All of South Korea’s national parks and low green mountains invite to hiking and outdoor activities. The Koreans themselves are very fond of their beautiful nature and are often seen on their way up a hill wearing the latest trekking fashion. The Koreans are always on the go and are very fond of technology. The giant mobile phone manufacturers Samsung and LG are both Korean and have convinced virtually the entire population that a mobile phone is indispensable – both when calling, watching TV or surfing the Internet.

See travel to South Korea

Population: 49 million

Capital: Seoul

Language: Korean

South Korea can be proud of its own modern music genre? It’s called K-pop and is a futuristic mix of English and Korean, pop and hip hop – and much more!

Do you calculate your age in a different way than we are used to? In Korea, you are 1 year old when you are born, so Koreans appear to be one year older than Western peers.

Geography and climate in South Korea

The Republic of South Korea arose in 1945, when the country separated from North Korea. South Korea is the southernmost part of the Korean Peninsula, of which North Korea is the northern part. South Korea thus only has land borders with North Korea – or rather with the demilitarized zone, which is a neutral land section between North and South Korea. To the west, South Korean waters border China and to the east, Japan. Part of the South Korean landscape is dominated by mountains, which, however, never reach such great heights. The highest point is the extinct volcano Halla-san at 1,950 meters. The mountains in the northeast change to lower plateau land to the southwest.

South Korea’s history and population

The first known population on the Korean Peninsula was divided into several small kingdoms, which were in constant war with each other, which neighboring China could not help but interfere in. The strongest of the small Korean kingdoms turned out to be the Silla kingdom, which for a few centuries, domination of the entire peninsula, but with the Chinese emperor as the supreme authority. After the Silla Empire came the Koryo Empire, which had greater problems with the Mongols and the Japanese than with the Chinese. The last Korean dynasty was the Yi Empire, which was also under Chinese rule, until the Japanese took over and the Yi dynasty ceased to exist. In 1945, the Japanese gave up the land, which was then divided into two parts. After only a few years, North Korea tried to reunite the two parts into a communist People’s Republic, but that put an end to the United States with the Korean War. The war ended in a draw and afterwards extensive industrialization of South Korea began and the economy grew strongly. Electronics, cars and ships were manufactured and exported on a large scale. The old battle with North Korea has been put behind it, after the leaders of the two countries have met several times since the first media-covered meeting in 2000.

Traveling in South Korea

Trips to South Korea can offer nature, history, modern technology and beautiful beaches. For example, there are many beaches on the small volcanic island of Cheju off the southern tip of South Korea. The island is a popular excursion destination for Japanese and Koreans and often a destination on cruises in the Yellow Sea. In the demilitarized zone around the border between North and South Korea, you can absorb some unpleasant contemporary history during the holidays. The atmosphere is intense with the two countries’ soldiers just a few meters apart and from the lookout towers you can see into North Korea’s large amounts of pro-government propaganda. Even more insight into the special neighbor North Korea can be found in the city of Hwajinpo, where North Korea’s father Kim II Sung’s summer palace was located – the summer house is located in an area in what is now South Korea that once belonged to North Korea.

The lively capital of Seoul is a mix of modern and traditional architecture. The city gates, temples and Gyeongbokgung Palace are all worth a visit. Gyeongbokgung lay in ruins for 300 years, until it was rebuilt by King Gojong in 1865. A day’s journey away from the bustling port city of Busan, the Seongnam Temple is located in beautiful surroundings. A small cobbled path leads up to a steep staircase with the temple’s main entrance at the top. From the stairs you have a beautiful view of pagodas and bamboo trees scattered over the fog-covered cliffs. The trip up here is in itself a beautiful experience. Near Pusan, in Ulsan, is the country’s largest shipyard, which delivers five giant ships a week. A trip to South Korea should also include nature experiences. Songnisan National Park in the middle of South Korea has an abundance of fine hiking trails and here is also one of South Korea’s most exciting temple complex, Beopjusa. Dadohae Haesang National Park stretches over a large area off the southwest coast and consists of 1,700 islands. Some of the islands are just wooded cliffs in distinctive formations, others are inhabited by small fishing communities.

Climate South Korea

Below you can read more about South Korea’s climate and temperatures for Seoul and Jeju.

	JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	CHRISTMAS	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC
Seoul
Daytime temperature	2	4	10	18	23	27	29	30	26	20	12	4
Night temperature	-6	-4	1	7	13	18	22	22	17	10	3	-3
Precipitation (mm)	22	24	46	77	102	133	328	348	138	49	53	25
Jeju
Daytime temperature	8	9	12	17	21	25	29	30	26	21	16	11
Night temperature	3	3	6	10	14	18	23	24	20	15	9	5
Precipitation (mm)	63	67	84	92	88	190	232	258	188	79	71	45
Busan
Daytime temperature	6	9	12	17	21	24	27	29	26	22	16	10
Night temperature	-2	0	4	9	13	17	21	23	19	13	7	1
Precipitation (mm)	25	44	89	114	139	198	248	165	205	73	44	39

According to bridgat, the climate in South Korea is subtropical with hot summers and rather cold winters with occasional snowfall. In July and August it rains quite a lot and then the risk of typhoon is also greatest. Autumn is warm and very beautiful.

Customs and traditions

It is very bad behavior to get excited and scold others. That means you lose face.

Problems are best solved by discussing things calmly and objectively. Politeness is a virtue in South Korea

Although the level of service is generally high, misunderstandings can arise due to cultural differences or language confusion. As in so many other places in the world, you solve this best with a smile – smile, and you get a smile back.

South Koreans are usually a friendly, polite and accommodating people. Many are shy towards foreigners, but if you ask for help, most people do what they can to help.

Greetings are best done with a light bowing. Send and receive items such as dishes, drinks and business cards with both hands. The same applies when pouring or serving. Use chopsticks or a spoon to touch food and do not leave any of it sticking out of a bowl of rice.

In private homes, guest houses and temples, you always take off your shoes. There are always a pair of “indoor shoes” available at these places.

South Koreans eat with chopsticks and there is a certain label attached to the use of chopsticks that should be remembered. If you need to put the chopsticks away from you, place them on the chopstick holder or on the side of your bowl or plate. It’s very rude to leave them stuck in a bowl of rice! Do not suck on the tip of the chopsticks, and do not use them to “tip” the food with – the food is picked up between the sticks. Most people learn the technique quickly, and the South Korean food is as it was made for the purpose: the rice is sticky and that makes it easy to catch the rice grains. The vegetables, fish and meat are usually cut to chew-friendly size. Give it a shot. Otherwise, it is no problem to ask for a knife and fork at most eateries.

For tourists, South Korea is as relaxed as other places and there is therefore no reason to bring an evening dress or evening dress. Since our travels are relatively active, it is most important that the clothes are practical and comfortable. Shorts can be used almost anywhere.