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Travel Information
- Location
- Korea lies in the northeastern part of the Asian continent. It is
located between 33 degrees and 43 degrees in Northern Latitude, and 124 degrees
and 132 degrees in Eastern Longitude. China, Russia and Japan are adjacent to
Korea. Local time is nine hours ahead of GMT.
- Climate
- Korea's climate is regarded as a continental climate from a temperate
standpoint and a monsoon climate from a precipitation standpoint. The climate of
Korea is characterized by four distinct seasons: spring, summer, fall, and
winter.
- Language
The Korea
Language: Hangeul
- Hangeul was invented in 1443, during the reign of King Sejong. It is
composed of 10 vowels and 14 consonants. Hangeul has 11 compound vowels, 5
glottal sounds. The chart below represents the 24 Hangeul letters and their
romanized equivalents. 'The Hunminjeongeum,' a historical document which
provides instructions to educate people using Hangeul, is registered with
UNESCO. UNESCO awards a 'King Sejong Literacy Prize,' every year in memory of
the inventor of Hangeul.
- Currency and Credit Cards
- Basic unit of Korean currency is won. The exchange rate is subject to
change with minor daily fluctuation. As of December 23, 2004, USD 1 equals
approximately 1,052 Korean Won. Foreign bank notes and traveler's checks can be
exchanged into Korean Won at the airport, hotels and at all Korean banks. Credit
Cards, e. g. VISA, MasterCard, American Express and Diners Club, are all widely
accepted.
- Electricity
- In Korea, outlets for 220 volts are
available, although many newer hotels have only 220 volt outlets. Overseas
delegates bringing laptop computers and other electrical appliances are advised
to check whether a transformer is require.
- Weather
- Korea’s
climate is defined by its location and shows transitional nature between
continental climateand subtropical maritime climate . It shows four distinct
seasons.
- Tipping
- Tipping is not a traditional Korean custom, but a 10% service charge
is usually added to the bill at hotels and other tourist facilities, and tipping
is not expected . It is not necessary to tip a taxi driver unless he assists you
with luggage or provides an extra service.
- Insurance and Emergency
- The Organizing Committee will not be responsible for medical
expenses, accidents, losses or other unexpected occurrences. Participants are
advised to arrange their own insurance that they regard necessary. Emergency
call numbers are: 112 for police and 119 for fire/rescue and hospital
services.
- Business Hours
- Public offices are open from 9:00 to 18:00 and banks are generally
open from 9:30 to 16:30 on weekdays.
- Images of Korea
Click this for more information about Korea.
- The Capital of Korea
- Seoul is the
capital city of Korea,
situated in the west central part of the Korean Peninsula. It is a sprawling metropolis
measuring 606.52 square kilometers as of the end of 1997, about 0.6 percent of
the entire country.
- The city has a population of 10,321,449 in 3,459,511 households as of
the end of 1999. Men, 5,141,141, slightly outnumber women who total 5,123,119.
About one-quarter of the entire Korean population lives in Seoul, making it one of
the most densely populated places in the world at 17,157 persons per square
kilometer.
- The Seoul Metropolitan Government is headed by a mayor. Under the
mayor are three vice mayors (two vice mayors for administrative affairs and one
vice mayor for political affairs), three offices (planning & budget,
environment, and transportation), five directors-general and eight bureaus,
which are further broken down into 63 divisions.
- The city is divided into administrative districts of 25 autonomous gu
or wards, which are further divided into 522 dong.
- The number of foreign residents in Seoul stands at 57,189, or about
0.55 percent of the city’s total population, as of the end of 1999. They
included 18,763 Americans, 12,283 Chinese, and 6,332 Japanese. People from more
than 90 different countries live in Seoul, making it a cosmopolitan city.
- In the center of this wonderfully dynamic and contemporary segment of
the world rests the capital city of Seoul. 10 million people call it their home
while still more live in surrounding suburbs and satellite cities, making Seoul
a sprawling megalopolis. Among its numerous skyscrapers and glass towers, Seoul
presents a number of beautiful palaces and ancient gates in different parts of
its downtown core. Attractions such as traditional markets, trendy shopping
centers, quaint museums and whimsical amusement parks also delight visitors and
local residents alike. We invite you to come and experience charming and unique
Korea.
- City of Mountain
- The landscape of the city, whose history as the capital of Korea goes
back more than 600 years, is mountainous. There are four mountains in central
parts of the city and another four mountains are surrounding it. Mt. Bugak in
the north, Mt. Nak in the east, Mt. Inwang in the west and Mt. Nam in the south
are the four inner mountains. The outer mountains are Mt. Bukhan in the north,
Mt. Yongma in the east, Mt. Deogyang in the west and Mt. Gwanak in the south.
The Han River runs through the city, dividing it into north and south.
- Seoul lies in the temperate zone, characterized by four distinct
seasons. The average temperature in Seoul is 12.9 degrees Celsius. However,
there is a wide fluctuation in temperature throughout the year, with the summer
temperature reaching as high as 36.1 degrees Celsius and the winter temperature
dipping to minus 13.7 degrees Celsius. The annual precipitation in Seoul is
1,210 mm. About 70 percent of the rainfall falls during the monsoon season,
which starts in June and continues until September.
Click this for more information about Seoul.
Any foreign visitor wishing to enter the Republic of Korea should have a valid
passport and a visa .
Visitors for sightseeing or transit with confirmed
outbound tickets may stay in Korea up to 30 days without visas, except some cases.
Nevertheless, participants are advised to inquire about visa regulations at
their travel agent or at the Korean Embassy o r Consulate in their home
country . Those who experience any trouble in getting visa to Korea should
contact the conference secretariat immediately.
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