General Information
Seoul Korea
Visa Information
The Korean’s official currency is the Won (KRW/ ₩). Notes are in denominations of ₩ 1,000, ₩ 5,000, and ₩ 10,000, ₩ 50,000. Coins are in denominations of ₩ 10, ₩50, ₩100 and ₩500. As of July 2019, the exchange rate is approximately ₩1,160 for USD 1
Visa and MasterCard are accepted at almost all retail outlets, but Diners Club and American Express may only be accepted at major hotels, shops and restaurants in the larger cities. Check with your credit card company for details on merchant acceptance and other available services.
Korea has four seasons, with a wet monsoon/summer in the middle of the year, and a cold winter from November to March. The island of Jeju off the southern coast is the warmest and wettest place in the country. The ideal time to visit Korea is during the autumn months (September-November). During this time, the country experiences warm, sunny weather, skies that are cobalt blue and spectacular foliage that is perhaps the biggest draw. Winters are cold and dry and are a good time to visit if you are interested in winter sports as there are numerous ski resorts. Spring (April-May) is also beautiful with all the cherry blossoms in bloom. However, it is very busy and one needs to book in advance to ensure accommodation is available. The summer months are muggy and hot, and rather crowded. It is also when the monsoon begins so many activities are subject to the fluctuations of heavy rain.
Outlets for 220 Volts/60Hz are mostly used in Korea. In order to convert the power into 110 volts please contact the hotel housekeeping and current transformer will be available.
Government office hours are usually from 9am to 6pm on weekdays and closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Banks are open from 9:00am to 4:00pm on weekdays and closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Major department stores are open every day from 10:30am to 8pm including Sundays.
Korea is 9 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT +9) and does not observe daylight savings time. For more information, please visit
http://www.worldtimeserver.com/time_converter.aspx
Tip : Tipping is not regularly practiced in Korea. Service charges are often included in the bill for rooms, meals, and other services at hotels and upscale restaurants. Koreans occasionally do tip when they are especially pleased with the services provided.
Tax : Upon request, visitors can receive VAT refunds of about 10 percent for purchases at "Duty Free Shopping" outlets. Goods must be taken out of Korea within three months of purchase to be eligible for a tax refund. Only foreign tourists in Korea can apply for this tax refund. Visitors can receive refund on receipts with a minimum purchase amount of KR￦ 50,000 (around US$ 50). To receive this refundable, present refund receipts together with the purchased goods at the customs desk at the airport on your day of departure. These receipts can be cashed in at the Cash Refund Office in front of the Airport Duty Free Shop.
Police : 112
Fire & Ambulance : 119
Medical emergency : 1339 - These services are available 24 hours.
