South Korea

When the leaders of South and North Korea shook hands on the tarmac of Pyongyang airport in June 2000, it was possible to forget that their two countries were still technically at war, as they have been since 1953 when their conflict ended without a peace agreement.

Since their division, South Korea has developed into one of Asia's most affluent countries and a leading exporter of cars and electronic goods while the North has slipped into totalitarianism and poverty.

The Republic of Korea was proclaimed in August 1948 and received UN-backed support from the US after it was invaded by the North two years later.The following four decades of authoritarian rule saw the country's transformation into one of the world's major economies.

After the return to multi-party politics in 1987, President Roh Tae-Woo launched an anti-corruption campaign against both his own party and his political predecessor.

Despite the historic handshake in Pyongyang in 2000, coming after five decades of hostility, relations with its northern neighbour remain a major concern in Seoul, particularly over the North's fragile economy and its nuclear ambitions. South Korea has resisted international calls for sanctions against the North.

The demilitarised zone (DMZ) between South and North Korea remains the world's most heavily-fortified border. But the US, which maintains tens of thousands of soldiers in South Korea, is pulling its forces away from the front line and plans to reduce troop numbers.