Safety & Security

Korea is unique in the degree to which people enjoy the freedom to walk safely on the streets at all times. The crime rate in Korea, especially in regard to foreign tourists, is one of the lowest in the world.

Climate and Weather

The annual mean temperature ranges from 10 to 16°C except in the high mountain areas. The warmest month is August, whereas January is the coldest one. The monthly mean temperature ranges from 23 to 27°C in August and from -6 to 7°C in January.

Time Zone

The time zone is Greenwich Mean Time +9 hours.

Business Hours

Government office hours are usually from 9:00 to 18:00 on weekdays and closed on weekends. Banks are open from 9:00 to 16:00 on weekdays and closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Most stores are open every day from 10:30 to 20:00, including Sundays.

Currency

The unit of Korean currency is the Won (￦).
Coin denominations are ￦10, ￦50, ￦100 and ￦500. Banknotes are ￦1,000, ￦5,000, ￦10,000 and ￦50,000.

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.

Tip & Tax

Tipping is not a regular practice in Korea. Service charges are included in your bill for rooms, meals and other services at hotels and upscale restaurants. Koreans occasionally do tip when they are especially pleased with the service they receive. Value-Added Tax (VAT) is levied on most goods and services at a standard rate of 10% and is included in the retail price. In tourist hotels, this 10% tax applies to rooms, meals and other services and is included in the bill.

Electricity

In Korea, 220 volt outlets are most common. Some hotels provide 110 volt outlets for shavers. Please check the power supply before use.

Emergency Call

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