Who would have thought after the Korean War that South Korea today would be ranked the 13th most powerful country in the world?:

Korea has been ranked 13th in the world in terms of national power in a survey seeking to compare countries’ politics, economy, society, culture and defense.

The Hansun Foundation for Freedom & Happiness on Friday published the survey of Korea’s overall national power for the Chosun Ilbo on the occasion of Liberation Day, comparing the Group of 20 advanced and industrial nations. The U.S. and China ranked first and second with 69.15 and 54.73 points out of a possible 100.

Korea ranked 13th with 48.56 points. It was among the 10 most powerful nations in the “hard power” category, including science and technology (seventh) and defense (eighth) but performed poorly in “soft power,” including politics (14th) and social capital (15th).

The U.S. topped the list in seven out of 13 categories, far outdistancing the other nations despite the financial crisis. Based on its large population and huge land mass and resources, China came second overall, topping the list in politics, culture and social capital. Next and scoring more than 50 points were Japan (53.45), the U.K. (53.05), Germany (52.92), and France (52.16).  [Chosun Ilbo]

It is a survey done by a Korean group so take it for what is worth, but South Korea’s ranking sounds about right.