On what day does South Korea celebrate its Independence Day?

South Korea (the Republic of Korea) celebrates its Independence Day on August 15th. It actually gained its independence on August 13, 1948. Japan had previously taken control over Korea's political bodies, communications systems, and economic affairs (1905 - 1910) after signing the Taft-Katsura agreement in 1905.

In 1945, Korea obtained its liberation from the Empire of Japan. The Japanese tried very hard to integrate the Korean people into their culture, but the Koreans revolted. On August 15th, the "Republic of Korea" (South Korea) formally took over power from the U.S. military, with Syngman Rhee as the first president.

Today, South Korea is a constitutional democracy with three branches of government (executive, legislative and judicial).