Passport and Visa

All visitors to the Republic of Korea must have a valid passport and visa. Visitors with roundtrip tickets form countries who have a special agreement with Korea may be exempt from the visa requirement, and can stay in Korea visa-free for periods up to 30 days, or 90 days, depending on the type of agreement between the two countries. When uncertain as to the requirement for entry visa to Korea, please contact the Korean embassy or a consulate as early as possible. If you are in need of an individual invitation to the AOCOG 2005, please contact to the secretariat. However, this invitation implies no obligation. For more information, please visit http://www.mofat.go.kr  , the official website for Korean ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Climate

Korea's climate is regarded as a continental climate from a temperate standpoint and a monsoon climate from a precipitation standpoint. The climate of Korea is characterized by four distinct seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter. October is in the middle of fall. The average daytime temperature in Seoul during the congress will be around 16°C-19°C, which will be perfectly pleasant and comfortable. Fall produces mild weather; therefore, it is the best season for visiting Korea. We recommend bringing light jacket for late night and early morning.



Currency

The unit of Korean currency is the won (￦). Coin denominations are ￦10, ￦50, ￦100 and ￦500. Banknotes are ￦1,000, ￦5,000 and ￦10,000. On the average, the exchange rate is approximately $1 to ￦1,150.

Currency exchange: Foreign banknotes and traveler’s check can be exchanged at foreign exchange banks and other authorized moneychangers.

Credit 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 card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.

Traveler’s check: Accepted, but may be difficult to change in smaller towns. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travelers are advised to take Traveler’s check in US Dollars.

Currency restrictions: There are restrictions on the import of local currency; check with the Embassy for current allowances. Foreign currency amounts greater than US$10,000 (including traveler’s check), must be declared on arrival. Export of local currency is limited to ￦500,000. Export of foreign currency is limited to the amount declared on arrival.

Banking hours: Monday to Friday 09 : 30 -16 : 30 Saturday 09 : 30 -13 : 30 .

Gratituities

Tipping is not a traditional Korean custom. A 10% service charge will be added to your bill at all tourist restaurants and hotels. It is also not necessary to tip a taxi driver unless he assists you with luggage or provides an extra service.

Electricity

In Korea, two outlets for both 110 and 220 volts are available. Most hotels provide 110 volts outlets for shavers. Please check the power supply before using equipment.

Food Etiquette

The Koreans have a special taboo against eating while walking down a street or riding on a bus or a subway. The Koreans consider eating as a special occasion and feel it is rude to eat in places where people normally do not take meals together. Rice is normally eaten with a spoon and the rice bowl is left on the table as you eat. Other dishes are eaten with chopsticks, although knives and forks will be provided upon request.