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Full Name: Republic of Korea Capital City: Seoul (pop 12 million) Area: 99,373 sq km 38,368 sq miles Population: 48,000,000 Languages: Korean (official) Religion: 25% Christianity, 25% Buddhism, Confucianism, Shamanism, 50% none. Currency: Republic of Korean Won (W) The Republic of Korea (South Korea) is situated in Eastern Asia on the Korean Peninsula. Japan is to the east. Its coasts are surrounded by the Yellow and East Sea. The volcanic island of Cheju is Korea's largest island. Seoul is Korea's capital city. Other important cities include Pusan, Taegu (Daegu), Incheon and Ulsan. Pusan is the main port. The Han, the Kum and the Naktong are major rivers. Korea's terrain is mainly hilly and mountainous. Mountains cover around two-thirds of the country and there are wide coastal plains in the south and west of the country. The weather is cold in the winter and hot in the summer. Rainfall tends to be high during the month of July. Twenty areas in Korea are designated as National Parks to protect Korea's wildlife and natural environment (mountains, forests, lakes and islands). Korea has a number of architectural heritage sites. In the year 2000, Gyeongju, once the capital of the ancient Shilla Kingdom, was designated as one of UNESCO's ten most important cultural heritage sites. Other World Heritage Sites are Seokguram Grottoo on Mount T'oham and Korea's famous Bulguksa Temple; Haeinsa Temple; Jongmyo Shrine, the Confucian royal shrine; Changdeokgung Palace Complex, the oldest of Seoul's Royal Palaces and Hwasong Fortress. During the late 1950s and the 1960s South Korea began to reconstruct its towns and cities damaged during the Korean War (1950-53). The economic expansion of the 1970s and 80s fuelled the growth of contemporary architecture and the 1988 Seoul Olympics added to the momentum of modern design. Western style food are abundant in Korea, however while in Korea you must try the Korean cuisine. Korean cuisine uses a variety of cooking methods. Food is steamed, stir-fried, grilled or barbecued. Fish may be eaten raw. Seasoning is important and those most used in Korean cuisine are soy sauce, soybean paste (doenjang) and red pepper paste (gochujang). Fermented foods, such as kimchi, a fermented vegetable dish, are popular in Korea. Soups and stews are eaten frequently. Meat (beef, chicken, pork), fish and seafoods are combined with rice, noodles and vegetables (beans, bean-sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, egg-plant, mushrooms, onions, peppers, potatoes, radish, spinach). Dessert recipes use ingredients such as rice flour, honey and nuts. Fruits including cherries, strawberries, peaches and watermelons are available. A traditional Korean alcoholic drink is soju which is made from rice or potatoes. Beer and wines are produced locally. Non-alcoholic drinks include barley tea, green tea, lemon tea, ginseng and coffee. Korea was the co-host for the FIFA 2002 World Cup. Stadiums used for the World Cup were Busan, Daegu, Daejeon, Gwangju, Incheon, Seoul, and Ulsan. Other popular sports and games in Korea include basketball, the martial art of taekwondo and the tradition of kite flying. New Year's Day, the Lunar New Year and the Harvest Moon Festival (Chuseok) are celebrated. Religious holidays include Christmas Day and the Birthday of Buddha. Memorial Day, Constitution Day, Independence from Japan - Liberation Day - (1945) and National Foundation Day are among other days observed. Korea's nightlife successfully blends the traditional with increasing external influences. There are nightclubs catering largely to visitors, many with cabaret evenings. Some hotels also have nightclubs but these tend to be expensive. Larger hotels have their own private theatre restaurants; Korea House provides local food in a Korean setting, followed by traditional Korean dancing and music. Beer halls, many decorated along a European theme, are popular places to drink and meet friends. Visitors are expected to eat as well as drink. There are also many cinemas. Operas, concerts and recitals can be seen at the National Theatre and performances of Korean classical music, dances and plays can be seen at Korea House and the Drama Centre. For daily listings of events, consult Korea's English-language papers. Several licensed state-of-the-art casinos operate at various locations throughout the country. Favourite buys to look for are hand-tailored clothes, sweaters (plain, embroidered or beaded), silks, brocades, handbags, leatherwork, gold jewellery, topaz, amethyst, amber, jade and silver, ginseng, paintings, costume dolls, musical instruments, brassware, lacquerware, woodcarvings, baskets, scrolls and screens. Prices are fixed in department stores, but may be negotiated in arcades and markets. Major cities have foreigners' duty free shops where people can use foreign currency with a valid passport. Hotels will be able to tell guests the location (see Sports & Activities section for further information). Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 10:30 - 8:30 (department stores), 9:30 - 10:30 (markets and smaller shops). << Back |