| South Korea | |
 | |
Location  | |
Coat of arms and flag   | |
| Capital | Seoul |
|---|---|
| Government | Semi-presidential republic |
| Currency | South Korean Won (KRW) |
| Surface | 100,295 km² |
| Inhabitants | 51.709.098 (2019 estimate) |
| Tongue | Korean |
| Religion | Atheism (47%), Christianity (29%), Buddhism (23%) and the rest minor religions (2007) |
| Electricity | 220V / 60Hz (European and German socket) |
| Prefix | 82 |
| TLD | .kr |
| Time zone | UTC 9 |
| Website | Official tourism website |
South Korea is a state ofFar EastAsian which borders to the north with the North Korea, to the west with the Yellow Sea (in between China), to the south with the Strait of Korea and to the east with the Sea of Japan (in between Japan).
To know
Its capital, Seoul, with more than 25 million people in its metropolitan area, is one of the most populous cities in the world. The landscape is mainly mountainous. Today South Korea is famous as a high computer technology country based on a high level of human resources.
Geographical notes
South Korea occupies the southern part of the Korean Peninsula, which extends for 1 100 km from the Asian continent to the south.
South Korea can be divided into four basic regions: to the east, an area with high mountains and narrow coastal plains; to the west an area with broad coastal plains, river basins and low hills; in the southwestern area there are mountains and valleys, while in the southeast the region is dominated by the Nakdong River basin.
About three thousand islands are spread off the peninsula, most of which are small and uninhabited.
When to go
The local climate is continental, oceanic, with more rainfall in summer, during the so-called jangma rain season (장마). Winters can be very cold and dry.
TO Seoul Average temperatures in January range from -7 ° C to -1 ° C, while in July they can vary from 22 ° C to 29 ° C. Winter temperatures are higher on the southeast coast, and considerably lower in the mountain valleys of the interior. Rainfall is concentrated from June to September. The south coast is prone to some summer typhoons and heavy rains.
Background
Archaeological excavations have shown that Korea has been inhabited since the Lower Palaeolithic; but the history of Korea begins in 2133 BC. with the founding of Gojoseon by Dan-gun. After the unification of the three kingdoms of Korea under the reign of Silla in 668 AD, the Goryeo dynasties (고려, 高麗, transliterated also as Koryo from which the name Korea derives) and Joseon (조선, 朝鮮) followed until the invasion Korea in 1910. After the Soviet and US occupation of the country following World War II, Korea was divided into North Korea, under Soviet influence, and South Korea, under US influence. On 20 June 1950 the north, supported by the PRC and theSoviet Union invaded the south, causing a war, not yet officially over, which was effectively stopped in 1953 and which claimed 4 million victims.
Spoken languages
In addition to the national language, English is spoken by roughly 10% of the population as the vast majority of Koreans are monolingual. Only some university or graduates are able to communicate with foreigners in English, while less than 2% of the population is able to speak more than two languages.
Suggested readings
- Cesare Bracci, Worlds and landscapes: 2012-13. ISBN 97888-221-6108-6
Suggested movies
- The Korean prisoner of Kim Ki-duk (2016)
Territories and tourist destinations
Urban centers
- Seoul (서울) - The over one hundred year old but dynamic capital of South Korea, a fusion of ancient and modern.
- Busan (부산, 釜山) - The second largest city and one of the main port cities of Korea.
- Chuncheon (춘천, 春川) - Capital of Gangwon province, surrounded by lakes and mountains and known for local dishes, dakgalbi is makguksu.
- Daegu (대구, 大邱) - A cosmopolitan city, rich in traditions and ancient monuments.
- Daejeon (대전, 大田) - A large and dynamic metropolis located in the Chungnam Province.
- Gwangju (광주, 光州) - The administrative and economic center of the area, the largest city in the province.
- Gyeongju (경주, 慶州) - The ancient capital of the Silla kingdom.
- Incheon (인천, 仁川) - The second busiest port in the country, where the country's largest international airport is located.
- Jeonju (전주, 全 州) - Once the spiritual capital of the Joseon dynasty, now a major arts center filled with museums, ancient Buddhist temples, and historical monuments.
Other destinations
- Andong - Historically rich in Confucian traditions and which still hosts popular villages.
- Ansan - A city in the province of Gyeonggi, on the coast of the Yellow Sea.
- Boseong - Rolling hills covered in green tea leaves, where you can walk along a wooded path and stop at a nearby spa to drink house tea and take a bath in sea water.
- Guinsa - Spectacular mountain home of the Cheondae Buddhist sect.
- Jindo - Commonly associated with the native dog of that area, the Jindo, every year people flock to the area to witness the separation of the sea and participate in the accompanying festivities.
- Panmunjeom - The only tourist site in the world where the Cold War is still a reality.
- Seoraksan National Park - Spread across four cities and counties, it is the country's most famous national park and mountain range.
- Jirisan National Park - The area of the homonymous mountain is protected by this park, located in the southwestern part of the Sobaek mountains.
- Ulleungdo - Remote scenic island off the east coast of the peninsula.
- Yeosu - One of the most picturesque port cities in the country, especially at night, designated to host World Expo 2012. Famous for its seafood and beaches, you can visit some of the islands in Hallyeo Ocean Park by cruise or watch the sunset from the its fabulous Dolsan Bridge or romantic cafes near marinas.
How to get
Entry requirements
Italian citizens who go to South Korea for tourism for a period of less than 90 days can obtain a visa once they land, provided they have a passport with a residual validity greater than or equal to three months.
By plane
The main international airport is Incheon International Airport. South Korea has eight international airports.
By car
It is possible to reach the border with the China and since it would be necessary to enter North Korea, you have to change means of transport to continue.
By ship it is possible, perhaps the slowest method Tokyo you can get to Yokohama in half an hour, take a ferry and get to Busan, and then continue by car or bus all the rest of the route to Seoul.
The daily connection is also open between Fukuoka (Japan) and the southern city of Busan, by ferry. Car transport is possible.
By bus
It is possible to reach the border with the China and since it would be necessary to enter North Korea, you have to change means of transport to continue.
How to get around
Transport in South Korea is spread over an extensive railway and highway network, sea and air links. Buses, taxis, subways and trains make traveling within South Korea simple and cheap.
By plane
South Korea has seven domestic airports, including Jeonju Domestic Airport, Ulsan Airport, and Gwangju Domestic Airport. The airlines are Korean Air (KE) and Asiana Airlines (OZ). The differences in terms of quality, price and safety are minimal, so they can be chosen indiscriminately. Foreigners are obliged to carry their passport with them even on domestic flights.
By car
Road arteries in South Korea are classified into highways, state roads and other lower-level categories. There are approximately 3,000 km of highways, managed by the Korea Highway Corporation. The main roads, which connect the major cities, are perfectly maintained, while the secondary ones can be a bit lacking.
The complexity of the road network and the density of traffic make driving on site difficult. It may be advisable to have portable cameras with you to record the scene in the event of an accident, regardless of the severity of the accident. In the event of a fatal accident between car and motorcycle, it is assumed that the driver is wrong and the fines in the event of the presence of injuries can be very high.
By taxi
Taxis are generally safe and affordable. There are two types of taxis:
- Black taxis with yellow sign: these are the taxis that tourists should take, because they are private
- Blue sign taxis: These are shared taxis, so alternating passengers may occur during the ride
Both are metered, although out-of-town rides can be negotiated in advance. The name of the destination written in should be shown to the driver Korean (most hotels will assist you with this), as some drivers are unable to communicate in English.
If you don't want to leave for theJeju Island, you don't need the ship. The most important ports in Korea are Busan, Mopk'o is Incheon.
On the train
South Korea is one of the few countries in the world where the railway network is developed in a widespread manner. It also has a high speed network leading from Seoul to Busan and from Seoul to Mopk'o (KTX). It can reach the extraordinary speed of 380 km / h.
The trains, managed by the Korea Railroad Corporation, they are very often punctual and only a small percentage of them arrive late.
They are safe means of transport and are divided into 4 classes. While the tickets are written in Korean, the information on the timetables displayed in the various stations is often written in English.
By bus
Buses are one of the most used means of transport in Korea. It serves all cities with more than 20,000 inhabitants and therefore a large part of Korea. The vehicles are often equipped with air conditioning, but it is difficult to find staff who speak English or in any case the timetables printed in English. The probability of finding pickpockets is higher than in other means of transport.
What see
- National Museum of Korea - The main museum in the country and the sixth largest in the world, with collections ranging from archeology, to painting, to religious art.
What to do
Currency and purchases
The national currency is the South Korean won (KRW) Here are the links to know the current exchange rate with the main world currencies:
| (EN) With Google Finance: | AUDCADCHFEURGBPHKDJPYUSD |
| With Yahoo! Finance: | AUDCADCHFEURGBPHKDJPYUSD |
| (EN) With XE.com: | AUDCADCHFEURGBPHKDJPYUSD |
| (EN) With OANDA.com: | AUDCADCHFEURGBPHKDJPYUSD |
South Korea is one of the most expensive countries on Earth. Seoul, in fact, is in third place, after Tokyo is Osaka, for the cost of living. You can buy everything from small valuables to ultra-technological objects, typical of South Korea.
At the table
Tourist infrastructure
Events and parties
Safety
Crime is very low however petty street crimes can happen.
In case of emergency you can refer to these numbers:
- Police: 112
- Roadside assistance (for accident): 112
- Fire brigade: 119
- Ambulance: 119
Health situation
South Korea has a good emergency response capacity. However, Korean hospitals generally do not accept medical insurance and usually expect foreigners to prepay for services either in cash or by credit cards. In an emergency situation, a hospital can perform triage, but generally refuses to perform surgery without prior payment. Also, outside of Seoul, confirmed cases have been reported of hospitals refusing to treat foreigners, even in life and death situations. In an emergency, dial 119 to receive an ambulance.
The following hospitals located in the Seoul metropolitan area meet Western standards:
- Samsung Medical Center, 50 Ilwon Dong, Kangnam-gu, Seoul, ☎ 82 2 3410-2060 (Emergency room), 82 2 3410-0200 (International Clinic).
- Seoul National University Hospital, 28 Yungun-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, ☎ 82 2 2072-2473 (Emergency room), 82 2 2072-5050 (International Clinic).
- Yonsei Severance Medical Center, 134 Shinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, ☎ 82 2 2228-8888, 82 2 2227-6566 (Emergency room), 82 2 2228-5800 (International Clinic).
- Ajou University Hospital, San 5, Won Chong-dong, Youngtong-gu, Suwonsi, ☎ 82 31 219-5114, 82 31 219-7777 (Emergency room), 82 31 219-4312 (International Clinic).
- Asan Medical Center, 388-1 Pungnap 2 dong Songpu-gu, Seoul, ☎ 82 2 3010-3333 (Emergency room), 82 2 3010-5001 (International Clinic).
Respect the customs
It is quite normal for a person to ask for your age, as the system is very strict according to which the younger must respect the older.
How to keep in touch
Telephony
The 2G network has been disabled since 2011, so older cell phones and almost all feature phones are unusable there.
Internet
The internet connection is among the fastest in the world. South Korea is in fact the country with the largest number of internet users in the world in proportion to its population.
Keep informed
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning South Korea
Commons contains images or other files on South Korea
Wikinews contains current news on South Korea
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