The Korean Peninsula, which lies on the northeastern edge of the Asian continent, shares its northern border with China and Russia and juts toward Japan to the southeast. The highest peak is Baekdu mountain in North Korea, which rises 2,744 meters above sea level along the northern border facing China. This mountain is regarded as an important symbol of the Korean spirit and is featured in Korea's national anthem.
The second highest mountain is the 1,950-meter Halla mountain in South Korea. The peninsula has a significant number of rivers, including the Hangang (514 km) and Nakdonggang (525 km), both in South Korea, and the Amnokgang (Yalu, 790 km) and Dumangang (Tumen, 521 km), both in North Korea. Considering its territorial size, the peninsula has a relatively large number of rivers and streams. Except for its northern area, seas surround Korea on three sides, with some 3,400 islands dotting the coastline.
Korea is roughly 1,000 kilometers long and encompasses a total of 222,154 square kilometers (South Korea - 99,392 sq. km; North Korea - 122,762 sq. km). It is nearly the same size as Britain and a little larger than Portugal. Excluding some plains in the southwestern area, approximately 70 percent of South Korea is mountainous. Along the southern and western coasts, the mountains descend gradually to the coastal plains.
2. Climate
The Korean Peninsula, which is situated at the eastern edge of the Eurasian continent, lies between 33°and 43°north latitude. With the Taebaek mountain range forming the backbone of the Korean Peninsula, Korea has a diverse climate in spite of its small size. It lies in the temperate zone, and has four distinct seasons as well as diverse topography.
Although Korea has general characteristics of a continental climate, it has monsoonal weather in summer. It is bitterly cold and dry in winter due primarily to the Siberian air mass. Heavy rains fall during the rainy season that begins in late June, sometimes causing severe damage to property and loss of life. It is hot and humid in July and August due primarily to the maritime Pacific high. The transitional seasons, spring and autumn, are generally sunny and clear, although they are short in comparison to winter and summer and have distinct weather patterns.
Spring : Mostly clear and dry days. Temperatures range from 16oC to 19oC in May.
Summer : Hot and humid. Temperatures range from 23oC to 27oC in August. Daytime highs are usually over 30oC in mid-summer. Also, two to three typhoons usually hit Korea during this season. 50 to 60 percent of the annual precipitation comes in summer. Monsoon season (heavy rain season) starts in June and lasts about 30 days. High humidity in both July and August.
Fall : A little cooler than spring but still mostly clear and dry days. Temperatures range from 11oC to 19oC in October.
Winter : Cold and dry. January is the coldest month of the year. Temperatures range from -6oC to 7oC in January. Most of the snowfall occurs in mountainous areas with little snow in urban areas.
3. History
Dawn of Statehood
Although Korea's first kingdom, Gojoseon, was founded in 2333 B.C., it is presumed that humans began to inhabit the Korean Peninsula several centuries earlier. The ideology of the Gojoseon Kingdom was characterized by devotion to the welfare of mankind. Gojoseon's rule of the peninsula lasted some 2,400 years.
Three Kingdoms and the Unified Silla Period
Data available to date indicates that the Three Kingdoms - Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla - lasted from 57 B.C. to A.D. 668.
Goguryeo, which was the first to be founded, occupied the largest part of the peninsula. Its territory encompassed the northern part of the peninsula, which is now North Korea, and Manchuria.
As such, Goguryeo was the most powerful of the Three Kingdoms. Baekje and Silla were established in the central and southern parts of the peninsula that is now South Korea.
Wiryeseong, the capital of Baekje, was established in the area that is now Seongnam, a satellite city southeast of Seoul. Silla defeated Baekje and Goguryeo in 660 A.D. and 668 A.D., respectively, and unified the Korean peninsula, ushering in the Unified Silla period. Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram were built during the Unified Silla period.
Meanwhile, Balhae, the kingdom that succeeded Goguryeo in part of Manchuria and the northern part of the peninsula, lasted for some 230 years.
Goryeo Dynasty
Goryeo was founded in 918 after the fall of Unified Silla. The name "Korea" comes from Goryeo, as foreigners began to call the kingdom "Korea." The peninsula suffered frequent foreign invasions after Goryeo developed relations with other countries. Of particular note, Mongols and Khitans invaded on many occasions. Among the many cultural legacies of the Goryeo Dynasty are the internationally renowned blue-green inlaid celadon pottery and the world's very first metal type.
Joseon Dynasty
The Joseon Dynasty was established in 1392 after the fall of Goryeo. Joseon adopted Neo-Confucianism as the state ideology. It put in place a centralized political structure based on the yangban (noble) class. Class distinction between the upper and lower classes was strictly enforced.
The vast majority of the population belonged to the so-called middle class. The hereditary system of these people was again divided into peasants, artisans and merchants. Moral, ethical and social principles prescribed by Neo-Confucian codes of conduct were enforced along the extended family system to strengthen the status of the yangban class.
The family system and moral and social codes were thoroughly based on Confucian codes of conduct. Under the extended family system, the head of a family exerted absolute control over his family in line with Confucian traditions. The head of the family represented and controlled his family and performed rites for his ancestors.
Because Buddhism was suppressed, few Buddhist works of art, such as those produced during the Silla and Goryeo periods, were created during the Joseon era. However, Joseon's political and social stability, along with the buildup of national strength, enabled the kingdom to produce outstanding cultural and academic achievements. Of special note, academic activities in this era made significant headway as Neo-Confucianism became a source of politics, society and culture.
Colonial Rule
After emerging victorious from the Sino-Japanese War, Japan set its sights on taking over Korea. Korea lost its sovereignty with Japan's annexation of the country in 1910.Korea regained its independence in 1945 with Japan's defeat in World War II.
Modern-day Korea
Korea's first President Seung-man Rhee ruled South Korea for 12 years until 1960 when he was forced out of the presidency.
Afterward, President Jung-hee Park established an iron rule after suppressing rising popular aspirations for democracy. At the same time, he pushed ahead with economic development.
For instance, he promoted Saemaul (New Community) projects designed to raise income levels and foster long-term national development.
Korea became known globally as it played host to the 1986 Asian Games and the 1988 Summer Olympics. The Seoul Olympics is remembered as an Olympics that promoted world peace and harmony by all the participating countries. The co-hosting of the FIFA 2002 World Cup with Japan put Korea on the map once again.
4. Population
The Republic of Korea is populated by 48.61 million people as of 2008. Administratively, Korea consists of nine provinces, one special municipality - Seoul, and the six metropolitan cities of Pusan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju, Daejon and Ulsan. Seoul, the capital of Korea, is divided into 25 gu, or wards.
Korean Culture
Language
Religion
Taditional Clothing - Hanbok
Taditional Arts
Traditional Food
Traditional Korean House - Hanok
1. Language
In 1443, King Sejong promoted the creation of an alphabet that could simply and accurately convey the sounds of the spoken Korean language. Originally known as Hunminjeongeum, or "the correct sounds for the instruction of the people," it is an easy-to-learn phonetic alphabet that enabled the common people to express themselves in writing.
Hangeul, as the alphabet has come to be known, is unique among the world's writing systems as its creation is well documented, including the date it originated and the names of the people who invented it. And it was created without any direct influence from already existing writing systems to become the national written language. Hangeul has contributed greatly to enriching Korean literature.
2. Religion
Freedom of religion is fully guaranteed in the Republic of Korea. There are four broad streams of influence: Shamanism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Christianity. Christianity has had a large following in Korea since its introduction from the West in the late 18th century. Catholicism and Protestantism have significantly grown under the influence of Europe and the United States. There are also various minor religions based on various combinations of elements from traditional religions.
3. Traditional Clothing - Hanbok
Hanbok is a comprehensive term used to describe Korean traditional clothing. Today, hanbok is worn mostly on special occasions, and is divided into categories based on its function.
Hanbok Hanbok is characterized by its simple lines and the fact that it has no pockets. Women's hanbok is comprised of a wrap-around skirt and a jacket. It is often called chima-jeogori, chima being the Korean word for skirt and jeogori the word for jacket. Men' s hanbok consists of a short jacket and pants, called baji, that are roomy and bound at the ankles. Both ensembles may be topped by a long coat of a similar cut called durumagi
Saenghwal hanbok The use of traditional hanbok follows complex rules, and requires meticulous attention. Because of this, a simplified version of hanbok has been introduced for daily use which incorporates simplicity and convenience. An increasing number of people want to express their individuality by wearing something that combines traditional beauty and modern simplicity. The modern version comes in a wide variety of styles and fabrics.
4. Traditional Arts
Traditional dance
Korean traditional dance, much like traditional music, can be divided into court dance and folk dance. Court dance includes jeongjaemu, dances performed at banquets, and ilmu, the line dances performed in Confucian rituals. Folk dance can be divided into religious dances led by monks and secular dances. Whereas the highly stylized court dances display dimensions of discipline, grandeur and elegance, folk dances, especially mask dances, exhibit spontaneity, humor, freedom and satire.
Traditional music
Korean traditional music can be broadly divided into jeongak (court music), which has an intellectual emphasis, and minsogak (folk music), which is full of emotional expression. The former is closely related to the culture of the royal family and the upper class, the latter belonging more to the common people. Most court music moves at a slow pace, sometimes so slow that a single beat can take up to three seconds. As a result, the mood of this music is static, meditative, and reposeful. However, folk music, such as farmer's music, pansori and musok (shaman's ritual music), is characterized by dynamic rhythm patterns.
Paintings
A major characteristic of Korean traditional painting is its unique Oriental lines and colors that are seldom found in orthodox Western painting. Ancient tomb murals manifest traits of early Korean painting. The murals in Three Kingdoms tombs depict the dynamism and lifestyle of Koreans during ancient times. In the Goryeo period, when Buddhism blossomed, the arts flourished as well, particularly Buddhist painting and sculpture, and many impressive works from this time can be seen at Buddhist temples today. During the Joseon Dynasty, painting was influenced by Chinese art. Folk paintings, or minhwa, were popular among the masses and abound with satire and humor.
Handicrafts and ceramics
Handicrafts and ceramics made great headway following the introduction of Buddhism to Korea. In the Goryeo Dynasty, elegant jade green celadon became the mainstream ceramics. Plain celadon reached its zenith of refinement around the first half of the 12th century. Whereas Goryeo celadon has novelty, Joseon ceramics are infused with subtlety and naturalness, evoking the sentiments of humble, common people. Joseon white porcelain embodies the characteristics of the Korean people who prefer simplicity and the color white.
5. Traditional Food
A diverse array of foods and dishes can be found throughout Korea. Korea was once primarily an agricultural nation, and Koreans have cultivated rice as their staple food since ancient times. These days Korean cuisine is characterized by a wide variety of wild greens and vegetables.
Various fermented and preserved foods, such as kimchi (fermented spicy cabbage), jeotgal (matured seafood with salt) and doenjang (fermented soy bean paste) are notable for their unique flavor and high nutritional value. The prominent feature of a Korean table setting is that all dishes are served at the same time.
6. Traditional Korean House - Hanok
A traditional Korean house is called 'hanok,' which is sought to create a living space based on the coexistence of nature and humans. Accordingly, the natural aspects of a traditional Korean house range from the structure's inner layout to the building materials which were used. Another unique feature of traditional houses is their special design for cooling the interior in the summer and heating the interior in the winter. Since Korea has hot summers and cold winters, the 'ondol gudeul,'a floor-based heating system and 'daecheng,'a cool wooden-floor style of hall, were devised long ago to help Koreans survive the frigid winters and to make the sweltering and humid summers bearable. These primitive types of heating and airconditioning were so efficient that they are still in use in many homes today.
Common Language used in Korea
Korea Education
The school system in Korea follows a 6-3-3-4 ladder pattern which consists of elementary school (1st to 6th grades), middle school (7th to 9th grades), high school (10th to 12th grades) and junior college, college and university.
Elementary school provides six years of compulsory elementary education to children between the ages of 6 and 11. Middle school offers three years of lower secondary education to those aged 12 to 14. High school offers three years of higher secondary education to students aged 15 to 17. High school graduates can choose to apply to a junior college or a college or university to receive higher education.
High schools are generally divided into two categories, general and vocational. Air & correspondence high schools are included in the former, while agricultural, commercial, fishery and technical high schools are included in the latter. There are a limited number of schools of the so-called "comprehensive" type which offer both general and vocational training. There are also science high schools and other speciality high schools, including foreign language high schools, art high schools and athletic schools.
Institutes of higher learning include two- or three-year junior vocational colleges and four-year colleges and universities. Both the universities of education and colleges of education offer four-year courses.
In addition to the general school ladder system, there are secondary level trade schools which provide highly specialized vocational training. Civic schools, originally intended to offer literacy courses, now provide elementary and secondary level education mostly for financially underprivileged students. With compulsory education requirements extending to the 6th grade, however, these schools have been gradually disappearing.
There are also special schools offering elementary and secondary education for the deaf, blind and other learning difficulty. Preschool education is provided by kindergartens.
Flag of the Country
North Korea
The Flag of North Korea was adopted on September 8, 1948,[1] as the national flag and ensign. The red star of Communism can be seen on this flag on a white disk. North Korea had originally adopted a "taegeukgi" following independence from the Japanese Empire with a Taoist yin-yang symbol similar to that in the South Korean flag but later revised its flag to more closely reflect that of the USSR. The flag was adopted in 1948, when North Korea became an independent Communist state. The traditional Korean flag was red, white, and blue. The country retained these colors (with more prominence given to the red) and added a red star on a white disk. The disk recalls the taegeuk found on the flag of South Korea, and represents the opposing principles of nature. The red stripe expresses revolutionary traditions; the red star is for Communism. The two blue stripes stand for sovereignty, peace and friendship. The white stripe symbolizes purity.
A 300-pound (136 kg) North Korean national flag flies from the world's largest flagpole, which is located at Kijŏng-dong, on the North Korean side of the Military Demarcation Line within the Korean Demilitarized Zone. The flag-pole is 160m tall.
South Korea
The flag of South Korea, or Taegeukgi has three parts: a white background; a red and blue taegeuk (taijitu or "yin-yang") in the center; and four black trigrams, one in each corner of the flag. King Gojong proclaimed the Taegeukgi to be the official flag of Korea on March 6, 1883.
The four trigrams originate in the Chinese book I Ching, representing the four Chinese philosophical ideas about the universe: harmony, symmetry, balance, circulation. The general design of the flag also derives from traditional use of the tricolor symbol (red, blue and yellow) by Koreans starting from the early era of Korean history. The white background symbolizes "cleanliness of the people." The taegeuk represents the origin of all things in the universe; holding the two principles of "Yin", the negative aspect rendered in blue, and "Yang", the positive aspect rendered in red, in perfect balance. Together, they represent a continuous movement within infinity, the two merging as one. The four trigrams are:
Traditionally, the four trigrams are related to the Five Elements of fire, water, earth, wood, and metal. An analogy could also be drawn with the four western classical elements.
Festivals in Korea
Buddha Birthday
Lunar New Year's Day
Dano
Hansik
Daeboreum
Currency Rate
It can be change daily depending on the currency rate each day.
Price of the Air Ticket from Singapore to Seoul
With the Taxes & Surcharges
Duration of the flight from Singapore to Seoul in Korea
Capital of Korea
South Korea
Seoul is the capital and largest city of South Korea. With a population of over 10 million, it is one of the world's largest cities and the second largest mega city in the world. The Seoul National Capital Area, which includes the major port city of Incheon and most of Gyeonggi-do, has 24.5 million inhabitants, larger than the population of Australia, and is the world's second largest metropolitan area. Almost half of South Korea's population lives in the Seoul National Capital Area, and nearly a quarter in Seoul itself, making it the country's foremost economic, political, and cultural center. Seoul's influence in business, international trade, politics, technology, education and entertainment all contribute to its role as a leading global city.
North Korea
Pyongyang is the capital and largest city of North Korea, located on the Taedong River. According to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, it has a population of 3,255,388.
The city was split from the South Pyongyang province in 1946. It is administered as a directly-governed city, on the same level as provincial governments, not a special city as Seoul is in South Korea. Some sources, mostly older and South Korean, refer to Pyongyang as a special city.
International Airport in Korea
1) Busan - Gimhae International Airport (PUS)
Gimhae International Airport (formeerly named as Kimhae Internation Airport) is located on the western end of Busan in South Korea. It opened in 1976. A new international terminal opened on October 31, 2007. Gimhae Internation Airport is the mian hub for Air Busan.
Airport Characteristics
Lat/Long: 35.179528 N / 128.938222
EElevation: 6 feet (2 meters)
Location: Near Busan, Korea
Time Zone: UTC+9Max
Runway: 10499 x 197 feet (3200 x 60 meters)
Surface: CONCRETE
2) Cheongju Airport / Chongju Airport (CJJ) Cheongju Airport is an international airport near the city of Cheongju, South Korea. It also serves the city of Daejeon. It also houses the 17th fighter wing of ROKAF.
Airport CharCheongju International Airport is located at Ipsang-ri (a township), Naesu-eup (town), Cheongwon-gun (country), Chungcheongbuk-do; it is located just north of Cheongju. A railway station is located in the vicinity. It opened as a militart airbase in September 1978, and in 1984, international airport construction began. The construction was completed on December 1996 and it was open with the name of Cheongju International Airport on April 28, 1997. It can hold 1,230 thousand persons in domestic line and 1,150 thousand persons in international line on annual basis, and also the parking lots can hold 770 vehicles. In addition, airplanes can operate 196,000 times a year. There used to be flights to Japan and Saipan, but they were stopped due to low ridership. Currently, there are domestic flights to Jeju and limited international flights to China and Taiwan.
Airport Characterise:
Lat/Long: 36.716600 N / 127.499119
EElevation: 191 feet (58 meters)
Location: Near Cheongju, Korea
Time Zone: UTC+9Max
Runway: 9000 x 200 feet (2743 x 61 meters)
Surface: CONCRETE
3) Daegu Airport / Taegu Airport (TAE) Taegu Airport (TAE)
Daegu Airport is primarily a domestic airport in the city of Daegu, South Korea. Asiana Airlines and Korean Air provide international flights to China, Thailand, and occasional charters to Fukuoka and Manila. A new runway is under construction.
Airport Characteristics
Lat/Long: 35.894108 N / 128.658856
EElevation: 116 feet (35 meters)
Location: Near Daegu, Korea
Time Zone: UTC+9Max
Runway: 9000 x 150 feet (2743 x 46 meters)
Surface: CONCRETE
4) Gunsan Airport / Kunsan Airport (KUV) Gunsan Airport, formerly spelled Kunsan Airport, is located in the vicinity of Gunsan in South Korea.In 2007, 133, 242 passengers utilized the airport.
Airport Characteristics:
Lat/Long: 35.903756 N / 126.615906
EElevation: 29 feet (9 meters)
Location: Near Gunsan, Korea
Time Zone: UTC+9Max
Runway: 9000 x 150 feet (2743 x 46 meters)
Surface: CONCRETE
5) Gwangju Airport / Kwangju Airport (KWJ)
Gwangju Airport, formerly spelled Kwangju Airport, is located in the vicinity of Gwangju in South Korea. The airport was established in Novemeber 1948. It saw its first commercial flight in 1950. At the time, however, it was not located in Gwangju but in neighbouring Jangseong, on a military training facility. The airport moved to its present location in Sinchon-dong, Gwangsan-gu, in 1964. It was taken over by the Korea Airports Corporation in 1990. The Airport terminal now has been constructed on 1994. The old terminal turned into the Cargo terminal.
Situated 11 kilometers west of downtown Gwangju, Gwangju International Airport has two terminals for passenger and cargo, a runway, taxi stops and parking lots accommodating about 820 vehicles. A subway station is in the vicinity.
Airport Characteristics:
Lat/Long: 35.126389 N / 126.808889
EElevation: 39 feet (12 meters)
Location: Near Gwangju, Korea
Time Zone: UTC+9Max
Runway: 9300 x 150 feet (2835 x 46 meters)
Surface: CONCRETE
6) Jeju International Airport / Cheju Airport (CJU)
Jeju Airport, formerly spelled Cheju Airport, is located in the vicinity of Jeju in South Korea. Jeju International Airport is the 3rd largest in South Korea, just behind Gimpo Airport in Seoul and Incheon Airport in Incheon. It is located in the city of Jeju. It was established in 1968. Jeju International Airport serves many mainland destinations in South Korea, as well as international destinations in the People's Republic of China, Japan, and the Republic of China.
Airport Characteristics:
Lat/Long: 33.511306 N / 126.493028
EElevation: 118 feet (36 meters)
Location: Near Jeju, Korea
Time Zone: UTC+9Max
Runway: 9843 x 148 feet (3000 x 45 meters)
Surface: ASPHALT
Sacheon Airport, also called Chinju Airport, Jinju Airport, or Sachon Airport is located in the vicinity of Jinju in Korea. In 2006, 224,792 passengers utilized the airport. The factory of the Korean Aerospace Industries is located there.
Airport Characteristics:
Lat/Long: 35.088543 N / 128.070370
EElevation: 25 feet (8 meters)
Location: Near Jinju, Korea
Time Zone: UTC+9Max
Runway: 9000 x 150 feet (2743 x 46 meters)
Surface: CONCRETE
8) Pohang Airport (KPO)
Pohang Airport (KPO) in Korea Pohang Airport is located in the vicinity of Pohang in Korea. In 2006, 347,180 passengers used the airport.
Airport Characteristics:
Lat/Long: 35.987858 N / 129.420486
EElevation: 70 feet (21 meters)
Location: Near Pohang, Korea
Time Zone: UTC+9Max
Runway: 7000 x 150 feet (2134 x 46 meters)
Surface: CONCRETE
9) Pyongyang - Sunan Airport (FNJ)
Sunan Airport is located in the vicinity of Pyongyang in North Korea. The main airport that serve the city of Pyongyang, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, located 24 km from the city's center.
Sunan Airport has two runways, the largest of which is used mainly for international flights. The second runway is used for demostic and civil flights. The airport's hours of operation are from 06:00 to 22:00 in the summer and 07:00 to 21:00 in the winter.
The airport is the main hub of Air Koryo. In 2000, Aeroflot discontinued its weekly Moscow flight due to poor loads. China Southern Airlines, which offered scheduled charter flights to and from Beijing during the peak season only, permanetly pulled its flights in November 2006. In April 2008, Air China has re-established service to Beijing, 3 days per week. Mandarin Airlines and Far Eastern Air Transport offer group tour chartered flights between Taipei and Pyongyang during summer (June to August). Korean Air and Asiana Airlines also provide chartered flight services to Incheon, the international airport serving Seoul, and Yangyang on the east coast of South Korea from Pyongyang. These flights are used by Korean family members visitng divided family across the border.
Airport Characteristics:
Lat/Long: 39.224061 N / 125.670150
EElevation: 117 feet (36 meters)
Location: Near Pyongyang, Korea
Time Zone: UTC+9Max
Runway: 12475 x 197 feet (3802 x 60 meters)
Surface: CONCRETE
10) Seoul - Gimpo International Airport / Kimpo Airport (GMP)
Gimpo Airport, also formely known as Kimpo Airport, is located in the vicinity of Seoul in Korea. It is located in the far western end of Seoul and was the main international airport for Seoul and South Korea before it was replaced by Incheon International Airport in 2001. It is now the second largest airport in Korea after Incheon International Airport.
Airport Characteristics
Lat/Long: 37.558311 N / 126.790586
EElevation: 58 feet (18 meters)
Location: Near Seoul, Korea
Time Zone: UTC+9Max
Runway: 11811 x 148 feet (3600 x 45 meters)
Surface: ASPHALT
11) Seoul - Inchon International Airport / Incheon Airport (ICN)
Seoul Airport, specifically Incheon Airport/ Inchon International Airport, is located in the vicinity of Seoul in Korea. Incheon International Airport is the largest airport in South Korea and one of the largest and busiest in Asia. Since 2006, it has been consecutively rated as the best airport in the world and received the full 5-star ranking by Skytrax, the prestigious recognition shared only by Hong Kong International Airport and Singapore Changi Airport.
Located 70 km from Seoul, the capital and largest city of South Korea, Incheon International Airport is the main hub for Korean Air, Asiana Airlines and Polar Air Cargo.
The airport opened for business in early 2001, replacing the older Gimpo International Airport, which now serves only domestic destinations plus shuttle flights to Tokyo, Shanghai and Osaka.
The airport serves as a hub for international civilian air transportation and cargo traffic in East Asia.
Incheon International Airport is also currently Asia’s eighth busiest airport in terms of passengers, the world’s fifth busiest airport in terms of cargo and freight, and the world’s eleventh busiest airport in terms of international passengers in year 2006. In 2009, Incheon International Airport has been voted the best airport in the world, according to a 10-month survey of airline passengers.
Airport Characteristics
Lat/Long: 37.469075 N / 126.450517
EElevation: 23 feet (7 meters)
Location: Near Seoul, Korea
Time Zone: UTC+9Max
Runway: 12303 x 197 feet (3750 x 60 meters)
Surface: PART CONCRETE, PART ASPHALT, OR PART BITUMEN-BOUND MACADAM.
12) Ulsan Airport (USN) in Korea
Ulsan Airport is an airport in Ulsan, South Korea. In year 2006, 1,200,072 passengers have used the airport.
Airport Characteristics
Lat/Long: 35.593494 N / 129.351722
EElevation: 45 feet (14 meters)
Location: Near Ulsan, Korea
Time Zone: UTC+9Max
Runway: 6561 x 148 feet (2000 x 45 meters)
Surface: ASPHALT
13) Wonju - Wonju Airport / Hoengsong Airport (WJU)
Wonju Airport is an airport in Wonju, South Korea. In 2006, 80,361 passengers utilized the airport. The airport is mainly for military use. There is only 1 parking space which is capable for handling a Boeing737.
Airport Characteristics
Lat/Long: 37.438081 N / 127.960383
EElevation: 329 feet (100 meters)
Location: Near Wonju, Korea
Time Zone: UTC+9Max
Runway: 9000 x 150 feet (2743 x 46 meters)
Surface: CONCRETE
14) Yangyang International Airport / Gangneung Airport (YNY)
Yangyang Internation Airport is a small international airport in the northeast of South Korea. It is located in Yangyang Country, Gangwon Province and serves the nearby cities of Sokcho and Gangneung, whose airport is replaced. Tourists bound for the Seoraksan national park also use Yangyang airport. There are occasional charters to China, Japan & Taiwan, China Eastern and China Southern formerly served this airport.
In 2007, 33,686 passengers used the airport. Yangyang International Airport handled its last flight on 1 November 2008, according to the Korea Airport Corporation, and there are now calls for it to be sold off or closed.
Airport Characteristics
Lat/Long: 38.061311 N / 128.669164
EElevation: 241 feet (73 meters)
Location: Near Yangyang, Korea
Time Zone: UTC+9Max
Runway: 8202 x 148 feet (2500 x 45 meters)
Surface: ASPHALT
15) Yeosu Airport / Yosu Airport (RSU)
Yeosu Airport is an airport in Yeosu, South Korea. In 2006, 601,500 passengers used the airport.
Airport Characteristics
Lat/Long: 34.842328 N / 127.616850
EElevation: 53 feet (16 meters)
Location: Near Yeosu, Korea
Time Zone: UTC+9Max
Runway: 6890 x 148 feet (2100 x 45 meters)
Surface: ASPHALT
Korea International Airline
Korean Air was founded by the South Korean Government in 1962 as Korean Air Lines to replace Korean National Airlines (founded in 1948). On 1 March 1969 the Hanjin Transport Group took control of the fledgling airline. Long-haul freight operations were introduced on 26 April 1971 followed by passenger services to Los Angeles on 19 April 1972.
International flights to Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Los Angeles were flown with Boeing 707s until the introduction of Boeing 747 in 1973. In 1973, KAL introduced Boeing 747s on their Pacific routes and started a European service to Paris using the 707 and DC-10. In 1975 KAL became one of Airbus's first Asian customers with the purchase of three A300s, which were put into immediate service on Asian routes.
A blue-top, silver and redesigned livery with a new corporate "Korean Air" logo featuring an accented, stylized "taegukki" design was introduced on 1 March 1984 and the airline's name changed to Korean Air from Korean Air Lines. This livery was introduced on its Fokker F28s. It was designed in cooperation between Korean Air and Boeing. In 1990s Korean Air became the first airline to use the new MD-11 to supplement its new fleet of Boeing 747-400s. However, MD-11 did not meet the set performance and they were converted to freighters (in addition to 747 freighters).
In 1998, an economic recession hit South Korea, which resulted in large reductions in flights and destinations. In 2000, South Korea recovered and Korean Air expanded its global destination network, adding gateways from its hub at Incheon International Airport.
Korean Air flies to the largest number of US gateway destinations of any Asian carrier (14 cities in the 50 states and territories).
Korean Air owns 25% of Okay Airways, a Tianjin, PRC-based airline. As of 2007, Korean Air is in negotiations to open its China hub in Beijing or Shanghai by the end of 2008.
The airline has 16,623 employees (at March 2007). On 5 June 2007 Korean Air said that it would create a new low-cost carrier in Korea to compete with Korea's super-high speed railway network system named KTX which offers cheaper fares and less stringent security procedures. Korean Air's low-cost subsidiary is Jin Air, which started its scheduled passenger service from Seoul to Jeju on 17 July 2008. Korean Air announced that some of its B737s and A300s will be given to Jin air.
Korean Air is named as the winner of the World's Best Economy Class in the 2007 World Airline Awards.
Slogans
From past to present: "Welcome to my World," "The Spirit of Korea is in the Air," 1990's: "Beyond your imagination," Current: "Excellence in Flight"
While "Welcome to my World" was in use, when the planes took off and landed, they would play Elvis Presley's song "Welcome to my World."
Changing of Roles
Woman
During the Koryo and early Choson Dynasties, it was customary for the married couple to live in the wife's parents' household. This arrangement suggests that the status of women was then higher than it was later during most of the Choson Dynasty. Neo- Confucian orthodoxy dictated that the woman, separated from her parents, had a primary duty of providing a male heir for her husband's family. According to Confucian custom, once married, a woman had to leave her parents' household permanently and then occupy the lowest position in her husband's family. She was often abused and mistreated by both her mother-in-law and sisters-in- law--at least until the birth of a son gave her some status in her husband's family. The relationship between wife and husband was often, if not usually, distant, aptly described by the Korean proverb: "By day, like seeing a stranger; by night, like seeing a lover." Choson Dynasty law prohibited widows from remarrying, though a similar prohibition was not extended to widowers. Further, the sons and grandsons of widows who defied the ban, like children of secondary wives, were not allowed to take the civil service examinations and become scholar-officials.
The duty of a woman to her husband, or rather to her husband's family, was absolute and unquestionable. In the traditional society, only men could obtain a divorce. A husband could divorce his spouse if she were barren--barrenness being defined simply as the inability to bear sons. Even if a husband did not divorce his wife, he had the right to take a second wife, although the preferred solution for a man without a son during the Choson Dynasty was to adopt a son of one of his brothers, if available. The incompatibility of a wife and her in-laws was another ground for divorce.
In contemporary society, both men and women have the right to obtain a divorce. Social and economic discrimination, however, make the lot of divorced women more difficult. The husband may still demand custody of the children, although a revision of the Family Law in 1977 made it more difficult for him to coerce or to deceive his wife into agreeing to an unfair settlement. The rate of divorce in South Korea is increasing rapidly. In 1975 the number of divorces was 17,000. In the mid-1980s, the annual number of divorces was between 23,000 and 26,000, and in 1987 there were 45,000 divorces.
The tradition of total female submission persisted in Korean villages until relatively recent times. One Korean scholar who came from the conservative Ch'ungch'ong region south of Seoul recalled that when a high school friend died of sickness during the 1940s, his young bride committed suicide. Her act was commemorated in her own and the surrounding communities as an outstanding example of devotion to duty.
Traditionally, men and women were strictly segregated, both inside and outside the house. Yangban women spent most of their lives in seclusion in the women's chamber. It is said that the traditional pastime of nolttwigi, a game of jumping up and down on a seesaw-like contraption, originated among bored women who wanted to peek over the high walls of their family compounds to see what the outside world was like. Economic necessity gave women of the lower classes some freedom as they participated in farm work and sometimes earned supplemental income through making and selling things.
A small minority of women played an active role in society and even wielded political influence. These people included female shamans (mudang), who were called upon to cure illnesses, tell fortunes, or in other ways enlist the help of spirits in realizing the wishes of their clients. Despite its sponsorship of neo-Confucianism, the Choson Dynasty had an office of shamanism, and female shamans often were quite influential in the royal palace. The female physicians who treated female patients (because male physicians were forbidden to examine them) constituted another important group of women. Sometimes they acted as spies or policewomen because they could get into the female quarters of a house. Still another group of women were the kisaeng. Some kisaeng, or entertainers, were merely prostitutes; but others, like their Japanese counterparts the geisha, were talented musicians, dancers, painters, and poets and interacted on nearly equal terms with their male patrons. The kisaeng tradition perpetuated one of the more dubious legacies of the Confucian past: an extreme double standard concerning the sexual behavior of married men and women that still persists. In the cities, however, many middle class women have begun to break with these traditions.
An interesting regional variation on traditional female roles continued in the late 1980s. In the coastal villages of Cheju Island, women divers swam in search of seaweed, oysters, and other marine products and were economically self-sufficient. Often they provided the main economic support for the family while the husband did subsidiary work--took care of the children and did household chores--in sharp contrast to the Confucian norm. The number of women divers was dwindling, however, and men were increasingly performing jobs in service industries. Confucian ancestor worship was rarely practiced while female- centered shamanistic rites were widespread.
The factories of South Korea employ hundreds of thousands of young women on shop floors and assembly lines making, among other things, textiles and clothes, shoes, and electronic components. South Korea's economic success was bought in large measure with the sweat of these generally overworked and poorly paid female laborers. In the offices of banks and other service enterprises, young women working as clerks and secretaries are indispensable. Unlike their sisters on Cheju Island, however, the majority of these women work only until marriage.
Although increasing numbers of women work outside the home, the dominant conception, particularly for the college-educated middle class, is that the husband is the "outside person," the one whose employment provides the main source of economic support; the wife is the "inside person," whose chief responsibility is maintenance of the household. Women tend to leave the labor force when they get married. Many women manage the family finances, and a large number join kye, informal private short-term credit associations that give them access to funds that might not be obtainable from a conventional bank. Probably the most important responsibility of married women is the management of their children's education.
On the surface, Korean women often appear docile, submissive, and deferential to the wishes of their husbands and in-laws. Yet behind the scenes, there is often considerable "hidden" female power, particularly within the private sphere of the household. In areas such as household finances, South Korean husbands usually defer to their wives' judgment. Public assertion of a woman's power, however, is socially disapproved, and a traditional wife maintained the image, if not the reality of submissiveness. And, as in other male-dominated societies, Korean men often jokingly complain that they are henpecked.
In traditional Korean society, women received little formal education. Christian missionaries began establishing schools for girls during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Ehwa Woman's University, the most prestigious women's institution, began as a primary school established by Methodist missionaries in 1886 and achieved university status after 1945. Chongsin Girls' School and Paehwa Girls' School were founded in 1890 and 1898, respectively, in Seoul. Songui Girls' School was established in 1903 in P'yongyang. By 1987 there were ten institutions of higher education for women including universities, colleges, and junior colleges; women accounted for approximately 28 percent of total enrollment in higher education. There were approximately 262,500 women students in colleges and universities in 1987. However, only about 16 percent of college and university teachers were women in 1987.
The growing number of women receiving a college education has meant that their sex role differs from that of their mothers and grandmothers. Many college-educated women plan independent careers and challenge the right of parents to choose a marriage partner. The often fierce battles between university students and police during the late 1980s included female participants. A correspondent for the Far Eastern Economic Review quoted a male student leader as saying that "short girls make great demonstrators, as they're very tough and very hard to catch." Whether politically active South Korean university women will follow their Japanese counterparts, who demonstrated during the 1960s and 1970s, into a world of childraising and placid consumerism remains to be seen. The number of employed married women, however, increased by approximately 12.6 percent annually in the years since 1977.
In 1983 more women--51.8 percent--were employed in rural areas than in urban areas--37.9 percent. Most of the women working in rural areas were over the age of thirty, as young females (and males) tended to move to, and seek employment in, cities and industrial areas.
Official South Korean statistics indicated that 43.6 percent of women were in the work force by 1988. Prospects for lower class women, however, were frequently grim. In some cases, they were obliged to become part of the "entertainment industry" in order to survive economically. According to one estimate, brothels, bars, massage parlors, discos, and what are known as "Taiwan style" barbershops (that is, those often employing a greater number of masseuses than barbers) employed as many as 1 million women, though not all were prostitutes. This underworld of abuse, exploitation, and bitter shame had begun to be criticized and exposed by women's activists.
Korea.
KOREA♥
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Hanbok is a comprehensive term used to describe Korean traditional clothing. Today, hanbok is worn mostly on special occasions, and is divided into categories based on its function.
