General Information

Population	9,414,093 (June 2023 Statics)
Religion	Christianity, Buddhism and Other
Language	Korean (English, Japanese and Chinese available in main tourist areas)
Surface Area	605.24k㎡

Useful Information

Weather

September sees the start of autumn in Korea. Average temperatures are between 19-25. There may be heavy rain during the month continuing of the previous month. It is ideal to wear light jackets for chiller nights. Also, it will be nice to prepare an umbrella in case of rainy summer.
Please check out the weather before you leave by the link below. https://www.kma.go.kr/eng/index.jsp

Time difference

Standard Time in Korea is 9 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+9). https://www.timezonewizard.com

Visa

To check visa exemption agreement, please check your country via link below: https://english.visitkorea.or.kr/svc/contents/contentsView.do?vcontsId=140769&menuSn=450

Monetary System & Currency

There are currently 4 banknotes (1,000 / 5,000 / 10,000 / 50,000) and 4 coins (10 / 50 / 100 / 500) in circulations in Korea. The current exchange rate is approximately 1 USD= 1,341 KRW as of August 2023.
You can check the current exchange rate by the link below: https://www.xe.com

Credit Card

Visa, Mastercard and American Express credit cards are accepted throughout much of South Korea. Most of the businesses widely use and accept payment by credit cards, including at major hotels, department stores, and general shops. However, check the service availability before making purchases as some stores may not provide this service.

Tax and Tipping

Korea is basically a no-tip culture. Value-added tax is levied on most goods and services at a standard rate of 10% and is included in the retail price. Sometimes, expensive restaurants and luxury hotels may add a service charge of 10%. Thus, you do not necessarily have to prepare for extra charges since it will be included in the bill.

SIM Card & Wifi-Egg Rental

Cellular phone and SIM card can be purchased at Gimpo and Incheon airport. More information about the fees, location of roaming centers and other details can be found on website below. (Due to Covid-19, some services may not available.) https://krsim.net/

Electricity

The standard voltage in Korea is 220 volts at 60 Hertz, and the outlet has two round holes.

Business Hours

Banks and Public Institutions: 09:00 - 16:00
Tourist Information Centers: 09:30 - 22:00 (Varies by location)
Restaurants & Cafes: Varies by location (Many open 24 hours)

Transportation

Subway: 05:00 - 24:00
Bus: 05:00 - 22:00 (Select routes operate until 25:00)
Taxi: 24 hours (late-night surcharge from 22:00 – 28:00)

Emergency Call

112 : Police Department
119 : Emergencies for Fire / Rescue & Hospital Services