Korea

 

South Korea is the resultant of the Korea partition, the consequence of the nineteen fifties civil war. Many authors consider that the existence of Korea is a miracle considering the appetites of its neighbours for several millennia.
The pugnacity of the Koreans to survive as a nation may result from the Korean culture, syncretism of Buddhism, Confucianism and Shamanism. This culture would also partly explain the economic miracle.
Korea appears ambivalent to Europeans visitors, because of opposition between past and present. The history of Korea is not the purpose of these pages. It is outlined briefly to follow the vicissitudes of "the Land of Morning Calm".
The geography of South Korea is presented in broad maps to locate the journey. North Korea will not be studied.

 

History

Geography

According to Korean mythology, the year 2333 BC may be the divine creation date of the Chosun Kingdommeaning, the Land of Morning Calm. Moreover until 1910, Korea counted the years from that date.
Actually, archaeological excavations attest the peninsula settlement back to the paleolithic age.
From 108 BC to 313 AD, the Chinese empire occupied the peninsula bringing its civilization, administration, art and technology. Consequently Korea's development was inseparable from its powerful neighbour.
From 57 BC to 668, rebellious tribes made up three kingdoms, Koguryo in the north, Paekche in the south-west and Shilla in the south-east. Buddhism was introduced into the peninsula by the Kings of Paekche.
From 668 to 935, the unification proceeded from the Chinese threat of the Tang dynasty by regrouping under the authority of Shilla. Since 57 BC, the Shilla kingdom had its capital at Kyongju. The appropriation of the lands by the State and their distribution to civil servants caused the collapse of the kingdom.
From 935 to 1392, the Koryo kingdom, corruption of Koguryo replaced Shilla and its capital was installed in Kaesong. The Mongolian hordes devastated the country and dominated it until 1368 which put an end of the kingdom.
From 1392 to 1910, the Chosun kingdom took over the power and established its capital at Hanyang, future Seoul.
From 1910 to 1945, Japanese colonization was terrible and left deep scars in Korean mentality.
On August 15, 1945, the armistice with Japan was signed at the end of World War II.
On August 15, 1948, the 1st Republic was founded.
From 1950 to 1953, the end of the civil war involved the partition.
The End of the 20th century was marked by civil troubles and four successive republics.

Korea is a peninsula within the borders of Asia from which it is separated by two rivers, taking their sources at the Paekdu Mount, 2,744m high, Yumen in the east and Yalu in the west. They constitute the natural border with China and Russia.
Korea stretches 1,000Km from north to south and 500 km from east to west at its widest and 200Km at its smallest.
The border of the armistice between the two Korea is roughly along the 38th parallel.

South Korea is approximately 45% the surface of Korea that is to say 18% of France.
It is bordered in the east by the Sea of Japan, in the west by the Yellow Sea and in the south by the East China Sea.
The mountains are 70% of the territory whose the highest summit is the Halla-san mount, 1,950m high, located on the Jejudo island in the south-west. The range of mountains is directed North-South from the Paekdu mount sloping down towards the south and constituting the watershed between the east and the west.

The East part is abrupt with a narrow coastal band and inlets sheltering fishing ports.
The Western part is gently sloping with rich coastal plains, sand banks and tides among the highest of the globe. There is no fishing port.
The Southern part, strewn with islands, is tropical and luxuriant.

South Korea has four very marked seasons. Monsoon prevails in summer. Autumn is the most pleasant season to visit South Korea.


Located between the 38th and 33rd parallel, Korea has temperate landscapes in the north - the vegetation is alpine beech, birches, pine trees - and tropical landscapes in the south and more particularly on the coast - where the vegetation becomes luxuriant, azalea, camellia. Fauna is mainly made up of birds, pheasants, orioles. The white crane is protected.

Economic facts

Civilization

Korea's economy is very developed. Korea was one of the five dragons of South-East Asia.

Agriculture provides 4,4% of the GDP.

Mineral resources are not very important, they represent 0,3% of the GDP.

Industry is very developed in all the branches of industry, building, shipbuilding, automotive engineering, machine tools, chemistry etc. The sector provides 38,3% of the GDP.

Trade and services are also very important. They provide 54,1% of the GDP. The services of the private sector amount to 43,7% of the GDP.

Trade, imports and exports, is among the most important of South-East Asia.

The Korean currency is Korean Won.

The official name is Republic of Korea whose capital is Seoul. The population is +48 million inhabitants.
The official language of Korea is Korean which belongs to the Ural-Altaic group of the settlement tribes during the paleolithic era.
The writing is Hangul conceived  in the 15th century.

Koreans are Buddhist, Confucian, Shamanist and 25% Christian.
Confucianism is a philosophical ethics and an organizing ideology of the social order by posing five rules of good attitudes between the people:
  1 between the sovereign and the subject,
  2 between the father and the son,
  3 between the elder and his junior,
  4 between the husband and the wife,
  5 between friends.
Shamanism dates from ancestral tribes of Central Asia. Buddhism belongs to the school of the great vehicle, Mahayana. Christian was established by the Jesuits and persecutions started in 1791.

The GNP is US$18.000 per capita.


Due to its geographical and geological configuration, Korea provides all the open air activities more especially as Koreans are inclined to them naturally. Traditional arts, painting, penmanship, ceramics and spectacles are as many sights to be seen with traditional medicine and geomancy.

Traveller's Information

Sights

Nationals of European countries and Canadians with a return ticket can stay in South Korea up to 90 days visa-free. The other nationals of the countries recognized by South Korea can stay 30 days.

On the health plan it is recommended to consult specialized websites, in France the website of the Foreign Ministry. No particular precaution to Korea, it is necessary to be up to date with the usual vaccinations.

The traveller's budget depends on his choices, South Korea offers little opportunities for small budgets.

The geographical situation of Korea, its climatic variety offer to travellers multiple possibilities of activity.

There are twenty natural reserves. They offer all opportunities to sportsmen.

Sports activities are possible in all Korean areas, excursions, skiing, golf and mountain biking.

In autumn 2003, I made a package tour in Korea in connection with Japan.
Neuilly, le 2003/11/09