In Korea, as in other parts of the world, soil formationSoil formationfactorsSoil formation factor(s)include climateClimate, topographyTopography, parent materialParent material(s), vegetationVegetation, and time. In some case, the anthropogenic factors may also be added to these five factors, recognizing the significant role that human influence can have on soil development and characteristics. These anthropogenic factors can include land use changes, agricultural practicesAgricultural practice(s), urbanization, pollution, and other activities that modify the natural environment and affect soil properties. Korea, with its temperate monsoon climateClimate, has four distinct seasons. Except for Jeju Island and some Southern coastal areas, the average annual temperature is below 15 ℃. The average annual rainfall mostly exceeds 1000 mm. The terrain is diverse, with mountainous areas, slopes, hilly regions, valleys, plateaus, and flat areas, creating complex undulations. Soils derived from granite and granitic gneiss, which account for two-thirds of the rock distribution in Korea, exhibit diverse characteristics. High and steep mountains have shallow, coarse-grained soils due to severe erosion, while deep, medium-grained soils are found in hilly areas with gentle slopes. Natural vegetationVegetation generally includes mixed coniferous and broadleaf forests or natural grasslands. The higher the altitude, the more rainfall and lower the evapotranspirationEvapotranspiration rate, leading to forests dominating due to sufficient soil moisture. In contrast, natural grasslands are prevalent in lowland flatlands. Despite the long geological age, the complex topographyTopography means the time for new soil formationSoil formation is relatively short. Thus, soil in Korea is mainly influenced by climateClimateand parent materialParent material(s), and exhibits well-developed soil layer differentiation, although soil that has been eroded and deposited shows weak differentiation. Korea’s rice paddy soil can originate from soils with various characteristics, with terraces on flat and sloping land altering the soil moisture regime for rice production.