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Map of Korea
 South Korea is mainly mountainous, with narrow coastal plains. Its coastline is rugged with many inlets. About two thirds of the country is forested with both conifers and deciduous trees. There used to be many large animals such as bears, tigers and leopards, but these have virtually disappeared due to poaching and the thinning of the forests for fuel.
Seoul is the country’s largest city and the site of the Ch’anggonggung Palace, built as a royal residence about 600 years ago. Another impressive building is Kyongbok Palace. In addition to the many spectacular skyscrapers, there are still many traditional old houses and inns and some huge busy markets.
Busan, also referred to as Pusan, is the second largest city in South Korea, with a ferry link to Japan. It is famous for the Pusan International Film Festival. It lies is the south east of the country. Close to Kyongju is the Sokkuram Cave Temple, this dates from around 750AD and is carved into a granite mountain. Not far from here is the splendid tomb, close to the south east coast at the foot of Mount Songhwasan, of General Kim Yu-Shin, one of Korea’s most famous heroes and the stuff of legends.
 The semi-tropical Cheju Island is a separate province of South Korea. The city, Cheju, is a fishing port, producing woven goods and bamboo products. This is where Kublai Khan built ships to invade Japan in 1273.
In southern South Korea, Daegu, also known as Taiku or Taegu, is an educational centre and the site of numerous colleges.
The Sorak National Park is a lovely place of forests, mountains streams, waterfalls and mountains, of which Seorak-san is the highest. It should be visited in autumn when at its most beautiful. It is situated in the eastern part of the country.
 Taejon, otherwise known as Daejeon, is the capital of South Ch’ungch’ong Province in central South Korea. In 1993 the EXPO Bridge was built, as part of the local expo.
South Korea has a temperate climate with a short rainy season in the summer. The winters can be bitterly cold. The best time to visit is in autumn, September to November. Spring can be very beautiful but tends to be very popular with tourists. The cuisine is based on rice, fish, seaweed and fermented vegetables. However there are also some expensive and exotic dishes, known as royal cuisine. Generally, transport links are very good and safe and much easier than driving on the frequently congested roads.
Map of Korea
map courtesey of CIA World Factbook - Korea
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