South Korea: On the Edge?

A developing country is defined as a country whose average per capita GNP is a fraction of that in more industrialized countries (8). With an average per capita of $16000 (US dollars), South Korea fits into this category, but is very close to achieving the title of a developed country (6).
Korea won independence from Japan on August 15, 1945, after the end of World War II (4). The United States encouraged the south to start it's own independent government, and the Soviet Union encouraged the north to do the same (1). In 1950, the south declared its independence (2). Soon after, the nor…