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U.S citizens are allowed into Korea up to 30 days without a visa.
Tourist visa would allow 3 months stay but round-trip air ticket is
necessary. Those who have a teaching visa, so called E-2 visa can
stay for a year.
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South Korea is a healthy place, although it is recommended that you
take out comprehensive travel insurance before traveling. In the UK,
detailed health advice for visits anywhere in the world is available
from MASTA (Medical Advice for Travelers Abroad), Tel:09068 224-100
(premium rate). They have a website at www.masta.org.
Recommended vaccinations for South Korea include hepatitis A and
polio, as well as tetanus and diphtheria boosters. Except for those
whose itineraries include cholera-infected areas, no certificate
of vaccination is required. Japanese encephalitis inoculations are
recommended for those staying in rural areas in the summer months.
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Currency
Korean won comes in 1,000, 5,000, and 10,000 denomination notes
and 10, 50, 100, and 500 won coins. Bank drafts for large amounts
(normally W1000,000) are available.
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Changing Money
Procuring won outside Korea may be difficult. Once you have arrived,
however, there are foreign exchange counters at the airport, major
banks (some with branches in large hotels), and a few department
stores (such as Lotte) in cities like Seoul. The most viable currencies
to carry in Korea are Japanese yen and US dollars, although other
major foreign currencies can also be exchanged. Remember to retain
all exchange receipts for reconversion on departure.
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Credit Cards and ATMs
Credit cards are commonly used by Koreans, but may not be accepted
by small shops and businesses. American Express, Visa, JCB, MasterCard,
and Diners Club cards a readily accepted in major department stores
and restaurants as well as many tourist-oriented shops.
There are numerous ATMs dispensing cash advances on credit cards.
They are found at hotels, department stores, subway stations and
tourist attractions across the country, with instructions in English.
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Due to high import taxes, cameras are expensive in Korea. This has
encouraged a demand for second-hand equipment, although this is still
quite pricey.
Prices for print and slide film vary widely from one place to another,
so shop around. Hotel stores are the most expensive. Chungmuro is
the area to shop (subway lines 3 and 4) where professional labs and
specialist shops selling a wide range of new and second-hand cameras
are lined up, and where you can also buy black and white films. Also,
you must specify the king of processing you desire for all film?if
you don’t say Kodak, they’ll use a local processing company, which
may be of poorer quality.
Opportunities for photography in Korea is abound but it is important
that visitors respect the privacy of their hosts. Koreans do not like
ceremonies to be photographed and older Koreas don’t like photos at
all. Ask before you shoot.
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Police: 112
Fire and Emergency Ambulance:
119 Medical Emergency: 1339
International SOS Korea provides a 24-hour emergency service
for foreigners, acting as a link between patients and Korean
hospitals for a fee. Tel: (02) 790-7561.
To recover lost possessions, including those left in taxis, contact
the nearest police box (these are on every major street).
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