Difference between revisions of "South Korea"
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| Good bye! || An-nyong-hi ka-seyo! (used if the person you are addressing is leaving) = Go in health/peace | | Good bye! || An-nyong-hi ka-seyo! (used if the person you are addressing is leaving) = Go in health/peace | ||
+ | |- | ||
| Good bye! || An-nyong-hi gyeh-seyo! (if the person you are addressing is staying somewhere) = Stay in health/peace | | Good bye! || An-nyong-hi gyeh-seyo! (if the person you are addressing is staying somewhere) = Stay in health/peace | ||
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| -- note: this uses the formal -mnida ending, so don't add -yo. | | -- note: this uses the formal -mnida ending, so don't add -yo. | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | Where are you going? || Odi ga-yo? (lit. where go? | + | | Where are you going? || Odi ga-yo? (lit. where go?) |
|-) | |-) | ||
| Yes || Ne | | Yes || Ne |
Revision as of 17:57, 14 February 2010
Information | |
Language: | Korean |
Capital: | Seoul |
Population: | 50,062,000 (2009 est.) |
Currency: | International symbol ₩, pronounced Won (KRW) |
Hitchability: | ? |
More info: | AVP Free Encyclopedia (Russian) |
Meet fellow hitchhikers on Trustroots | |
<map lat='35.85' lng='127.5' zoom='6' view='0' height='320px' country='South Korea' /> |
South Korea is a country in East Asia. It has a land border with North Korea, but travel there is restricted. There are ferry services from Pusan to Japan, and from Seoul to China.
Koreans are generally friendly, honest, and generous people who often drive big cars which are usually empty. Hitch hiking is easy here for foreigners if you are reasonably well dressed and clean shaven. I found I generally waited 15 minutes or less. The motorway service stations (hyu-gye-so) are easy to get lifts from, they often have tourist information centres with free road maps, free internet access and excellent cheap food. Tollgates are also good places to hitch. Technically you shouldn't stand on the motorway side of a tollgate, but cars often pull up here anyway, and the tollgate staff rarely object to you standing on the motorway side of the tollgate. Sometimes tollgate staff may even help you by asking drivers their destination, and asking them to give you lifts if they are going your way!
Write hitchiking signs in Hangul (Korean alphabet); place names on road signs are generally in Hangul and English, so you can copy the Hangul from road signs. A map in Hangul is useful, and one in English if you can't read Korean.
Korean drivers may try to take you to bus or train stations (they mean well). Also many of them are completely incapable of reading paper maps, relying instead on satellite navigation.
Contents
Language
Few Koreans speak a lot of English. Many may understand some very basic words.
The Korean language is heavily steeped in formality and politeness. When speaking Korean, it is generally best to end every sentence with -yo. This is the 'polite' level of speaking. If you don't, you may be forgiven as an unknowing foreigner, but a little politeness goes a long way! Most Koreans are thrilled that a foreigner has taken a little time to learn some of their language.
Some important phrases
Hello | An-nyong haseyo = Be healthy/peaceful | ||
Good bye! | An-nyong-hi ka-seyo! (used if the person you are addressing is leaving) = Go in health/peace | ||
Good bye! | An-nyong-hi gyeh-seyo! (if the person you are addressing is staying somewhere) = Stay in health/peace | ||
Thank you | Kamsa hamnida/Gomup sumnida | -- note: this uses the formal -mnida ending, so don't add -yo. | |
Where are you going? | Odi ga-yo? (lit. where go?) | ||
Yes | Ne | ||
No | Ani-o | ||
here | Yogi-eh-yo (lit. here-at (polite ending)) (use this if you're pointing at a map... | ||
Please | juseyo | -- used with verbs, eg. '...-eh ga-juseyo' = take me to ..., please (lit. ...-at go please) | or 'Mohm-chu juseyo' = stop please |
Motorway service station | hyu-gye-so | ||
Gas station | ju-yu-so | ||
Interchange | IC pronounced "ee shee", most Koreans seem to understand the word "tollgate" |
Hitchhiking for female
If you are a girl, you should be careful with hitchiking in South Korea. People may think you are a Russian prostitute. Probably you will have to explain them why actually you are standing on the gate to highway. Because of the shortage of English speakers, it may be extremely hard for you to do this.
Border Crossing
The border to North Korea is closed. The border crossing to Japan is quite easy, as all the border service people speak English.