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SOUTH KOREA TRAVEL TIPS

PASSPORT AND VISA IN KOREA

Passport/Visa: Passport Required? Visa Required? Return Ticket Required?
British Yes 1 Yes
Australian Yes 4 Yes
Canadian Yes 4 Yes
USA Yes 4 Yes
OtherEU Yes 1 Yes
Japanese Yes 4 Yes

PASSPORTS: Passport valid for a minimum of 6 months required by all.

VISAS: Required by all except the following:
(a) 1. nationals of EU countries for touristic and business purposes for stays of up to 3 months (except nationals of Italy and Portugal for stays of up to 60 days);
(b) 2. nationals of Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Brazil, Bulgaria, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Commonwealth of Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Singapore, Surinam, Switzerland, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey and Vietnam for touristic and business purposes for stays of up to 3 months;
(c) nationals of Egypt, Lithuania and Romania for touristic and business purposes for stays of up to 90 days;
(d) nationals of Lesotho for touristic and business purposes for stays of up to 60 days;
(e) nationals of Tunisia for touristic and business purposes for stays of up to 30 days.
(f) 4. nationals of most other countries travelling for short-term touristic or transit purposes are allowed to stay for a maximum of 30 days, provided holding confirmed onward or return tickets and proof of sufficient funds. This regulation applies to: Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Brunei, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Fiji, Guam, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Macao, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Nauru, New Caledonia, Oman, Palau, Paraguay, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, Slovenia, South Africa, Swaziland, Taiwan, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, USA, Vatican City, Venezuela and Yemen.
The regulation applies to nationals of Canada for up to 6 months and nationals of Australia for stays of up to 90 days.

Note: a) Many nationals are permitted visa exemptions on other passports, such as diplomatic or official passports. For further details of whether this is applicable and the necessary restrictions of such visa exemptions, it is advisable to contact the nearest Embassy/Consulate before departure. (b) In some circumstances, visa exemptions or no-visa entry is permitted for individuals visiting Korea (Rep) for business circumstances. It is necessary to consult the nearest embassy/consulate to discern whether this is applicable.

Types of visa and cost: Single-entry (up to 90 days): US$30. Single-entry (more than 90 days): US$50. Multiple-entry: US$80. Prolongation of Re-entry Permit: US$20. The same fees apply for both business and tourist visas. Group visa: valid for temporary visiting diplomats, conference participants, school excursions or other groups administered by the Minister of Justice, whereby a stamp is affixed only in the leader of the group’s passport. It is advised that the nearest Embassy/Consulate is consulted to discern fees and other details regarding the group visa.

Note: In addition to obtaining a visa, a Certificate for Recognition of Visa Issuance may be requested. This is issued by the chief of a district or branch office in Korea with the intention of shortening and simplifying the time and process of visa issuance. In certain cases, it may be required before applying for a visa to a Korean consulate abroad.

Validity: Up to 3 months from date of issue, although this may vary.

Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Contact Addresses section for details.

Application requirements: These may vary according to visa required and nationality of applicant. (a) Passport valid for at least 6 months. (b) Completed application form. (c) One recent passport-size colour photo. (d) Fee (payable by cash or postal order but not cheque). (e) Stamped, self-addressed envelope, if applicable. (f) Proof of sufficient funds (a bank statement for £1000 if not working in the UK and a company letter if working in the UK). Short-term business: (a)-(f) and, (g) Substantiating documents for the activity of the applicant, e.g. letter of invitation from the host company in the Republic of Korea, business-related documents, L/C, invoices, an import license, contract, etc. Short-term employment: (a)-(f) and, (g) Caree Document. (h) Employment contract. (i) A recommendation, official letter or other documents which prove the necessity of employment by the appropriate Minister of Department. Student: (a)-(f) and, (g) Standard admission letter for students, substantiating the educational ability and coverage of the expense of the applicant, issued by the president or a dean of the University. (h) Substantiating documents for researchers, including a reference, if applicable.

Note: a) For a national who cannot fulfill the necessary requirements and entry conditions (such as the expiration of passport validity) due to unavoidable circumstances, or is required for further review before a visa can be issued, a conditional entry permit may be granted with a validity of up to 72 hours. In regards to this permit, the chief of a district or branch office may impose conditions such as a reference, financial guarantee, restrictions on duration of stay, a duty to obey summons or other necessary conditions, and, if deemed necessary, a monetary deposit not exceeding 10 million won (US$10,000). b) When a Republic of Korean national intends to visit Korea (DPR), a 'Certificate of Visit' must be issued by the Minister of Unification in advance. If it is an overseas Republic of Korean national who intends to visit Korea (DPR), the chief of a Korean embassy or consulate abroad must be reported to. c) When a short-term visitor or unregistered national who visited Korea (DPR) re-enters the Republic of Korea, an immigration officer shall issue the same visa which was granted, minus the duration of stay in Korea (DPR). If a national's duration of stay on the visa expired whilst in Korea (DPR), or remaining period is less than 30 days, a new visa may have to be granted. d) A national who wishes to enter the Republic of Korea via Korea (DPR) must carry a valid passport and visa. If the national has a visa waiver agreement with the Republic of Korea, they must present a passport, a written paper outlining the reason for visiting Korea (DPR) and E/D Card (Immigration Card) to the Immigration officer at an inspection counter. If the visit was for diplomatic, official or agreement purposes, the national may be exempted from submitting a written paper outlining the reasons for the visit.

Working days required: 5.

Temporary residence: Applications for a residence certificate or for a stay of more than 90 days should be made to the Immigration Office in Seoul. For details contact the Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Contact Addresses section.

MONEY

Currency: Won (W). Notes are in denominations of W10,000, 5000 and 1000. W1000 is called Chon Won in Korean (chon means ‘one thousand’). Coins are in denominations of W500, 100, 50 and 10.

Currency exchange: Foreign banknotes and travellers cheques can be exchanged at foreign exchange banks and other authorised money changers. ATMs are available in all major cities, but all instructions are in Korean.

Credit & debit cards: Diners Club, Visa, American Express and MasterCard are widely accepted at major hotels, shops and restaurants in the larger cities. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.

Korea Pass Card: A multipurpose bank card for foreign visitors organised in conjunction with the Visit Korea Year 2001 committee and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The card can be purchased in denominations of 100,000, 200,000 or 500,000 Won at Incheon International Airport. It offers discounts on Seoul and Incheon buses and subway trains, where it is accepted as a ticket. It can also be used as a credit card in a number of shops, hotels and markets. For further information check online (website: www.koreapasscard.com).

Travellers cheques: Accepted, but may be difficult to change in smaller towns. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars.

DUTY FREE IN SOUTH KOREA

Duty Free: The following goods may be imported into the Republic of Korea by persons aged 20 and over without incurring customs duty:
200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of other tobacco products (total quantity not exceeding 500g); 1l of alcoholic beverage; 2oz of perfume; gifts up to the value of US$400.

Prohibited items: Narcotics, drugs, fruit, hay, seeds and printed material, films, records or cassettes considered by the authorities to be subversive, obscene or harmful to national security or public interests, products originating from communist countries.

Restricted items: Firearms, explosives and other weapons, textiles, radio equipment, articles considered to be for commercial use and any animals or plants prohibited by the relevant quarantine regulations. Approval is required for the export of Korean antiques or valuable cultural items from the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Art & Antique Assessment Office, Seoul (tel: (2) 662 0106).

TRAVEL INTERNAL IN SOUTH KOREA

AIR: Korean Air and Asiana Air run frequent services between Seoul and Busan, Taegu, Cheju, Ulsan and Kwangju, linking the Republic of Korea’s 16 major cities.
The main domestic airport is Seoul Gimpo (GMP), located 17km (10 miles) from the city. Airport Limousine Buses depart to the city every 5-10 minutes from 0700-2215 (travel time – 40 minutes). Airport Express buses depart every 12 minutes. Subway line 5 runs to the city centre (travel time – 40 minutes). Taxis to the city are also available. Airport facilities include currency exchange, pharmacy, children’s restroom, post office, gift shop, duty-free shop, car hire, local products shop, restaurant and travel information desk.

Departure tax: W3000-5000.

SEA/RIVER: A steamer service runs along the scenic south coast between Mokpo and Busan twice daily. A hydrofoil service links Busan and Yosu via Ch’ungmu, five times a day (Angel Line). Ferries connect Busan with Cheju-do Island once a day. Car ferries run three times a week. Semo Cruise Company operates a cruise service on the Han-Gang River in Seoul, which runs through the centre of the capital. Children pay half fare and night cruises are available.

RAIL: Korean National Railroads connect major destinations. There are three classes of trains, Super-Express, Express and Local. Super-Express trains operate on Seoul–Mokpo, Seoul–Busan, Seoul–Chungju–Yosu, Seoul–Incheon (particularly scenic) and Seoul–Onyang (second-class only) routes. Some have air-conditioning and restaurant cars. A supplement is payable for better-quality accommodation on some trains. Station signs in English are common and English translations of timetables are usually available. Children under 6 travel free and children 6 to 12 years old pay half fare. Timetables and fares are accessible online (website: http://app.korail.go.kr).

Korea Rail Pass: The KR Pass allows visitors free travel with reserved seats on any KR train (except subways) within a 3-day, 5-day, 7-day or 10-day period. Saver passes are available for groups of between two and five people and for people aged between 13 and 25 years old. A KR Pass voucher can be purchased at certain offices abroad and exchanged on arrival in Korea for the actual pass. For further details contact the Korea National Tourist Organisation (see Contact Addresses section).

ROAD: Cars drive on the right. The network extends over more than 60,000km (37,300 miles) of roads; over half of it is paved. Excellent motorways link all major cities, but minor roads are often badly maintained. Road signs are usually written in both Korean and English. Bus: Local and express buses are inexpensive, though local buses within cities are often crowded and make no allowances for English-speakers. Hotel staff will be able to assist in choosing the correct bus and stop. Air-conditioned city-express buses, called Chwasok buses in Korean and much more comfortable than local buses, operate in competition with trains for connections to major cities. Towns and villages are linked by local bus services. Fares are paid in change into the coin box to the right of the driver upon boarding. To stop the bus at your destination, push one of the stop buttons located along the length of the bus. Taxi: Cheap and a good way to travel. There are also deluxe-taxis (mobom taxis) that are black with a yellow sign on top. Car hire: There are numerous car hire companies operating, including the major international ones. Some hotels and travel agents also provide a car hire service. For details about driving in the Republic of Korea, contact the Korea Car Rental Union (tel: (2) 525 9077/ Cool

. Documentation: International Driving Permit required. Drivers must have more than one year’s driving experience, be in possession of a valid passport and be over 21 years of age.

URBAN: Seoul has underground and suburban railways and well-developed bus services, all of which are very crowded during the rush hour. Underground station names, ticket counters and transfer signs are clearly marked in English as well as Korean. Underground lines are colour-coded, and all trains have multi-lingual announcements. Fares are relatively cheap, but do vary with service areas. Taxis are widely available. Good bus services also operate in other cities.

COMMUN ICATIONS IN SOUTH KOREA

Telephone: IDD is available to Seoul and other major cities. Country code: 82. Outgoing international code: 001 or 002.

Mobile telephone: GSM 1800 and 900 networks are in use. SK Telecom is the main network provider (website: www.sktelecom.co.kr). A new 3G network was introduced in 2002.

Fax: Available at major hotels and business centres.

Internet: ISPs include Korea Telecom (website: www.kornet.net), Korea-Afis (website: www.korea-afis.co.kr) and Shinbiro (http://english.shinbiro.com). There are Internet cafes available in Seoul, and one in Taejon.

Telegram: There is a service at all main hotels. Korea International Telecommunications Services at 1, Choongmo-ro, Chung-gu, Seoul provides a 24-hour public service.

Post: Airmail to Western Europe takes up to 10 days. Post offices open Mon-Fri 0900-1700, Sat 0900-1300.

Press: English-language national dailies are The Korea Herald and The Korea Times.

Radio: BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.

USEFULL CONTACT ADRESSES FOR SOUTH KOREA

Country dialling code: 82.

Korea National Tourism Organisation (KNTO)
10 Da-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul 100-180, Republic of Korea
Tel: (2) 729 9600. Fax: (2) 757 5997.
E-mail: webmaster@mail.knto.or.kr
Website: www.visitkorea.or.kr or www.tour2korea.com or www.goodwillguide.com
KNTO Tourist Phone Service: tel: 1330 or 080 757 2000 (toll free within the Republic of Korea); these numbers will automatically connect users to the nearest KNTO tourist office.

Embassy of the Republic of Korea in UK
60 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6AJ, UK
Tel: (020) 7227 5500 or 7227 5505 (consular section). Fax: (020) 7227 5504 (consular section).
E-mail: koreanembinuk@mofat.go.kr
Website: www.mofat.go.kr
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 1000-1200 and 1400-1600 (visa section).

Korea National Tourism Organisation in UK(KNTO)
3rd Floor, New Zealand House, Haymarket, London SW1Y 4TE, UK
Tel: (020) 7321 2535. Fax: (020) 7321 0876.
E-mail: london@mail.knto.or.kr
Website: www.tour2korea.com

British Embassy in South Korea
Taepyung-ro 40, 4 Chung-dong, Chung-ku, Seoul 100-120, Republic of Korea
Tel: (2) 3210 5500 (embassy). Fax: (2) 725 1738 or 3210 5653 (consular section).
E-mail: bembassy@britain.or.kr
Website: www.britishembassy.or.kr
Honorary Consulate in: Busan.

Embassy of the Republic of Korea in United States of America
2450 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Consular section: 2320 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 939 5600 or 939 5661-3 (consular section). Fax: (202) 797 0595 or 342 1597 (consular section).
E-mail: consular_usa@mofat.go.kr (consular section).
Website: www.koreaembassy.org
Consulates General in: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Seattle.

Korea National Tourism Organisation in USA (KNTO)
1 Executive Drive, Suite 100, Fort Lee, NJ 07024, USA
Tel: (201) 585 0909 or (800) 868 7567 (toll free in USA). Fax: (201) 585 9041.
E-mail: ny@kntoamerica.com
Website: www.tour2korea.com
Offices also in: Chicago and Los Angeles.

Embassy of the United States of America in South Korea
32 Sejongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710, Republic of Korea
Tel: (2) 397 4114. Fax: (2) 397 4101 or 725 6843 (visa enquiries).
E-mail: seoul_acs@state.gov
Website: www.asktheconsul.org