QUICK FACTS

CAPITAL CITY

Seoul, South Korea

POPULATION

51, 448, 828 Million as of February 26, 2020

CURRENCY

Korean Won

1 Canadian Dollar = 889.20 Korean Won

LANGUAGE

Korean is used throughout the country.

Different dialects are used in different regions in Korea, such as Busan dialect and Daegu dialect. It is similar to standard Korean but sound slightly rougher and more aggressive. 

IMPORTANT DOCUMENTATIONS

Tourist and Business visas are not required for Canadians staying less than 180 days. Canadian passports must be valid, typically 7 months validity, beyond the date of expected departure from South Korea. 

TRAINS

Travelling around Korea via train is the most efficient way to get around. There is a metro system that can get you around Seoul in the most comfortable way. South Korea also has a high-speed bullet train called the KTX. It allows you to travel from Seoul to Busan in less than three hours.

BUSES

Buses would be the least expensive option to get around South Korea while still being efficient. Local buses are useful if you are comfortable with basic Korean or their navigation system, as it can be confusing. 

NATIONAL AIRLINE AND IATA

Korean Air is the national carrier of South Korea. It's IATA code is KA.

BUDGET AIRLINES

South Korea has 5 low cost carriers. Jeju Air, Air Busan, Jin Air, Easter Jet and T'way. Easter Jet, Jeju Air and t'way are independent low cost carriers, while Korean Air owns Jin Air and Asiana partially owns Air Busan. 

AIRPORTS

Incheon International Airport is the airport where most international airlines such as Cathay Pacific, Emirates and Korean air hub their planes. Gimpo International Airport would be a more domestic airport and where a passenger might go to if they were to fly to Daegu or Busan.

ONLINE PLATFORM

The online platform used in South Korea would be Naver. It has the exact same concept as Google, natives and users use it for searches, navigation and translation. As for text messaging, a popular application would be KakaoTalk. Having these two online platforms can help travelers navigate their own way around Korea.

SHOPPING CENTRE

There are many shopping centres in Korea, most being in Seoul. Myeongdong is the hot spot for finding different outlet stores for clothing, snacks or accessories. Starfield COEX Mall is Asia's largest underground shopping mall. It offers stores, exhibition halls as well as a large display of books.

HEALTH CONSIDERATION

Routine vaccines should be done prior to entering the country. As of July 23, 2019 a global measles notice was released, consult with a family doctor in regards to any vaccines in relation.

Medical services meet the Canadian standards and it is recommended to visit hospitals in the cities rather than rural facilities. Institutions will also not charge insurance companies directly and expect payment at the time of service.

CURRENT GOVERNMENT

The current government South Korea has is a democratic republic where these are three branches of the government, and the head of the government is called the president. The current president of South Korea is Moon Jae-in.

DIVERSITY OF RELIGIONS

In a study done in 2015, 44% of the country has a country. There are 5 different religions that peacefully coexist with each other. Christianity, Buddhism, Confucianism, Islam and Shamanism. For those who do not know, Confucianism is a philosophy based on the work developed by Confucius, Mencius and Xunzi. Shamanism is a practice where a the shaman reaches different states of consciousness to reach the spirit they believe in.