South Korea, once a broken country full of broken families, has turned into a prime example of perseverance in a difficult situation. South Korea and its northern neighbors have developed beyond where they were before the Korean War, but in different ways. The two countries, while certainly dependent on each other, are very different. In this case their contrasting governance styles and different cultures speak for themselves. Over the years, South Korea has transformed dramatically from a country crippled by the Korean War to a thriving beacon of Asian cultural and economic change. The combination of its recent economic importance, its strong cultural influence, and the constant danger of participating in a war makes South Korea one of the most influential countries in the world. The end of World War II marked the formation of the Republic of Korea (ROK) on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on the northern half (“South Korea”). Although these two countries were formed around the same time, they are now very different culturally and economically. The two countries have some similarities and they are similarities that remind the world that Korea was once united. Hangeul, the accepted national language of South and North Korea, is considered “one of the most scientific writing systems in the world.” The fact that the language is so easy to read and write is believed to be the reason for South Korea's high literacy rate (“Facts About Korea”). Aside from language and some shared cultural practices, citizens of North and South Korea have little in common. South Korea is, ironically, more of a democracy than North Korea ever was... half of the paper...rea.net: Gateway to Korea. Global Communications and Content Division, n.d. Network. May 13, 2014. “Kim Dae-Jung.” Encyclopedia Britannica. 2012. Student Research Center. Network. 12 May 2014. “South Korea”. CIA World Facts Book. DC: Central Intelligence Agency. 2011. 360-63. Student Research Center. Network. May 9, 2014.Lee, Claire. “The bestselling film reveals a real-life case of widespread child abuse.” AsiaNews Network. 25 Aug. 2011: n.Pag. Student Research Center. Network. May 13, 2014. Lee, Peter H. and Byong-Wuk Chong. "Korean Literature". Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web.May 14, 2014.Noland, Marcus. "South Korea." Foreign Affairs. 93.1 (2014): 17-22. Student Research Center.Web. May 13, 2014.Stalling, Jonathan C. and Eun-Gwi Chung. “Korean Literature: Then and Now.” World literature today. 84.1 (2010): 41-42. Student Research Center. Network. May 12 2014.