About Korea & Tour About Korea
The Republic of Korea is a small country on the far eastern edge of Asia. It covers a total area of 99,392 square kilometers and has a population of 50 million. The capital and largest city is Seoul, with a population of 10 million. Although it ranks 109th in the world in terms of land area, the country is a center of economic activity, culture, and arts. Korea had to endure the Korean War (1950-53), but it has achieved amazing economic growth in a short period, dubbed "the Miracle on the Han River".
Korea has four distinct seasons, with each offering unique and beautiful landscapes. In the spring, forsythia, cherry blossom, azalea and many other flowers are in full bloom; in the summer, people travel in numbers to the coasts to enjoy their vacation on the beach; in the fall, the mountains put on a fascinating coat of crimson leaves; and in the winter, the land is covered with snow. The capital of Korea is Seoul, and the government is led by Moon, Jae-In, elected in 2017. The Korean economy is driven by the manufacturing and exports including ships, automobiles, mobile phones, PCs, TVs, and other electronics to countries all around the world. Korea has enjoyed rapid economic growth thanks in large part to its export-focused strategy. Today, the nation boasts the 15th largest economy in the world. Recently, Korean dramas and movies are also widely exported thanks to the popularity of Korean pop culture. K-pop stars are also active on the world stage.
Geographically, Gyeonggi-do surrounds Seoul, the capital city of the Republic of Korea and is the center and the economic hub of the country. With two airports and two ports, it allows easy access to any city in Northeast Asia within two hours. Gyeonggi-do is where the tour in Korea begins. From prehistoric times through Baekje, Goryeo and Joseon Dynasties, which had maintained the royal road through the region, Korea’s leading industries like IT, auto industry and tourism have flourished here.
‘Gyeonggi’ means ‘outer land of kingdom’s capital’ and is to protect the royal palace. Since 1018 (Goryeo Dynasty) when the name was first used, the province has long been specially treated as the area guarding capital of kingdom. It is why you can find Suwon Hwaseong Fortress and Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty here. Suwon Hwaseong, the masterpiece of the Joseon Dynasty, is one of the finest Asian fortresses. It was scientifically designed based on both Asian and Western military science theories and the oriental philology of ‘fi lial piety.’ Passing through the downtown area of Suwon, the fortress is one of the popular tourist destinations; it works off the charm of Gyeonggi-do where tradition and modernity are balanced. Registered recently as a World Heritage by UNESCO, the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty is attracting worldwide attention. It’s very rare in the world that a single dynasty existed for 519 years and it’s extraordinarily hard to maintain the tombs of kings and queens in that excellent state. UNESCO, impressed with their artistic and historic value, came to designate all of 40 tombs as the world heritages. 31 out of the 40 tombs lie in Gyeonggi-do. Based on this valuable cultural heritage, the province has become the center of Hallyu, or the Korean Wave.
Dae Jang Geum, an advance guard for Hallyu dramas that has been on a roll in Japan, China, Middle East and Southeast Asian Nations, was shot at Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon and Korean Folk Village in Yongin. Invested and managed by MBC, one of the major broadcasting stations in Korea, the Yongin MBC Dramia is bustling with a lot of foreign tourists since it was the location of Dae Jang Geum, The Moon That Embraces the Sun and The Great Queen Seondeok. Indeed, Gentleman, the music video of Psy, which recorded the big global hit in 2012, was shot at the Onemount in Goyang, and some episodes of Running Man of SBS that are popular in Southeast Asian Nations were shot at the Onemount and the Petite France in Gapyeong.
Everland was ranked as one of four major theme parks by Forbes in 2006. Located in Gyeonggi-do, it is one of the most impressive tourist attractions in Korea with nine million visitors annually. Apart from Everland there are many exciting theme parks in the province such as Gwacheon Seoul Land, WoongjinPlacydoci and Onemount. The Korean Folk Village, which features Giwajip (mansions of Yangban, aristocrats in Joseon Dynasty) as well as Chogajip (rice straw-thatched house), is one of world-class tourist destinations you can experience a variety of Korean traditions and cultures. For foreign tourists, in particular, it is a must-see destination since Nongak (a rural form of Korean percussive music),Jultagi (tight-rope walking) and Korean traditional wedding are performed all the year round. WoongjinPlaydoci, opened recently in 2009, fits out the world’s 12th indoor ski slope and offers advanced technology and services.
The DMZ (De-Militarized Zone) is a natural tourist attraction. The world’s only active strip of division, DMZ has recently come to be regarded as a great ecological tourist spot with exquisite natural resources. Many people including children and world celebrities have visited the DMZ, which has been cut off from the outside world for half a century, to discover the importance of nature and to hear a true message of peace.
Foreign nationals entering Korea are required to have a valid passport and a Korean visa issued by the Korean embassy or consular offices in their country. However, citizens from many countries are now permitted visa-free entry for a limited period under certain conditions. In order to check whether you are allowed to enter Korea without visa issuance and for other requirements, please contact a Korean embassy or consular office in your country or visit the following websites to confirm.
The 104 countries listed on the website linked below, in addition to Mozambique, which was added in February 2017, are under a Visa Waiver Agreement with Korea. Depending on nationality and passport type, citizens from these 105 countries can visit Korea with the purpose of tourism without a visa for 30 to 90 days. www.hikorea.go.kr (English)
(Listed countries without a specified period have a limit of 30 days)
| Continent | Countries |
|---|---|
| Asia | Japan (90 Days), Hong Kong (90 Days), Macao (90 Days), Taiwan (90 Days), Kuwait (90 Days), Brunei, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain |
| North America | United States (90 Days), Canada (6 Months) |
| South America | Argentina, Honduras, Paraguay, Ecuador (90 Days), Guyana |
| Europe | Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Cyprus, Albania, Croatia (90 Days), Slovenia (90 Days), Vatican, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia (90 Days), Montenegro |
| Oceania | Australia (90 Days), Guam, Fiji, Nauru, Palau, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Micronesia, New Caledonia, Samoa, Tuvalu, Tonga |
| Africa | Republic of South Africa, Mauritius, Seychelles, Swaziland, Egypt |
| Continent | Country |
|---|---|
| Asia | Indonesia, Lebanon |
All visitors who enter Korea must submit a written baggage declaration to a customs officer upon entry. If a passenger declares non-duty free articles voluntarily, the declared amount will be accepted and the clearance procedure will be expedited, unless the declared price of articles is questionable. More information about customs allowances and currency regulation can be found at the website below.
www.customs.go.kr (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, Spanish)
For items that are taxable, US $600 per capita from the total dutiable value shall be exempted from imposition of duty tax. Additional duty free exemptions are: 1 bottle of liquor (less than 1 liter, not over US $400), 1 carton of cigarettes (200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco) and 2 ounces of perfume (about 60㎖). For amounts that exceed the duty exemption, duty on the amount over will be charged per capita. Also, the liquor and cigarette exemptions are only permitted for those over 19 years of age. *This page was last updated on September 8, 2017, and therefore information may differ from what is presented here.
