South Korea is an East Asian country located in the southern half of the Korean peninsula. Its capital city is Seoul, and its total population is over 52 million people. It is directly north of the Yellow Sea and borders China, North Korea, and Russia along the east. It was established in 1948 after World War II under the leadership of Syngman Rhee. President Kim Dae-Jung played an active role in South Korea's major political reforms.