors, and the hanbok is worn on these days and at weddings. Korean pop music, drama and film, the 'Korean wave', have spread worldwide since the 2000s. Abroad, Korean associations, Korean-language schools and above all Korean churches are the centres of community life.

Most South Koreans have no religion (56% in the 2015 census); Protestants (20%), Buddhists (16%) and Catholics (8%) make up most of the rest. Korean Protestantism, largely Presbyterian, Methodist and Pentecostal, is known for dawn prayer meetings, very large congregations such as Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul and a missionary movement that sends more than 20,000 missionaries abroad. Buddhism is mainly the Seon (Zen) tradition of the Jogye Order, centred on mountain temples. Confucian ancestor rites (jesa, charye) are still kept in many homes at Seollal and Chuseok, and shamans (mudang) still perform gut rituals for healing and good fortune. North Korea suppresses religion and persecutes its few Christians. Abroad, Korean churches are the main gathering places of Korean communities, and many Koreans who had no religion at home attend them.

The full Bible, the JESUS film and audio recordings are available in Korean, and South Korea has one of the largest and most active Protestant churches in Asia. Korean-language churches serve Korean communities in most countries where Koreans live, including licensed church compounds in the Gulf. North Korea is among the countries most closed to the gospel.