| Republic of Korea | |
| Flag | |
 | |
| location | |
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| Information | |
| Capital city | Seoul |
| System | republic |
| Currency | 1 won = 100 bells (KRW) |
| Time zone | UTC 9 |
| Surface | 99 720 km² |
| Population | 51 466 201 |
| Official language | Korean |
| Dominant religion | Christianity |
| Telephone code | 82 |
| Electric voltage | 230V |
| Car code | YEAR |
| Car traffic | right hand |
| Internet domain | .kr |
South Korea - country in Asiain the southern part Korean Peninsula.
Characteristic
Geography
The Republic of Korea occupies the southern part of the Korean Peninsula to roughly the 38th parallel. It is separated from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea by a 4 km demarcation zone.
The Korean Peninsula separates the Yellow Sea from the Sea of Japan.
South Korea is a mountain and upland country with lots of short, mountain rivers.
fauna and Flora
Climate
Policy
Economy
Society
Traditions
Preparations
Travel time selection
It's best to go to Korea in spring or autumn. The most beautiful months are April (cherry blossom season) and November (golden autumn). Winters are mild, although you should be prepared for freezing temperatures. The period from mid-June to September is the rainy season, and typhoons also occur during this time.
Visas
Polish citizens upon entry to the territory of Korea receive a tourist visa valid for 90 days. To obtain such a visa, it is enough to present a valid passport and a border crossing card (it can be obtained on the plane or collected at the check-in counters at the airport). You must leave Korea before the expiry of the visa. It is not possible to extend the tourist visa in Korea. If you stay longer than 3 months, you must apply for a long-stay visa at a diplomatic mission outside Korea. Separate rules apply to people entering South Korean territory.
Customs regulations
Currency exchange
When entering Korea, you can exchange cash in USD or EUR for Korean currency at the airport. In addition, there are many exchange offices in the Seoul district of Itaewon where you can also make an exchange.
Currently, most ATMs support cards issued abroad, they can already be found at the airport. All ATMs also offer service in English. There is always a withdrawal limit at an ATM, but it is not low (eg 1 million won - or around $ 1,000). In ATMs installed in grocery stores "Buy the way" (sic!), The withdrawal limit is only 100,000. won (about $ 100). Most stores, however, accept payment cards, so there is no need to have a large amount of cash with you.
After finding an ATM, select English and then select "Foreign English". If there is no such option, it means that the ATM does not support foreign cards. It should also be remembered that the withdrawal amount is given as a multiple of 10,000. won.
CautionBefore leaving Poland, check whether our payment card will work outside the European Union.
Insurance
Equipment
Phrase book
Polish-Korean phrasebook is not available. In Korea, you can get a textbook to learn the basics of Korean, such as "Survival Korean" (in English).
Drive
By plane
There are no direct flights from Poland to South Korea, but you can fly to Seoul directly from Frankfurt (Lufthansa, Asiana, Korean Air), Munich (Lufthansa), Amsterdam (KLM) or Vienna. The ticket price varies between PLN 3,500-5,000. You can also take advantage of the Aeroflot offer (route through Moscow), which can be up to PLN 1,000 cheaper than the offer of other carriers (however, they offer much lower standards). Competitively priced flights via Helsinki are offered by Finnair, for some time direct flights from Poland (Warsaw-Seoul) have been operated by LOT
By train
Admittedly, South Korea has a plan to build a railroad to run across the land to China and Russia North Koreabut it's a rather distant future.
By car
No transit through the territory North Korea.
By ship
From China and Japan there are (not) ferries to the port of Incheon and Pyeongtaek.
Border crossings
There are no land border crossings.
International airports:
- Seoul – Seoul Incheon International Airport
- Seoul – Seoul Gimpo International Airport
- Busan – Busan Kimhae International Airport
- Jeju – Jeju airport
Provinces
- North Chungcheong - a region located in the center of the country
- South Chungcheong - Midwest region. Major cities: Daejeon
- Gangwon - the region located in the Northeast. Major cities: Sokcho
- Gyeonggi - the region located in the northwest. Important cities: Seoul, Incheon
- South Gyeongsang - the region located in the Middle East. Important cities: Daegu
- North Gyeongsang - the region located in the south-east. Important cities: Busan, Ulsan
- Jeju
- North Jeolla - the region located in the mid-west south of South Chungcheong. Important cities: Jeonju
- South Jeolla Province - the region located in the south-west. Major cities: Kwangju
Cities
According to official data from 2010, South Korea had over 80 cities with a population of over 40,000. residents. The capital of the country, Seoul, was the only city with over 5 million inhabitants; 8 cities with a population of 1 ÷ 5 million; 11 cities with a population of 500,000 ÷ 1,000,000; 48 cities with a population of 100,000 ÷ 500,000; 15 cities with a population of 50,000 ÷ 100,000 and the rest of the cities below 50,000 residents.
Interesting places
Objects from the UNESCO World Heritage List
- Historic neighborhoods Kyŏngju
- Hwasong Fortress
- Sokkuram Grotto and Pulguk-sa Temple
- Chongmyo Shrine
- Haein-sa Temple, Chaggyong P'ango, Goryeo Tripitaka Matrix Archive (Tripitaka Koreana)
- Volcanic island Jeju
- Ch'angdokkung Palace Complex
- Koch'ang, Hwasun and Kanghwa dolmens bands
Transport
Plane
From Seoul, you can fly to any major city. Most of the flights depart from Gimpo Airport. The journey from the Inczon International Airport takes approx. 30 minutes, the ticket price is approx. 6000 won (PLN 15.18). Buses leave every few minutes. Gimpo Airport can be accessed from both Incheon Airport and Seoul city center on the AIREX high-speed train.
CautionWhen traveling between Gimpo and Incheon, you should not use unmarked taxis (you can pay up to $ 200). A regular taxi ride costs around 40,000 - 50,000 won.
Train
Larger cities are connected by a railway network. Between Seoul and Busan as well as Seoul and Mokpo run super-fast KTX trains, reaching a speed of approx. 300 km / h. All trains have seat reservation (included in the ticket price). Trains in Korea are punctual. The conductor does not check the tickets for all passengers, but only for those taking seats that should be free.
Car
Poles can drive a passenger car if they have an international driving license (obtaining this document is not a problem in Poland). The road network is well developed with lots of highways. Highways are paid, the cost depends on the length of the route, minimum 1200 won. Signposts are bilingual, but sometimes the McCune-Reischauer transcription is used, which may be misleading.
CautionFlashing long lights means "I'm going, you're waiting", unlike in Poland.
Bus
On boarding the bus, you throw money into a plastic transparent box of 1000 won (approx. $ 1) for any number of kilometers on one bus. Another form of payment is a contactless card - then the fare is lower. In addition, you can use the combined metro and bus journeys - if you move within one zone, the machine only charges a fee at the entrance to the metro or bus, but does not charge a fee for using the next means of transport.
In Korea, there are no controllers on the buses, but when you enter you pay "hello", and when you pay, the driver watches you and counts on your honesty.
Trip
Tongue
Korean language is very difficult to pronounce for Poles, even if we use phonetic notation, the chances that a Korean will understand us are slim. In addition, the matter is complicated by the fact that English is difficult for Koreans and a small number of people speak it fluently. Most young Koreans (especially in cities) know at least basic English phrases.
Shopping
- Food shopping - in Seoul and larger cities, it is easiest to do it in the supermarkets of the Lotte Mart, E-Mart, Costco chains (something like Makro in Poland). In supermarkets you can easily buy most of the products known to us in Poland, although they are much more expensive here than in our country.
- Clothing Shopping - Seoul's Myeong Dong district has a plethora of boutiques selling all kinds of clothes at different prices. You can buy inexpensive, inferior quality clothing at one of the many markets, such as the Nandaemun market or the Dongdaemun Market (open at night and until noon). There are also upscale shopping malls in Seoul that offer designer clothing (no Chinese fakes).
- Electronics, photo and video equipment can be purchased from the Electronic Market in Yongsan. However, you should not expect sensational prices (comparable to prices in Polish online stores).
- Fish and seafood are bought at fish markets, where you can select live fish in the aquarium and ask for packaging or preparation on site.
- Korean regional products are best bought at Nandaemun Market (inside shopping pavilions). In addition, you can buy them occasionally at flea markets (flea markets).
In Korea, you can bargain at marketplaces, but do not expect big reductions. At marketplaces you pay in cash, while 90% of shops accept payment cards.
Gastronomy
Korea is a country of restaurants, bars and kitchenettes. Sometimes you get the impression that Koreans are still eating (and yet remain thin).
Restaurants
Traditional Korean restaurants usually offer one type of food, such as meat, fish, chicken, seafood, tofu, etc. You can try typical Korean cuisine. Traditional grill restaurants are very popular, where customers prepare meat or seafood on the grill themselves.
In Itaewon - the international district of Seoul, there are many restaurants serving dishes from around the world: including European, American steaks and burgers, Indian, Arab, African, Mexican, etc. In short, everyone will find something for their palate here. An interesting fact is the Bulgarian "Zelen", run by Poles and offering very tasty dishes.
Accommodation
Hotels
Well-known hotel chains are present in Seoul and other larger cities: Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton, Hyatt, etc. Overnight in these hotels costs from about USD 130 upwards. The service in these hotels is much higher than their counterparts in Europe or the United States. Good English is spoken by hotel staff. Most of these hotels can be reached by a luxury bus straight from Incheon Airport. Ticket price - approx. $ 15. Buses leave the airport every 30 minutes and provide a really comfortable ride and luggage transport included in the ticket price. A high standard for a high price is also ensured by the hotels of the Korean Lotte chain, while Korean hotels are cheaper, but where the level of service is also quite high. However, communication may be a problem due to the poor knowledge of English by the staff (especially in smaller cities). The cost of accommodation is 40-100 USD) - depending on the standard and location. The price usually includes breakfast and internet access. The rooms are clean, well-equipped: usually with an LCD TV, a large comfortable bed, underfloor heating and a well-equipped bathroom.
Motels
Korean motels can be found in different parts of the country. They offer cheap accommodation with a different standard of equipment.
Hostels
The price of accommodation in hostels is USD 15-50. The rooms are poorly equipped, sometimes you can find traditional Korean bedding on the floor. This is not surprising in this country, as in many Korean homes sleeping on the floor is still the norm. The vast majority of hostels are also clean. Therefore, you should not be afraid when choosing this form of accommodation in Korea.
Science
work
Security
Korea is a safe country for tourists. Koreans are characterized by hospitality and a willingness to help foreigners (apart from places besieged by tourists, of course), which is especially important when they get lost.
Health
contact
Telephone
Mobile telephony in South Korea operates in a system other than GSM. Before leaving, you should get a phone that supports 3G transmission, then we will be able to use our Polish number. Roaming charges in Korea are high, however. If you come to Korea for a short time, you can rent a telephone at the airport that works in the local system. Korean cell phones do not support GSM cards, so it is not worth buying them and taking them to Poland, as they will not work with us. In the Korean mobile telephony system, a subscriber number is assigned to the handset. There are no prepaid cards, but you can buy the entire phone in the "prepaid" system and then top up your account. Officially, however, this cannot be done on the basis of a tourist visa. SMS sent from a Korean telephone will not reach the recipient working in the GSM system and vice versa.
Internet
Korea has a very well-developed infrastructure and the quality of the connection is usually very good. In large hotels (e.g. the Lotte network) you have to pay for internet access separately, up to PLN 20,000. won per day. In motels, if there is internet access, it is included in the room price.
post
Korean Post works very well and its services are inexpensive.
Shipments to Europe: postcard - 300 won, letter - 500 won. Time for delivery of the letter to Poland - approx. 2 weeks.
A package up to 20 kg, transport by sea - cost approx. 50,000 won. Time for delivering a parcel to Poland - from 1 to 2 months.
Package up to 20 kg, transport by air - cost approx. 120,000 won. Time for delivering the package to Poland - approx. 1 week.
Within Korea, letters are delivered within 1-2 days. House mailboxes are not locked - they are not stolen there.
Tourist information
Diplomatic representations
South Korean accredited diplomatic missions
Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Seoul
Samcheong-ro 20-1, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03062, Republic of Korea
Phone: 822 723 96 81
Fax: 822 723 96 80
Web page: https://seul.msz.gov.pl/pl/
E-mail: [email protected]
Diplomatic representations accredited in Poland
South Korean Embassy in Warsaw
ul. Szwoleżerów 6
00-464 Warsaw
Phone: 48 22 559 29 00
Fax: 48 22 559 29 05
Web page: http://overseas.mofa.go.kr/pl-pl/index.do
E-mail: [email protected]