Koreans, like many other Asian peoples, are descendants of Mongolian Tungus stock.
However, linguistic and anthropological studies as well as legendary sources clearly distinguish Koreans from the Chinese and Japanese. Koreans were a homogeneous people by the beginning of the Christian era. In the 7th century A.D. they were politically unified for the first time by the Shilla Kingdom(57B.C. -935A.D.) and subsequently witnessed a great cultural flowering.

Korean people are characterized by their generosity, warmth, and kindness, and are renowned as one of the hardest working people in the world.
The following data show main figures of Korea

Population : South Korea - 46 million (North Korea - 23.5 million)

Annual growth rate of population : 1.14%

Average family size : 3.0 persons

Number of foreign residents : 203,800