Korean language and dialects
Korean is spoken by about 70 million people. Although most speakers of Korean live on the Korean Peninsula and its adjacent islands, more than 5 million are scattered throughout the world. Koreans speak their own language, Hangeul, developed by King Sejong of the Joseon Kingdom in 1443. There are 17 lettered consonants and 11 lettered vowels in alternate combination with vowel gradations to signify plurals and tenses.

Korean language has incorporated loan-words from Chinese, Japanese, and Western languages related to cultural, political, and modern technological influences. Modern Korean is divided into six dialects: Central, Northwest, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, and Cheju. Except for the Cheju dialect, these are similar enough for speakers of the various dialects to communicate.

Korean internet and e-commerce statistics
In 2006, the total amount of e-commerce transactions in Korea was estimated to have reached approximately $400 billion, a nine percent increase from 2005. The U.S Commercial Services projects this amount to grow at an average annual rate of 10 percent over the next five years.

According to Budde Comm's 2008 Asia Broadband and Telecommunications Report, South Korea has one of the most vibrant and interesting telecommunications markets in the world. More than 70 percent of its population is online, representing a growth of 93 percent since 2000.

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SOURCES:
AsianInfo.org
U.S. Census Bureau
Internet World Stats