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General Information |
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Transportation |
Taxis |
Taxis are
plentiful, clean, safe,
and inexpensive in Korea.
There are taxi stands
in most busy city areas,
and taxis can also be
hailed on the streets.
As well, some taxis can
be requested by telephone,
although fares for these
are higher than for regular
taxis. An increasing number
of taxi drivers speak
some English. |
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City Buses |
The city
bus systems differ slightly
from city to city in Korea,
but most cities have local
and express buses. They
are numbered and their
signs are usually in Korean,
English, and Chinese.
It is advisable to request
assistance to find the
bus stop and number that
you need. The bus fare
can be paid with either
coins and bills or a bus
card available at booths
near the bus stops. |
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Subways |
There are
excellent subway train
systems in Seoul, Busan,
Daegu, and Incheon. The
subway is the most efficient
and convenient way for
foreign travelers to get
around the city. Station
names, ticket windows
and transfer signs are
all clearly marked in
English. |
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Trains |
Passenger
trains operated by the
Korean National Railroad
are quite fast, reliable,
and very inexpensive by
international standards.
With the opening of the
express rail operating
at speeds of 300km per
hour in April 2004, it
will not only bring about
enormous changes to the
lives of Koreans by enabling
them to reach anywhere
in the country within
three hours, but it will
also have a huge influence
on the economic, social
and cultural aspects of
the country
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Visa |
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Citizens of countries which have
reciprocal visa exemption agreements
with Korea are not required to have
a visa to enter Korea for a short
stay. Usually visitors with confirmed
outbound tickets may stay in Korea
for up to 15 days without a visa.
Citizens of all other countries must
obtain a visa from a Korean embassy
or consulate prior to entering Korea.
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Korea |
Land
The Korean peninsula
extends southward from
the eastern end of the
Asian continent. It
is roughly 1,030 km
(612 miles) long and
175 km (105 miles) wide
at its narrowest point.
The lifting and folding
of Korea's granite and
limestone base has created
breathtaking landscapes
of scenic hills and
valleys. The mountain
range that stretches
the length of the east
coast plunges steeply
into the East Sea, while
along the southern and
western coasts, the
mountains descend gradually
to the coastal plains
that produce the bulk
of Korea's agricultural
crops, especially rice.
The Korean peninsula
is divided just slightly
north of the 38th parallel.
The Republic of Korea
in the south and communist
North Korea are separated
by a demilitarized zone.
South Korea has a population
of 47.9 million people
(2003).
Administratively, the
Republic of Korea consists
of nine provinces; the
capital Seoul; and the
six metropolitan cities
of Busan, Daegu, Incheon,
Gwangju, Daejeon and
Ulsan. In total, there
are 77 cities and 88
counties.
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National
Flag
 The
Korean flag is
called "Taegeukgi"
in Korean. Its
design symbolizes
the principles
of the yin and
yang in Oriental
philosophy. The
circle in the
center of the
flag is divided
into two equal
parts. The upper
red section represents
the proactive
cosmic forces
of the yang. Conversely,
the lower blue
section represents
the responsive
cosmic forces
of the yin. The
two forces together
embody the concepts
of continual movement,
balance, and harmony
that characterize
the sphere of
infinity. The
circle is surrounded
by four trigrams,
one in each corner.
Each trigram symbolizes
one of the four
universal elements:
heaven ( ), earth
( ), fire( ),
and water ( ).
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National
Flower
 The
national flower
of Korea is the
Mugunghwa, rose
of sharon. Every
year from July
to October, a
profusion of Mugunghwa
blossoms graces
the entire country.
Unlike most flowers,
Mugunghwa is remarkably
tenacious and
able to withstand
both blight and
insects. The flower's
symbolic significance
stems from the
Korean word mugung,
meaning immortality.
This word accurately
reflects the enduring
nature of Korean
culture, and the
determination
and perseverance
of the Korean
people.
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Climate |
Korea lies
in the temperate
zone and
has four
distinct
seasons.
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In
late
March
or
early
April,
the
trees
burst
into
leafy
splendor
to
mark
the
beginning
of
spring.
Mostly
sunny
days
can
be
expected
from
March
to
May.
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During
the
relatively
hot
and
rainy
summer
season,
the
vegetation
is
lush.
By
June
the
average
temperature
is
over
20℃
(68
℉).
Monsoon
rains
usually
begin
around
the
end
of
June
and
last
until
mid-to-late
July.
August
is
hot
and
humid.
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The
coming
of
autumn
in
late
September
brings
continental
winds
and
clear,
dry
weather,
making
these
months
perhaps
the
most
pleasant
time
of
year.
October's
vivid
gold
and
vibrant
reds
create
a
colorful
panorama.
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December
to
February
are
cold
and
dry
with
occasional
snow.
During
the
winter
months,
three
or
four
days
of
cold
weather
are
often
followed
by
a
few
warmer
days.
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Language
The
Korean
Language,
like
Hungarian,
Turkish,
Mongolian,
and
Finnish
is
classified
into
the
Ural-Altaic
Language
group.
Han-geul,
the
Korean
alphabet
is
composed
of
10
simple
vowels
and
14
consonants.
A
group
of
scholars
under
the
patronage
of
King
Sejong
developed
this
systematic
rendition
of
spoken
sound
in
1443.
It
is
widely
acclaimed
by
linguists
as
an
ingenious
invention.
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Seoul
Seoul
has
been
the
center
of
politics,
economy,
culture,
and
transportation
of
Korea
for
six
centuries
since
Taejo,
the
founder
of
the
Joseon
Dynasty,
moved
the
capital
here
in
the
third
year
(1394)
of
his
reign.
Today
one
quarter
of
the
nation's
population
lives
in
Seoul,
which
serves
as
the
broadband
core
of
all
branches
of
knowledge.
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Incheon
International
Airport
Built
on
an
extensive
reclaimed
tidal
land
between
two
islands,
Incheon
International
Airport
is
situated
52km
west
of
downtown
Seoul
and
some
15km
off
the
coast
of
the
port
city
of
Incheon.
It
operates
24
hours.
The
code
for
Incheon
International
airport
is
'ICN'.
Limousine
buses
may
be
the
best
way
to
travel
easily,
at
minimal
expense,
to
and
from
various
points
around
Korea.
Information
and
tickets
are
available
at
the
Transportation
Information
Counters
near
exits
No.
2,
4,
9
and
13
on
the
arrival
floor
of
the
passenger
terminal.
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Electrical
System
Outlets
for
220
volts
60
cycle
are
dominant.
Always
check
the
power
supply
before
using
your
equipment.
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Emergency
Numbers
Dial
119
for
fire
and
ambulance
and
112
for
the
police.
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Telephone
Calls
A
Local
call
costs
\70
for
three
minutes.
To
make
an
international
call,
first
dial
the
international
dialing
code
(001,
002,
or
008),
then
the
country
code,
area
code
and
finally
the
individual
number.
You
may
rent
a
cell
phone
at
the
airport.
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Tax
&
Tipping
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