Information for backpacking in South Korea
– Population: 48.2 million (UN, 2005)
– Capital: Seoul
– Area: 99,313 square kilometers (38,345 square miles)
– Main Language: Korean
– Main religions: Buddhism, Christianity
– Life expectancy: 73 years (men), 80 years (women) (UN)
– Monetary unit: cattle
This southern half of the Korean Peninsula is Korea’s window to the world, which has maintained friendly diplomatic relations with 170 countries around the world. South Korea has been building a tourism profile that is gradually but prominently gaining international fame with the slogan “Sparkling Korea”. A truly dazzling culture, the new “Korea Wave” that swept over Asia is now opening up to a larger international audience who share with the world its modern and stylish cultures of film and pop music and cutting-edge technology. With a high-tech industrialized economy, South Korea is home to major automobile and electronics brands such as Samsung, LG, Hyundai, and Kia, earning it the spot as the 12th largest economy in the world.
GEOGRAPHY
South Korea is located at 37 00 127 30 E with a total area of 100,032.00 km2 (38,622.57 mi2). Most of South Korea’s topography is mountainous, with 65% of the ecologically sound land area still comprised of forest and woodland thanks to its afforestation programs. Only a meager 30% is arable lowland. The highest point in the region is Halla-san, an extinct volcano in Jeju, at 1,950 meters (6,398 feet), while the Sea of Japan is the lowest point at 0 meters high. Seoul is the infamous capital of South Korea. The region is currently addressing ecological concerns related to air quality and acid rain, as well as deforestation caused by rampant industrialization.
CLIMATIZED
The climate in South Korea can be described as humid continental climate or humid subtropical climate. Like the North, South Korea experiences very cold winters and hot, humid summers. Summers are incredibly humid with the concentration of rainfall throughout the year in the months of June to September. The average temperature in Seoul in January is -2.5°C and rises to 29.5°C in August.
PEOPLE
As of March 19, 2010, the US Census Bureau’s International Data Base (IDB) estimates a population of 48,636,000 in South Korea. South Korea is also considered an ethnically homogeneous population where 99.9% are Korean and the rest is a small Chinese minority.
CULTURE
North Korea and South Korea are based on the same traditional cultures with strong Chinese and Japanese influences. The differences arose from how they developed individually after their split in 1945. South Korea’s cultural efforts are to acknowledge and accept international influences as part of its modern identity, while North Korea, on the other hand, aims to undo them.
IDIOM
KOREAN (Han-guk) is also the official language of the region, similar to the Korean spoken in the north, with dialect variations so subtle that the language is mutually intelligible. South Korea is also one of the most linguistically homogeneous countries in the world with more than 48 million speakers. Mixing of codes or foreign terms interspersed in Korean sentences is very frequent and the use of Chinese or Hanja script characters is occasional. South Korea’s writing system is also similar to North Korea’s and is called hangul. JAPANESE is also widely used in the region.
ENGLISH is the proposed second language taught from preschool to university education, but South Korea still feels the need to strengthen English skills through education and other English programs to enhance national competitiveness.
RELIGION
South Korea practices multi-religiousness, but 50% of the population is not religiously defined, making it an atheist state like the North. Christianity is the most dominant religion with 49% of the aforementioned half practicing it, while Buddhism falls a not too distant second at 47%. Other minor religions include shamanism, Confucianism, and the traditional Chondogyo (Heavenly Path).
ATTRACTIONS
South Korea’s tourism industry has much to boast with 8 UNESCO cultural heritage sites, 20 national parks, ecological parks such as Bosong Tea Field and Suncheon Bay Ecological Park in South Jeolla, numerous cities of interest and unique features like bustling Busan. or old Gyeongju, and countless natural wonders and treasures running. UNESCO World Heritage Sites list as:
In 1995
1. Seokguram Grotto
2. Bulguksa Temple
3. Haeinsa Janggyeong Panjeon4. Jongmyo Shrine
In 1997
5. Changdeokgung Palace Complex
6. Suwon Hwaseong Fortress
In 2000
7. Gyeongju Historic Areas
8. Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites
Amid all this, South Korea surely has a backpacker’s delight with its mesmerizing scenery on the road less traveled that is more than safe for crowds of tourists. If there is a powerful suggestion, be the first to explore what has not been, because there is definitely something to discover. Of course, the Ecorium Project of the National Ecological Institute is not a secret, but YOU MUST KEEP IN MIND…
FOOD
The full delight of a typical South Korean meal or pekpan can be achieved with rice (a staple food), soup, meat, vegetables, and a variety of side dishes, of which you would surely expect kimchi. The garnishes for each meal are explained by the simple principle of “harmony and balance”, eating and seasoning as personally required to achieve overall satisfaction. The Cholla-do area is famous for a number of dishes, while the crowd favorite remains BULGOGI.
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