Looking at the ranking, I am flabbergasted South Korea is picked #1. South Korea getting picked even in top 20 would've been shocking. But #1? Let's consider s

Looking at the ranking, I am flabbergasted South Korea is picked #1. South Korea getting picked even in top 20 would've been shocking. But #1? Let's consider some of the odds that were in the way. 1. no modern education or social institutions were in South Korea until early 1900s. The Korean peninsula of 1900 was little different from 500 years ago, when the Chosun Dynasty was formed. 2. What little gain made during the Japanese occupation (1910-1945) was razed during the Korean War. 3. the country faced a massive refugee crisis during the Korean War. Granted Syrian and other current refugee crises are tragic, but the Korean refugee crisis was just as bad, if not worse. Cold winter than can freeze you to death. No overland escape route for South Koreans. 4. no natural resources like oil to sell 5. massive military expenditure commitment, including 2-3 year military service every young male has to go through. And yet they kept at it and moved up the list.