Foreign delegates having return tickets coming from countries
with no-visa agreement with Korea can normally stay in Korea
for up to 30 days without visa. However, the delegates should
check with the Korean Embassy in their country or contact the
Organising Committee. The Organising Committee for the ICOM
2004 SEOUL will assist delegates and issue official invitations
to facilitate their travel allowance and visa application. 
Seoul is 9 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
The Korean currency is the won (indicated as  ).
Coin denominations are 10, 50, 100 and 500. Bank notes are
1,000, 5,000, and 10,000. Foreign bank notes and traveler's
checks can be converted into Korean Won at most banks, hotels
and airports. International credit cards such as Visa, Master,
American Express, and JCB are widely accepted at major hotels,
department stores and restaurants in larger cities. You may
be requested to show your passport.
Government offices are open between the hours of 9 a.m. and
6 p.m. on Monday-Friday and on Saturdays, between 9 a.m. and
1 p.m. Most private businesses open at 8:30 a.m. and close
at 6 p.m. but some open until late evening. Bank hours are
from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. Foreign diplomatic
missions in Seoul generally maintain strict business hours.
They are usually open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and
are closed on Saturdays, Sundays and their national holidays.
From the ICOM 2004 SEOUL venue, the two main conference hotels
(COEX Inter-Continental Seoul and Grand Intercontinental Seoul)
are within 2-5 minutes walking distance. A number of other
hotels can be reached in 10 to 20 minutes by public transport.
A free shuttle service will be provided for delegates to and
from the hotels. The venue also has easy subway access, and
city buses and taxis are readily available.
The Korea City Air Terminal, conveniently located within the
conference complex, offers a non-stop limousine bus service
to and from Incheon International Airport. Subway is not available
from the airport.
Korea lies in the temperate zone and has four distinct seasons:
spring, summer, fall and winter. October is in the middle
of fall. The average daytime temperature in Seoul during the
conference will be around 16°C-19°C which will be
perfectly pleasant and comfortable. We recommend a set of
warmer wear for the evening.
Registration fees do not include insurance of any kind. It
is strongly recommended that at the time you register for
the Conference and book your travel you take out an insurance
policy of your choice.
Seoul is one of the safest metropolitan cities in the world,
with a very low crime rate. Downtown Seoul is safe to walk
around even late at night, so please take this opportunity
to discover Seoul's interesting places which will make your
stay an unforgettable experience. Seoul has a wide variety
of restaurants from tiny old-style houses to stylish modern
buildings offering varied types of cuisine. In the COEX shopping
mall and the surrounding area you can easily find Korean,
Japanese, Chinese and Western restaurants at reasonable prices.
First-aid will stand by 24 hours at the Conference Venue.
|
