South Korea vs Taiwan
South Korea
Taiwan
| Metric | South Korea | Taiwan |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | Seoul | Taipei |
| Population | 51,667,029 | 23,112,793 |
| Area (km²) | 100,363 | 36,193 |
| Population density (/km²) | 515 | 639 |
| GDP per capita (USD) | $36,200 | $39,500 |
| Region | Eastern Asia | Eastern Asia |
| Currency | KRW | TWD |
| Languages | Korean | Mandarin |
| Main religions | Buddhism, Christianity | Buddhism, Taoism |
| Time zone | UTC+9 | UTC+8 |
Green highlights the higher value (or higher GDP per capita). Figures are approximate.
At a glance
South Korea and Taiwan are both located in Asia (both in Eastern Asia). South Korea has the larger population — about 2.2× the population of Taiwan, while South Korea covers more land area.
For full geographic detail, see the South Korea map and the Taiwan map.
Parallel histories
South Korea and Taiwan followed strikingly similar paths. Both were Japanese colonies (Taiwan from 1895, Korea from 1910) until 1945, both were shaped by civil war and Cold War division, and both were ruled by authoritarian governments that drove rapid industrialisation. Both then democratised in the late 1980s: South Korea adopted direct presidential elections in 1987, the same year Taiwan lifted martial law. Along with Hong Kong and Singapore, they became known as the "Four Asian Tigers".
Size and geography
South Korea has a little more than twice Taiwan's population and nearly three times its land area. Both are mountainous and crowded, with people concentrated on lowland plains: around Seoul and Busan in Korea, and along Taiwan's west coast from Taipei to Kaohsiung. Each faces a powerful neighbour that does not recognise its government's claims: North Korea in South Korea's case, and the People's Republic of China, which claims Taiwan, in Taiwan's.
Semiconductor rivals
Both economies rest heavily on electronics exports. Taiwan dominates contract manufacturing of advanced logic chips, while South Korea leads in memory chips and is also a major maker of cars, ships and displays. Korean industry is dominated by large family-controlled conglomerates (chaebol); Taiwan's economy has more small and medium-sized firms alongside its chip giants. Incomes per person are in a similar range.
Diplomacy and travel
South Korea recognised the Republic of China in Taipei until 1992, when it established relations with Beijing; since then Seoul and Taipei have kept unofficial ties through representative offices. Flights between Taipei and Seoul take a little over two hours, and tourism between them is popular in both directions. Korean and Mandarin are unrelated languages, but both societies share Confucian traditions, Buddhist temples and a love of night markets and street food.
Frequently asked questions
- Does South Korea recognise Taiwan?
- Not formally. South Korea switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1992, but the two keep unofficial relations through representative offices.
- Which is bigger, South Korea or Taiwan?
- South Korea is larger in both area (about 100,000 km² versus about 36,000 km²) and population (around 52 million versus about 23 million).