Other Information
Climate
Korea's climate is regarded as a continental climate from a temperate standpoint and a monsoonal climate from a precipitation standpoint. The climate of Korea is characterized by four distinct seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter. The average temperature during the congress is between 8°C and 19°C which will be perfectly pleasant and comfortable.
Korean Food
- Eating out is one of the great pleasures of visiting Korea, a country famous for its diverse native dishes. Korean cuisine is nutritious, well balanced and low in calories as it involves a wide variety of vegetables and fermented foods. Bulgogi (Marinated, barbecued
beef) and Bibimbap (Boiled rice mixed with vegetables) are the most famous.
Money & Currency
The unit of Korean currency is the Won (￦). Coin denominations are ￦10, ￦50, ￦100 and ￦500. Banknotes are ￦1,000, ￦5,000 and ￦10,000.
The exchange rate is approximately US$1 to KRW 1,170 as of February 5, 2010.
Currency exchange
Foreign banknotes and traveler's check can be exchanged at foreign exchange banks and other authorized moneychangers.
Traveler's checks
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
Banking hours
Monday to Friday 09: 30 - 16: 00
Credit cards
- Diners Club, Visa, American Express and MasterCard are widely accepted at major hotels, shops and restaurants in the larger cities. Check with your credit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.
Liability and Insurance
- The Organizing Committee will take no liability for personal injuries sustained by, or for loss or damage to property belonging to congress participants, either during or as a result of the congress. It is, therefore, advised that participants arrange their own personal health, accident
and travel insurance.
Time Zone
- Korean time is 9 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+9).
Telephone Call
- A local call costs ￦70 for three minutes. For international call, first dial the international dialing code (001, 002 or 008), then the country code, followed by the area code, and then the phone number. You can rent a cellular phone at the airport. For the details, please visit
- 1330 Korea Travel Phone :
When you need English assistance or travel information, just dial 1330, and a bilingual operator will offer you detailed information on tourist sites, transportation, restaurants, etc.
Business Hours
- Government office hours are usually from 9:00am to 6:00pm on weekdays and closed on weekends. Banks are open from 9:30am to 4:30pm on weekdays and closed on Saturday and Sunday.
Major stores are open every day from 10:30am to 8:00pm including Sundays
Electricity
- The standard electricity supply is 220-volts AC/60 cycles. Most hotels may provide outlet converters for 110 and 220 volts. It is advised to check with the hotel beforehand.
Emergency Calls
- International SOS Korea provides a 24-hour emergency service for participants, for a fee, acting as a link between the patient and the Korean hospitals. For Medical Emergencies dial 1339.
119 : Emergencies for fire / rescue & hospital services
112 : Police
129 : First Aid patient
