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Read about my traveling trip to South Korea.
About South Korea ( abstract from asiavoyage ) for your information.Location The Korean Peninsula extends southwards from the northeast part of the Asian continent between 33 and 43 degrees North Latitude and 124 and 132 degrees East Longitude. The standard meridian of the peninsula is 135 degrees, 9 hours ahead of GMT. The Amnokkang and Tuman-gang Rivers border both China and Russia to the north, and Japan is just across the East Sea. Area The total area of the peninsula is 222,196 km sq. similar in size to that of England, New Zealand, or Romania. South Korea possesses 99,237 km sq. or 45%, and North Korea 122,762 km sq., the remaining 55%. About 70% of the land is mountains, mainly to the north and east. The National Flag and Flower 
The Korean flag is called T'aegukki. Its design symbolizes the principles of 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 positive cosmic forces of yang. Conversely, the lower blue section represents the negative cosmic forces of yin. The two forces together embody the concepts of continual movement and 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.
The Korean flower is Mugunghwa or the rose of Sharon. Unlike most flowers, the rose of Sharon is remarkably tenacious and resistant to both light and insects. Its symbolic significance stems from the national flower's root word, "mugung," meaning immortality, which accurately reflects the perseverance and determination of the Korean people. Population: 47,274,543 (2000 est.) Capital and Major Cities The capital city is Seoul, which is the political, cultural, commercial, financial, and educational center of South Korea. Seoul also offers many tourist attractions. (Population: 9.89 million as of Dec. 2000) Korea consists of 1 capital city, 6 metropolitan cities and 9 provinces. The 6 metropolitan cities are Pusan, Taegu, Inch'on, Kwangju, Taejon and Ulsan. Travel Seasons Traveling in South Korea is not limited to a specific season but is enjoyable all year-round. The traditional national holidays, however, are usually a cue for Koreans to visit their hometowns and families, and during these times up to a quarter of the population may be on the move. If you plan to travel during one of these holidays, it is advisable to make travel and accommodation arrangements at least three months in advance. A. Lunar New Year's Day: Feb. 7-9 B. Summer Vacation: The last week of July through the third week of August C. Ch'usok (Korean Thanksgiving Day): the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. Sept. 15-17 D. The New Year holiday season: The end of the year - January 3rd and adjacent weekends When making travel plans, you should consider including some of the regional festivals that are staged throughout the year. Passport Any foreign visitors wanting to enter the Republic of Korea must have a valid passport. Those who have no nationality must obtain an entry permit issued by a Korean embassy or consulate abroad in lieu of a passport. A laissez-passer issued by the U.N. is also recognized as valid. Visa Visitors with confirmed outbound tickets may stay in South Korea for up to 15 days without visas. Exceptions to this apply to: 1) Persons who have no nationality. 2) Citizens from countries which do not have diplomatic relations with Korea, i.e. Cambodia, Cuba, and Laos. 3) Citizens from China, India, Iran, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam in Asia; Nigeria and Ghana in Africa; Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tadjikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, Albania, Croatia, Macedonia, and Bosnia-Hercegovina in Europe. Visitors who plan to stay in South Korea for longer than 15 days must obtain visas before coming to South Korea. Special visa exemptions exist between South Korea and the countries listed above, provided that their citizens do not participate in remunerative activities while visiting South Korea. Hotels and Reservation Hotels in South Korea are available in different levels of price and comfort. They are classified by an official rating system according to size, service quality and conveniences into five groups: super deluxe (SDL), deluxe (DLX), first class, second class and third class. The mugunghwa (Rose of Sharon), the national flower of Korea, is used as a symbol of quality, with five flowers being the top rating. Most hotels have restaurants, bars, souvenir shops, cocktail lounges, coffee shops, barber shops, beauty salons, meeting rooms and fitness clubs, and most guest rooms include private baths and heating and cooling systems. The super deluxe hotels match the best that the West has to offer. Their international flavor insures that all travelers will feel at home, while their traditional Korean hospitality is a unique extra. |
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