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REQUIREMENTS TO OBTAIN VISA TO ENTER SOUTH KOREA Requirements for U.S. Citizens, Tourist or Business TravelRequirements for U.S. Official or Diplomatic Passport HoldersRequirements for U.S. Military DependentsRequirements for Non-US Citizens Applying in USA

MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION:  Hospitals in Korea are generally well-equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic equipment.  High quality general and specialty dental care is available in Seoul.  Western-style medical facilities are available in major urban areas of Seoul, Busan, Daegu, and a few other large cities.  However, not all doctors and staff in these major urban areas are proficient in English.  Most clinics in rural areas do not have an English-speaking doctor.  A list of hospitals and medical specialists who speak English is available at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul or on the Embassy's web site at http://korea.usembassy.gov/health.html.

Pharmacies are first-rate and most prescribed medications, except psychotropic medications, can be obtained with a prescription.  Travelers taking any psychotropic or controlled medications should bring a sufficient supply as well as a copy of the prescription for Korean customs clearance at the airport. Korean ambulances do not carry sophisticated medical equipment and the ambulance personnel do not have the same level of emergency medical training as in the United States.  However, ambulances operated by the fire department (dial 119) will respond very quickly and take patients to the nearest hospital.  For medical evacuation to points outside Korea, SOS International is located in Seoul (tel: 02- 3140-1902, web site: www.internationalsos.com

Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC’s Internet site at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx.  For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the World Health Organization’s (WHO) web site at http://www.who.int/en.  Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith.

If you register your trip with the State Department, you will automatically receive by e-mail any travel warnings that are in effect for the country.

For information about avian flu see the Travel & Transportation section of the official U.S. Government website on pandemic influenza athttp://pandemicflu.gov/travel/

If you're traveling to another country for the holidays, be sure to check the Consular Information Sheet for your destination. These reports are prepared by U.S. Embassies and Consulates throughout the world. They contain information about visa and entry requirements, availability of medical care, crime and security, road conditions, location of the U.S. Embassy, and much more information for every country of the world.

It is customary to bring a small gift when visiting a South Korean home. It's better to bring a small token and not an ostentatious object that calls attention to you. Fruit, flowers, and chocolates are popular gifts for these occasions.

South Koreans generally sit, eat, and sleep on the floor, so you will be expected to remove your shoes upon entering a South Korean home and some schools and restaurants. Bare feet may be offensive to people of the older generations, so it's best to wear socks when visiting (be sure they're clean and free of holes! 

In addition to chopsticks, South Koreans regularly use soup spoons at meals. The chopsticks are used primarily for side dishes, while the spoon is used for soup and rice. Unlike in Japan, it's not appropriate to pick up your rice bowl while eating. All plates and bowls should stay on the table. Drinking customs in South Korea are also different than in Japan. Use both hands when pouring a drink for someone, because it shows respect. Though filling a companion's glass with beer or soju (similar to vodka) is appropriate, it's essential that the glass is completely empty before pouring. This may seem like a trivial concern, but will count for a lot in the eyes of your South Korean friends.

The Korean public education structure is divided into three parts: six years of primary school, followed by three years of middle school and then three years of high school

The primary curriculum consists of nine principal subjects: moral education, Korean language, social studies, mathematics, science, physical education, music, fine arts, and practical arts.

High schools are divided into academic and vocational schools

Seoul recently agreed to reopen its market to most U.S. beef cuts, lifting a five-year ban placed after the outbreak of the first mad cow case in the United States. The decision reached on April 18 is expected to permit U.S. beef shipments to arrive here around in mid May.

"We are very pleased that Korea has taken the decision," Vershbow said, "And this agreement is based on international scientific standards, which I think is the only policy for trading nations that they want to observe, that they want to have healthy economic relations with other nations."The Lee Myung-bak administration, however, faced mounting domestic criticism for rushing to the beef agreement despite lingering concerns over mad cow disease and feared impact on the local cattle industry

Resuming U.S. beef imports has been considered a key condition for Seoul gaining U.S. ratification of the free trade agreement

Some physicians and hospitals will not accept overseas health insurance and therefore may require you to pay up front; however, if you or your employer pay taxes then you are entitled to health insurance through your employer

no vaccinations are required to enter South Korea, but you should be sure your rabies and tetanus/diptheria shots are up-to-date, and vaccination for hepatitis

if you will be living in or spending significant time traveling in rural areas, a vaccination for Japanese encephalitis is recommended

Avian Flu Precautions

North Korea rejected a proposal from South Korea's new conservative president to establish liaison offices in both countries

SEOUL, South Korea—North Korea rejected a proposal from South Korea's new conservative president to establish liaison offices in both countries calling it a public relations exercise aimed at covering up deteriorating ties on the divided peninsula.

The proposal was Lee's first overture to the communist nation.

Korea is connected by air to every major capital in the world

37 international airlines

over 1,500 flights into and out of Korea every week

Today, according to the 2007 Index, South Korea's economy is 68.6 percent free, making it the world's 36th freest economy. Unfortunately, however, a closer look reveals that South Korea's level of economic freedom is neither as comprehensive nor as concrete as it should be. For example, although its regulatory process has improved, bureaucracy and lack of transparency still hinders entrepreneurial activities. Interventionist government policies still linger. South Korea's labor freedom is also shackled by restrictive employment regulations that hamper employment and productivity growth. Militant labor unions make the situation worse, disrupting the rule of law and undermining productivity.

Gross domestic product grew 0.7% from the previous quarter, down from the 1.6% expansion seen at the end of 2007. Falling exports were largely to blame for the quarterly slowdown along with weak consumer spending. President Lee Myung-bak took office in February promising to boost annual growth to 7% - it grew 5% in 2007. The investment bank Goldman Sachs said it was keeping its growth forecast for the full year at 4.8% despite the weak quarterly figures. It predicted the government's programme of tax-cuts and deregulation would boost growth while the weak currency would help exporters. Inflation figures were also released on Friday, with consumer prices rising 3.9% in the year to the end of March. That figure is above the government's target of between 2.5% and 3.5% for the fourth month running.

oting has begun across South Korea in parliamentary elections that observers say are critical to the country's economic and political future. The elections come amid now-robust economic performance, as well as on the heels of the announcement of improved ties with North Korea. Rival candidates made last-ditch appeals for votes as the world focused on the first-ever summit between the two Koreas.

Another pressing issue for Kim's 2-year-old government is the reform of South Korea's inefficient economic systems, especially its family-owned conglomerates, or chaebol. About a dozen of the conglomerates collapsed under debts in 1997, forcing South Korea to accept a record $58 billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund.

President Kim has publicly said reunions of those separated family members will top the agenda. Only 50 people from each Korea were allowed to cross the border in 1985 for the first temporary family reunions. No further reunions have since been arranged because of military and political tensions. The Korean border, the world's most heavily armed, is sealed with nearly 2 million troops deployed on both sides.

With apologies for not reporting on this well in advance, but with hopes that this post will allow for some advance planning for next year's events, here's a bit on the 2007 International Korean Adoptee Association's Gathering that took place during the week of July 31st- August 5th in Seoul, South Korea.

Ensure that you have applied for your absentee ballot using the hard copy or on-line versions of the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) form

(4) Make sure your local election official has your current mailing address.

(8) Register to vote and request your ballot in a timely manner - not later than September 2008.

Table Reminders1. The eldest person present begins eating first.2. Chopsticks should not be left in the rice or soup bowl during or after the meal.3. The rice or soup bowl should not be held in one's hands while eating.4. The hand and arms should not be placed on the table while eating.5. One should not tear food into pieces using fingers.6. One must remain at the table until the last person has finished eating.

The main dish is almost always accompanied by rice, soup, kimchi and several side dishes. Koreans eat their rice and soup with a spoon (which was reportedly first invented by the Koreans),

Use the spoon for rice and the chopsticks for side dishes, but you can ask for forks or knives at restaurants. Do not stir your rice or your soup. Do not leave the spoon or chopsticks in the rice as it symbolizes their use by the dead. Knives are used only in the preparation of food, not as eating utensils because Korean food is either pre-cut into bite-sized pieces or is soft enough to be pulled apart using chopsticks.

The NewsWealth.com South Korea News Media Guide spotlights South Korean current events via major daily South Korean newspapers, South Korea news blogs, magazines, South Korean tabloids, and other South Korea news sources for multimedia coverage of South Korean breaking news plus top stories on showbiz celebrities, South Korea politics, sports events, the South Korea travel industry, South Korean newspaper advertising, medical tours, eco tourism, luxury camping, retirement in South Korea, investing in South Korea, business opportunities, accommodations, telecom services, immigration guidelines, expat employment, import & export, forex trading, money transfer rates, and more.